Meet Our Professors: John Taylor, Biology
Posted: January 04, 2019 | Author: Kaylene Linford | Read Time: 2 minutes
While taking a general education biology course at Southern Utah University, John Taylor was invited by his professor to catch bats with a small group of students. From that moment on, he has been hooked and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degree in zoology, and his doctorate degree in science education.
Taylor is now able to share his knowledge with his students at SUU, and enrich their lives through the study of biology.
“I firmly believe that a person’s life is enriched with a basic understanding of biology,” said Taylor. “We all may not turn out to be professional biologists, but we can all learn to appreciate the music of nature.“
Taylor enjoys exploring caves and mines, hiking through the beautiful scenery in the western United States, and spending his evenings catching and documenting spectacular animals, especially bats.
“Bats have features that make engineers drool,” said Taylor. “They are tiny, can fly, and can catch insects using sonar waves. It’s as close to studying something with a superpower as one can get.”
Taylor teaches the following courses:
- BIO 1010 Introduction to Biology
- BIO 1020 Human Biology
- BIO 1620 General Biology
- BIO 4070 Capstone: History and Literature of Biology
- BIO 4890 Cooperative Education
- BIO 4850 Undergraduate Research
- BIO 4890 Internship
Taylor challenges his students to explore the unexplored.
“Attending college is really the first time young adults get to push themselves without the safety net of their parents,” said Taylor. “There are a lot of bumps and bruises in the process, but you forge friendships and habits of mind that will last you a lifetime.”
Taylor has achieved dreams at SUU due to the support and daringness of the faculty, staff, and administration. Together they have created a STEM Center, a STEM Partnership school, and the Jumpstart General Education program. Everything that Taylor has ever wanted is here at SUU.
“My proudest moment is when I line up with my fellow professors along the sidewalk and see our students walk between this college of caring people towards their Commencement Ceremony,” said Taylor. “It is the high fives, handshakes, hugs, laughing, cheering and tears. I didn’t go into this field for the money. It was for those moments.”
Learn more about the Biology Department at SUU.
This article was published more than 5 years ago and might contain outdated information or broken links. As a result, its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
Tags: College of Engineering and Computational Sciences Faculty
