About Dr. Morris
When I say that "biology is my passion", I truly mean it. Prior to being a professor, I worked as a environmental consultant to government agencies and industry for 25 years. I also have lots of experience as a research biologist at UC Santa Barbara, Oregon State University, and UCLA. Because of my background, I try to bring a rich experience to students with lots of relevant examples with which they can personally identify. It is my sincere hope that, after taking my class, students will come to really appreciate the beauty of the living world and share their new knowledge with their friends, family, and beyond.
Courses Taught at Santa Ana College:
Biology 109 (Online) - Fundamentals of Biology Lecture
(Year-Round class offerings)
Biology 111 - Marine Biology
(FALL class offerings)
Biology 200 - The Environment of Man
(FALL class offerings)
Biology 212 - Animal Diversity & Ecology
(FALL & SPRING class offerings)
Biology 259 - Environmental Biology
(SPRING class offerings)
Field Courses:
Biology 127 - Ecology Field Experience
(FALL 2026)
Biology 128 - Natural History of the California Coast
(FALL 2024)
Biology 129 - Ecology of Southern California
(SPRING 2025)
Biology 131 - Natural History of the Southwest
(SUMMER 2027 Tentative)
Biology 132 - Natural History of Death Valley
(SPRING 2026)
Biology 133 - Desert Biology
(SPRING 2027)
Biology 169 - Natural History of the Sierra Nevada
(FALL 2025, SUMMER 2026 Tentative)
SAC Campus Activities:
Faculty co-advisor to the Environmental Club
Committee chairperson for SAC Sustain-A-Palooza
STEM Advisory Committee
Sustainable RSCCD Committee
Off-Campus Science Activities:
Select Publications:
Morris, A.K. and J.R. Smith, 2020, First record and putative introduction of the subtropical brown alga Padina durvillei Bory (Phaeophyceae, Dictyotales) in southern California, USA, BioInvasions Records 9(1): 50-59.Morris, A.K., 2006, Macrozooplankton Assemblages in California Fronts,Coastal Environmental Quality Initiative, Paper 034.Lafferty, K.D. and A.K. Morris, 1996, Altered behavior of parasitized killifish increases susceptibility to predation by bird final hosts, Ecology 77(5): 1390-1397.
