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Rodney J. Scott, Ph.D.
Biology Department, Wheaton College

Rod Scott is an associate professor of Biology at Wheaton College.  Wheaton is a primarily undergraduate institution and Rod works exclusively with undergraduate students.  He uses Ceratotperis in his teaching and his research.  He teaches a unique sophomore-level course called Introduction to Biological Research – Model Research Systems that uses Ceratotperis for many elements of the class.  The course is designed to introduce students to the processes of research including reading and writing various types of scientific literature and doing lab experiments on a single model organism.  When Rod teaches this course (usually once each year) he always uses Ceratopteris as the model organism.  The students who take this course often continue on with the research that they’ve started in the course and sign up for one or more semesters of collaborative research.  Rod has also developed a General Genetics lab manual that features Ceratopteris in one exercise, and makes references to it as often as possible in other exercises (published by Bent Tree Press)

Rod studies various aspects of the development and genetics of Ceratoperis.  His most recent publication focused on the sequences of four alpha-tubulin genes isolated from a cDNA library.  He is currently engaged in several studies with his students including one focused on environmental factors that influence archegonial development, and one investigating possible procedures for genetically transforming Ceratotperis.