About

Amber Rock is an Assistant Professor of Biology and Environmental Science. She earned a B.S. in Biology from Lycoming College and a Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology from Miami University in Ohio. She joined UNCP in 2018 and teaches a variety of courses in environmental science, freshwater ecology, botany, and writing. Dr. Rock strives to integrate research and service into her courses so that students leave her classes having gained knowledge, career-focused skills, and an understanding of how science can be used to benefit local communities. Several of her classes involve service-learning, partnering with Winyah Rivers Alliance, a local non-profit organization, to conduct water quality monitoring in the nearby Lumber River. She loves getting students out of the classroom and into the local freshwater ecosystems – in fact, getting as muddy as possible is one of the objectives for her Freshwater Ecosystems course! 

Dr. Rock’s primary research interests include how environmental and human factors affect water quality, and how the effects of changing water quality propagate through aquatic food webs. Currently, aquatic systems are being impacted by a myriad of human-caused environmental changes, including climate change, industrial chemical pollution, invasive species, and eutrophication, all of which can influence aquatic ecosystems and negatively impact water quality. Mentoring undergraduate students in research is one of her favorite parts of working at UNCP, and she feels honored to be able to help students follow their interests and grow as scientists. Students in her lab primarily work on projects on and around the Lumber River, collecting data on physical, chemical, and biological measures of water quality. Her partnership with Winyah Rivers Alliance has also created opportunities for students to conduct more applied research that can be used in outreach and community engagement efforts. Other projects in her lab include using high-frequency sensors and data loggers to examine ecosystem metabolism in two of the retention ponds on UNCP’s campus. Students participate in all aspects of the research process, including project development, data collection and analysis, and presenting at conferences. Her students are strongly encouraged to present their research at local, regional, and national conferences. Dr. Rock is always excited to develop new projects with students and encourages anyone with an interest in aquatic ecology to stop by and talk about research possibilities.