In 2015 he represented the national group Climate Parents in urging the West Virginia Board of Education not to undermine science teaching standards for climate change. He previously worked as Curator of Zoology at the Cincinnati Museum Center. He received a Ph.D. in evolutionary ecology from the University of Kentucky in 2001, and a B.S. in Biology and Anthropology in 1992. He has taught at Thomas More College, Xavier University, and the University of Cincinnati. His research in bird species tackles basic questions in biological diversity. He is deeply committed to creating environments that foster intellectual development, particularly in regards to undergraduate science education. Amy Hessl