Expertise: avian ecology and animal behavior
Dr. Scott Kimball
Associate Professor of Biology
A Connected World
About
We live in a world that is more connected than ever before. These connections include both relationships within the natural environment and our relationships to the natural environment.
Natural systems directly affect our lives through ecosystem services, for example by providing food, recreation, and clean air and water. Understanding how ecosystems function is critical to protecting the services they provide and to getting the most out of our relationships with these systems.
The ecology minor prepares students with diverse interests to make connections and explore these relationships in the context of their major area of study. Students who earn a minor in ecology will be able to use their knowledge of ecology to better inform their careers and lives.
A quick preview of our ecology track and ecology minor:
Unrivaled Resources
Ecology students take advantage of the many resources available to them at Baker University, including the incomparable Baker University Wetlands, a 927-acre natural area with diverse habitats located 15 minutes from the Baldwin City campus, the Ivan L. Boyd Arboretum, home to hundreds of magnificent trees and shrubs on the Baldwin City campus, and a diverse teaching museum’s collection of thousands of vertebrate and invertebrate animals and an herbarium containing preserved plant specimens dating to the late 19th century.
Hands-On Field Experience
Ecology students go into the field to learn about aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems while gaining experience with techniques and equipment unique to the discipline. Field experiments, whether in streams and lakes or forests and fields, lead to exciting opportunities to share new knowledge and gain new insights into the natural world while providing a deeper appreciation for the process of science.
Students wishing to minor in ecology may do so by successfully completing (with a grade of C or better) four courses, each of which includes a laboratory component.
Ecology Courses
Meet the Faculty
Dr. Scott Kimball
Associate Professor of Biology, Dr. Roger Boyd Professor of Biology
B.A. Baker University, M.S. Boise State University, Ph.D. The Ohio State University
Expertise: Expertise: avian ecology and animal behavior
Office: Office: Boyd Science Center 229
Dr. Irene Unger
Professor of Biology, Director of the Baker Wetlands
B.S. Truman State University, M.S. St. Louis University, Ph.D. University of Missouri at Columbia
Expertise: plant-soil-microbe interactions, terrestrial plant ecology
Office: Wetlands Discovery Center
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