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Michael Kingston
Professor - Biology and Environmental Studies
Biology
McMichael Science Building 124E
2625 Campus Box
Elon, NC 27244
kingston@elon.edu
Phone: (336) 278-6182

Brief Biography

In addition to his position as a Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies, Dr. Kingston serves as the Curator of the Elon University Roger Barbour Collection of wildlife images.  He served as the Biology Department Chair from 2002-2006 and the Environmental Studies Interim Chair from 2009-2011.  He has taught a variety of courses on the following topics:  population biology, aquatic biology, field biology in Jamaica, field biology in Belize, biostatistics, environmental issues of Southeast Asia, and ecological research.  He has also taught Marine Ecology and Marine Invertebrate Zoology as an adjunct summer faculty member at the Duke University Marine Laboratory.  

Over the last 20 years, his research interests have centered on the evolutionary ecology of benthic marine and freshwater microalgae with a focus on the genus Euglena.  He has conducted field research in California, Oregon, and Alaska as well as North Carolina.  Undergraduate students have served as co-investigators and coauthors on some of these projects.  

His on-going professional associations include the Phycological Society of America and the North Carolina Academy of Science (NCAS).  He has recently served as a member of the NCAS Board of Directors, the Editorial Board for the NCAS Journal, the Chair of the 2010 Annual Meeting Committee, and the Chair of the 2011 Annual Meeting Host Committee.  In past years he has served the Academy as its Vice President, Annual Meeting Coordinator, and a member of the grants-in-aid of undergraduate research committee. His professional service includes serving as a peer reviewer for the Journal of Phycology, the Journal of Diatom Research, the European Journal of Phycology, and the Journal of Marine Biology and Ecology.

Education

  1990      Ph.D., Botany, Duke University, Durham, NC

  1984      M.S., Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA

  1981      B.S., Summa cum laude, Marine Science (conc. in biology), Southampton College, Long Island

                                  University, Southampton, NY

Employment History

2011-10     Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies, Elon University:  

2011-09     Visiting Summer Adjunct Faculty, Nicholas School of the Environment of Duke

                       University and the Duke University Marine Laboratory.

2010-02    Associate Professor of Biology (tenured), Elon University: 

2007       Visiting Summer Adjunct Faculty, Nicholas School of the Environment of Duke University and the Duke

                        University Marine Laboratory: 

2002-1995   Assistant Professor of Biology (tenure-track), Elon College and Elon University:

1995        Visiting Summer Adjunct Faculty, Duke University’s Nicholas School for the Environment and the Duke

                      University Marine Laboratory.

1995-92   Assistant Professor of Biology (non-tenure track), Elon College:

1992-91   Instructor of Biology, Elon College:

 

Courses Taught

Biodiversity

General Ecology & Ecology Lab

Introduction to Population Biology & Population Biology Lab

Marine Ecology-- Nicholas School of the Environment of Duke University and the Duke University Marine Laboratory

Grants Awarded

2010        Fund for Excellence in the Arts and Sciences Grant, “Exploring Interdisciplinary Opportunities in               

                       Computational Science.”  $1850.  

2010         Software Grant, Academic Technology and Computing Committee, Elon University,

“Incorporating Specialized Software for Ecological Methodology Courses,” $970.

2007         Faculty Sabbatical Grant, Elon University, “Vertical Migration of Euglena,” $18,000.

2005         Technology Enhancement Grant, Instructional Design and Development Department, Elon University,

                                 "Incorporation of Standard Statistical Software into the Biology Curriculum (Sophomore-Senior

                                  Year),” $4000.

2005          Software Grant, Academic Technology and Computing Committee, Elon University,“Incorporation of

                                   Standard Statistical Software into the Biology Curriculum (Sophomore-Senior Year),” $2000

2002       Faculty R&D Summer Fellowship Grant, Elon University, “Disturbance on the Vertical and

                                    Horizontal Distribution of Euglena viridis,” $5260.

2002       Faculty R&D Grant-in-Aid of Research, Elon University, “Vertical Migration of Oregon Surf

                                       Algae,” $1075.

2000       Academic Technology and Computing Committee Software Grant, Elon College, “Biology

                                       Department Statistical Software Standardization,” $1281.

2000      Faculty R&D Summer Fellowship Grant, Elon College, “Vertical Migration and

                                    Ecophysiology of Euglena sp.  $4425.

2000     Faculty R&D Grant-in-Aid of Research,,Elon College, “Vertical Migration of California Surf

                                      Algae, $1375.

1998       Travel Grant to Thailand, part of U.S. Department of Education Grant to Elon College to

                                          develop the Asian Studies Program ($2700)

1996       Faculty R&D Committee Summer Fellowship Grant, Elon College, “Vertical Migration of

                                           Benthic Microalgae in Freshwater Ecosystems, $3500.

1995       Burroughs Wellcome Pharmaceuticals Corp. Science Faculty Grant, “Vertical Migration and

                                           Photosynthesis in Benthic Microalgae, $950.

1995        Environmental Studies Faculty Study Group Grant, part of NEH funded “Connecting Learning in the

                                              Humanities and Sciences” Grant to Elon College $2350.

1993       Burroughs Wellcome Science Faculty Scholarship, “Tropical Marine Biology,” $1200.

1993       Faculty R&D Grant-in-Aid of Research, Elon College, “Tropical Marine Bioloty,” $220.

1989       Grant-in-Aid of Research, Phycological Society of America, “Effects of Groundwater

                                            Seepage on Benthic Micralgal Patchiness on Intertidal Sandflats,” $500.       

1983       Grant-in-Aid of Research, Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, “A Unique Association

                                              of Separate Morphs of Gigartina papillata:  Combining Selective Strategies,” $300.

1982       Grant-in-Aid of Research, Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, “The Impact of

                                           Competition upon the Zonation of Intertidal Algae,” $150.

Publications

Kingston, M.B.  2009.  Growth and motility of the diatom Cylindrotheca closterium:  Implications for commercial applications.  Journal of the North Carolina Academy of Science 124(4):138-142.

Kingston, M.B. and J.S. Gough.  2009.  Vertical migration of a mixed species Euglena (Euglenophyta) assemblage inhabiting the high intertidal sands of Nye Beach, Oregon.  Accepted for publication J. Phycol. 45:1021-1029.l

Kingston, M.B.  2002.  Effect of sub-surface nutrients on the vertical migration of Euglena proxima.  J. Phycol. 38:872-880.

Kingston, M.B.  1999.  Effect of light on the vertical migration and photosynthesis of Euglena proxima Euglenophyta).  J. Phycol.  35:245-253.

Kingston, M.B.  1999.  Wave effects on the vertical migration of two benthic microalgae:  Hantzschia virgata var. intermedia and Euglena proxima.  Estuaries 22:81-91.

Horst, R.W. and M.B. Kingston.  1995.  Feeding and social facilitation in the sand fiddler crab, Uca pugilator.  Bios 66:79-85.

Presentations

2008    Northwest Algal Symposium, Charleston, OR.  Temporal and Vertical Distribution of Euglena

                        spp. in Beach Sand.

  2006   Phycological Society of America Meeting, Juneau, AL.  Effect of Time and Irradiance on

                           Intertidal Multi-species Euglena Patches in Oregon.  North Carolina Academy of Science 103rd

                             Annual Meeting, Greensboro, NC.  Growth and Motility of the Diatom Cylindrotheca closterium (Ehr)

                             Lewin & Reimann in Batch Culture.

  2005  North Carolina Academy of Science 102nd  Annual Meeting, Raleigh, NC  Light and Nutrient

                        Effects on Phototaxis and Cell Morphology of Euglena proxima.

  2003  Phycological Society of America Meeting, Gleneden Beach, OR.  Comparative Analysis of

                        Vertically Migrating Euglena viridis Populations in Tidal and Non-Tidal Benthic

                          Environments.

  2002  North Carolina Academy of Science 99th Annual Meeting, Chapel Hill, NC.  Hurricane damage

                            to a Piedmont forest:  Tree size and species effects.

  2001  Phycological Society of America Meeting, Estes Park, CO.  Vertical Migration of Euglena

                       viridis on Scripps Beach, La Jolla, California

  2000  Phycological Society of America Meeting, San Diego, CA.  Vertical Migration of Euglena

                        viridis on the sand banks of a North Carolina Piedmont Stream.        

  1997  North Carolina Academy of Science 94th Annual Meeting, Durham, NC.  Vertical Migration of

                        Euglena sp. in a Piedmont Stream.

  1996  Phycological Society of America Meeting, Santa Cruz, CA.  Phototactic Control of Vertical

                        Migration of Euglena proxima.

  1996  Project Kaleidoscope’s Annual Meeting, Kansas City, MO.  Field Biology in Belize Poster

                        Presentation

  1995  Phycological Society of America Meeting, Breckinridge, CO.  Light Effects on the Vertical

                         Migration and Photophysiology of Euglena proxima and Hantzschia virgata.

  1991  International Phycological Congress and Annual Phycological Society of America Joint Meeting,

                        Durham, NC.  Porewater Nutrients and the Vertical Migration of Euglena proxima.

  1991  Marine Benthic Ecology Meeting, Williamsburg, VA.  Wave Scour and the Vertical Migration of

                        Benthic Microalgae.

  1990  Phycological Society of America Meeting, College Park, MD.  The Influence of Waves on the

                        Vertical Migration of Benthic Microalgae.

  1989  Southeastern Phycological Colloquy, Wilmington, NC.  Phototaxis and Vertical Migration

                        Rhythms in a Sediment Dwelling Euglena.   

   l988  Southeastern Phycological Colloquy, St. Petersburg Beach, FA.  Light Effects on Vertical

                        Migration of Benthic Microalgae. 

  1984  Southeastern Phycological Colloquy, Melbourne, FA.  Zonation of Heteromorphic Phases of

                        Gigartina papillata (Rhodophyta).

Awards

  2011       20 Year Service Award, Elon University

  2010       Promotion to rank of professor, Elon University

  2006       15 Year Service Award, Elon University

  2002       Tenure award and promotion to associate professor rank, Elon University

  2001       10 Year Service Award, Elon College

  1999       Barbara H. Carlton Advisor of the Year, Student Government Association, Elon College

  1999       Exemplary 5-Year Service Award for Advising

  1996       Appointment to Project Kaleidoscope’s Class of 1996--Faculty for the 21st Century

  1996       5 Year Service Award, Elon College

  1991       Election to Full Membership in Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society