Biology & Earth Science Office Information
Department Chair: Dr. Jennifer Bennett
Location: Science Center 236, 155 W. Main St.
Hours: Monday – Friday (8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.)
Contact: Donna Rhodeback, Administrative Assistant
Phone: 614-823-1517
Email: drhodeback@otterbein.edu
Faculty
Sarah Bouchard
Professor
Dr. Bouchard is a physiological ecologist who specializes in reptile and amphibian nutrition. She has a very active research lab, with undergraduates conducting projects both in Ohio and Panama. Her most recent students have examined developmental plasticity in amphibians pre- and post-metamorphosis. Dr. Bouchard teaches Ecology and Vertebrate Biology, as well as Gender and Biology for the Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies Program. She is also an active part of Zoo and Conservation Science program.
Andrew Calinger-Yoak
Assistant Professor
Dr. Calinger-Yoak earned a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University in 2015 which focused on management strategies in wildlife populations. He uses veterinary, ecological, and computer modeling focused strategies to tackle complex problems. Through his experiences with agent-based modeling, he helped to create open-source projects that span the fields of veterinary medicine, ecology, mathematics, anthropology, and economics. In addition to academic research, he has taught many courses ranging from Introductory Biology to Human and Animal Physiology.
Bennett Grooms
Assistant Professor
Dr. Grooms is broadly trained as a zoologist and wildlife biologist, whose interests range from conservation social science, animal behavior, science communication, and pedagogy. He uses mixed methods approaches, intensive collaborations, and interdisciplinary work to improve future conservation efforts for birds, insects, and other taxa, explore how human and animal behavior impact conservation, and to develop effective strategies to engage and communicate with the public about wildlife. Dr. Grooms joined the Zoo and Conservation Science Program in 2022 after earning his Ph.D. at Virginia Tech, where his research explored how to work with and engage wildlife recreationists (e.g., birders, wildlife viewers,…
Michael Hoggarth
Professor
Dr. Michael Hoggarth is an aquatic ecologist who teaches classes for majors and non-majors at Otterbein. He is a member of the Zoo and Conservation Science Committee and the STEAM Advisory Council. He teaches Field Zoology, Invertebrate Zoology, part of the Introductory Animals and Ecology course and Aquatic Ecology to majors. His non-majors classes include Water for Life and Damn Dams! His research focuses on the assessment of aquatic ecosystem integrity and the ecology of freshwater mussels in the family,…
Jeffrey S. Lehman
Professor
Dr. Lehman is a broadly trained plant biologist with interests in host-plant interactions, plant toxicity, tropical and temperate agriculture, and the evolution of cultivated and natural plants. He teaches courses in genetics, plant diversity, plant physiology, dendrology, and tropical ecology/agriculture. Dr. Lehman’s research addresses: 1) the interactions between plants and their pathogens, 2) the toxicity of leaf extracts of Acer species to horses, and 3) the evolution of dioecy. Dr. Lehman also directs service-learning projects (e.g., semi-annual plant sale) and…
Halard L. Lescinsky
Professor
Dr. Halard Lescinsky is a coral reef ecologist, paleontologist, and field geologist. He directs the Aquarium track within the Zoo and Conservation Science Program, and leads travel courses to Belize (coral reefs and rainforest) and to the desert southwest (field geology). He teaches a variety of courses including coral reef ecology, evolution, historical geology, marine science, and field geology. His research explores coral reefs and how their recent geologic record and fossils can help us understand reef processes and how…
Lisa Marr
Associate Professor
Dr. Marr not only teaches in the Anatomy and Physiology sequences and an INST course, she also serves as a Pre-Professional Health advisor to students in any major on campus who are aspiring to attend a professional-health program after graduating from Otterbein. In addition, Dr. Marr oversees all students in Otterbein/ Ohio University’s Heritage College of Medicine’s Early Assurance Program – EAP students are accepted into Otterbein and OU HCOM at the same time, and may elect to start their…
David C. Sheridan
Associate Professor
At Otterbein University, Dr. Sheridan teaches courses in human and animal anatomy & physiology. He is a broadly-trained physiologist with particular interests in sensory systems neuroscience and integrative physiology. His current research focuses on 1) reaction times to different stimulus modalities and 2) changes in physiological parameters before, during, and recovering from exercise.
Brandon Sinn
Assistant Professor
Dr. Sinn is a botanist whose research leverages molecular and morphological techniques to answer questions central to our understanding of the diversification of lineages and their evolutionary relationships, the transfer of genetic material between distantly related organisms, conservation, and organellar genome evolution. Dr. Sinn joined the department in 2019 after serving as a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Barrett Lab at West Virginia University where his work focused on conservation genetics, comparative genomics, and ecological niche modeling. He also served as…
Kevin Svitana
Professor
Dr. Svitana, joined the Otterbein faculty in 2007. He has more than 35 years of experience as a geologist, and over 33 years as a hydrogeologist, and is a professional geologist and an Ohio Voluntary Action Program (VAP) Certified Environmental Professional. Dr. Svitana’s diverse professional experience ranges from mineral and water resource evaluation and environmental impact studies, to the assessment and remediation of hazardous waste sites. He works with regulated entities regarding environmental compliance and safety. He is Director of…
Staff
Erin Ulrich
Lab Coordinator
Erin helps keep laboratory courses in Biology and Earth Science running smoothly. She works closely with the instructors to have the solutions, equipment, supplies, and organisms ready for action before the students arrive in their classroom. She assists the research projects by managing the departmental stockroom and overseeing scientific materials purchases. Her research experience includes laboratory work mapping human muscular disorders, technical work sequencing loblolly pine EST’s, and doctoral research using AFLP’s to analyze the population structure of a medicinal…