Analisa Brown, asbrown@peralta.edu

• Biology Professor
• Community Outreach Coordinator,
       Natural History & Sustainability Program

Marine Biology (BIOL 9), #23943
Spring 2019
Tues. & Thurs., 9-10:15 a.m.
Lab: Tues. & Thurs., 10:30-11:45 

Prof. Brown leads Spring 2019 Marine Biology class on field trip to Crab Cove in Alameda. To see more photos, click HERE. 


About My Marine Biology Class (BIOL 9)

I’m excited to be offering Marine Biology (BIOL 9) for the first time at Merritt College. The BIOL 9 class is open to anyone interested in marine life and is willing to accept the fact that there is much more to the ocean than sharks, dolphins, and whales. Through this class, we will embark on a journey to explore a host of life in the ocean and learn how the largest of organisms depends on the smallest. In the lecture class, we’ll learn about the many marine organisms that exist, and in the lab, we’ll take a closer look at them. We will also go on field trips that will add to our learning and understanding.

About My Passion for Marine Biology

I discovered my passion for marine life by watching television. I fell in love with the ocean when I was about 8 years old and wanted to study Great White Sharks just like I saw on Shark Week. Up until a few years ago, I was on track to be a marine biologist. Every undergraduate research experience led up to me accomplishing that goal. One day I realized that I was meant for something else, and I focused my attention on teaching and inspiring students to achieve their goals. I still enjoy learning and talking about marine life. Great White Sharks are my favorite animals on the planet and my mission is to show them in a new light.

About My Education and Experience

I have a bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography from UC Santa Cruz and a master’s degree in biology from San Francisco State University where I focused my research on the experiences of Black college students studying biology. As part of my education, I also studied marine science at the University of the West Indies in Barbados.

I have been working and volunteering for years with students from kindergarten through college to guide their education and help increase diversity in the sciences. I’ve received numerous awards for my work. At UC Santa Cruz, I worked with first-generation and low-income students, was selected from a national pool to work at Shannon Point Marine Center in Washington to enhance diversity in marine sciences; interned at Oceans Research in South Africa to give student presentations on Great White Sharks (and dissect them!), and researched elephant seals at Ano Nuevo State Reserve.

I most recently worked as a Student Success Coach for “100% College Prep Institute,” an organization dedicated to aiding Black youth from various schools in San Francisco to prepare for college and beyond. I belong to the Science Education Partnership and Assessment Laboratory (SEPAL) as well as the Association of Biology Students and Black Student Union. I’m also an adjunct instructor at Diablo Valley Community College.

Please contact me if you have any questions. I look forward to having you in my class!

Analisa Brown
asbrown@peralta.edu