Bob Doepker

Instructor

Getting to know Bob Doepker

What is your position here at Bay College?

Adjunct Biology Instructor

Where are you from?

Downstate in Shepherd. A small agricultural town near Mt. Pleasant.

What school(s) did you attend?

Mid-Michigan Community College and Central Michigan University earning Bachelor of Science and a Masterof Science degrees in Biology/Ecology.

Before coming to Bay what did you do?

I worked for the State of Michigan, Department of Natural Resources for 40 years. Positions included field technician, field biologist, research biologist, planner, Western Upper Peninsula Management Unit Supervisor and Special Projects Biologist.

How long have you been teaching at Bay?

15 years

What influenced you to pursue teaching?

The interaction with students is rewarding and teaching offers a path for introducing students to the major issues facing them in the future. Issues such as genetic engineering, the loss of biological diversity, climate change and disruption of functional ecosystems and how they impact our planet and us today and in the future.

Why it is important for students to learn Essential Biology and what makes you passionate to teach it?

It is important to learn the basic biology of life forms and how biological systems function. There are similarities and differences in biological systems between species. It is important to understand how we, as members of society are part of the earths ecosystems and decisions we make today influences the structure and function of future ecosystems. My goal is to assist students to understand the connections humans have with other life forms and the short and long term, cumulative impacts our decisions may have on species.

Can you think of a time where you influenced or made an impact on a student's life

Not a specific example. In the future, the decisions students make will determine if I was successful as a teacher. Introducing them to new information and reflections that build knowledge will guide them. Integrating this learning with social and economic decisions will reflect the degree to which learning essentials of biology influenced them.

What is your favorite movie of all time? Why?

A Few Good Men. It was an engaging film about truth over misplaced power.

What was your favorite college course? Why?

Entomology. I was introduced to the world of insects and their amazing diversity, shapes, sizes and adaptability. There are hundreds of thousands of insects occupying most habitats present on the planet. There may be hundreds of thousands of insects to be discovered.

What is your favorite winter activity? Why?

Snowshoeing or walking are my favorites. The quiet of these activities allow you to observe, or observe signs, and hear animals that you might miss with other outdoor winter activities.