Dr. Scott Kimball

Academic Areas

Avian Ecology
Animal Behavior
Ecology
Evolution
Ornithology
Natural History
Population and Community Ecology
Forest Ecology
Tropical Ecology
Conservation and Ecosystem Services

Role Summary

Dr. Scott Kimball serves as Professor of Biology and Dr. Roger Boyd Professor of Biology at Baker University. An ecologist specializing in avian ecology, animal behavior, and bird mating systems, he teaches and mentors students through classroom instruction, field-based learning, and undergraduate research.

Areas of Responsibility

• Biology and ecology instruction
• Student mentorship in the biological sciences
• Field-based and experiential learning
• Undergraduate research
• Biology advising
• Ecology and natural history coursework
• Domestic and international field expeditions
• Preparation for graduate study and science-related careers

Courses Taught

• General Ecology
• Organismal Diversity
• Human Ecology
• Kansas Natural History
• Animal Behavior
• Ornithology
• Forest Ecology
• Population and Community Ecology
• Tropical Ecology and Sustainable Agriculture

About Dr. Kimball

Dr. Scott Kimball is an ecologist whose teaching and research focus on avian ecology, animal behavior, and the dynamics of bird mating systems. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Baker University, a Master of Science in Raptor Biology from Boise State University, and a Ph.D. in Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology from The Ohio State University.

Before returning to Baker, Dr. Kimball spent more than four years as an assistant professor of biology at the State University of New York at Morrisville. He joined the Baker faculty in 2014 and teaches across a range of ecological disciplines, including general ecology, organismal diversity, human ecology, Kansas natural history, animal behavior, ornithology, forest ecology, and population and community ecology.

As an instructor and scholar, Dr. Kimball encourages students to examine the relationships between organisms and their environments. His courses also explore the benefits that intact and restored ecosystems provide to people, including natural resources, ecosystem services, and the ways nature can support physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Fieldwork is central to Dr. Kimball’s teaching. He regularly leads Baker students on expeditions throughout the United States, including coastal environments from Florida to Maine, the Pacific Northwest, the North Shore of Lake Superior, and the Lower Rio Grande Valley along the U.S.-Mexico border. He also leads students to the montane cloud forests of northern Ecuador to study tropical ecology and sustainable agriculture.

Dr. Kimball’s academic career has taken him through the forests, waterways, and ecological regions of the Pacific Northwest, Intermountain West, Great Lakes, and northeastern United States. An avid natural history enthusiast, he enjoys sharing outdoor experiences with students and family. His interests also include nature photography, fishing, hunting, canoeing, hiking, and camping.

Education & Credentials

• Ph.D. in Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University
• M.S. in Raptor Biology, Boise State University
• B.A. in Biology, Baker University