AU biology professor brings the joy of ecology to the classroom
By Kayla Floyd | Contributor
Bran Cromer has spent many years conducting explorative work in the field of vertebrate ecology.
Throughout his research, he was bitten by many species of animals including snakes, lizards, turtles, birds, squirrels, a possum, several shrews and a frightened beagle. Despite these challenges, he continues his work in research and even shares his passion for ecology through teaching as a professor at Augusta University.
Cromer completed his undergraduate coursework at the University of South Carolina Aiken. He started off as a pre-medical student before discovering his passion for vertebrates and ecology.
“I was pre-med until my senior year, and then I took herpetology and that changed everything. I enjoyed being outside and doing fieldwork, so I just stayed with biology,” said Cromer. “Then my professor there knew someone at Clemson that I could do a masters project with and that’s what grew into that.”
After earning his doctorate, Cromer knew he wanted to become a professor at a small school and began educating others.
Aside from teaching several biology courses, Cromer also strives to get students involved in research as he feels it was a huge part of his undergraduate experience.
“Students will come to me most of the time and I’ll have some idea, and sometimes I’ll know a student in class and approach them,” he said. “There is almost always someone who wants to do a project.”
Cromer’s students often discuss how he passes around objects, like bones, soil samples and fossils, which relate to the course’s material.
“That’s the kind of stuff I liked when I was a student, where things are more visual and tactile,” said Cromer. “I think it breaks up the monotony of the lectures too even if it just looking at something for a few seconds. Maybe you were daydreaming but now you are back - reconnected and focused.”
Students also said they enjoy when Cromer plans an “Ollie Day” where his golden retriever mix comes to the yard in front of Science Hall. It often occurs near the end of the semester, and he feels that students enjoy getting to de-stress by interacting with a dog.
“It’s a day off and you get to pet a fluffy dog,” he said. “He is well behaved unless he sees a squirrel, and it’s a good de-stressor for the students.”
Apart from teaching and engaging in research, Cromer said he has also learned to enjoy leading study abroad trips over the summer, in spite of his first time being a bad experience.
Because he did not travel much growing up, Cromer’s first study abroad trip greatly discouraged him from future adventures until a friend convinced him to go to the Galapagos.
“The trip was so fun that we were just hooked,” he said.
Now, some of his favorite things about guiding study abroad trips are getting to know the students and seeing them become excited to learn about different animals in their natural habitats.
“You see the students seeing giant tortoises in the wild and just to see the joy and going on the safari and seeing people just see an elephant in the wild,” said Cromer. “The joy makes me feel like a kid and the students feel like kids too. It’s just so much excitement.”
Cromer continues to teach biology courses at AU and is currently involved in multiple research projects. Students who are interested in research can reach him by email, and those captivated with study abroad trips can keep an eye out for his summer courses on AU’s Study Abroad Program website.
Contact Kayla Floyd at kafloyd@augusta.edu.
Students get to spend time with Ollie in the grass lot in front of Science Hall. At top of page, Bran Cromer, right, stands in front of Mount Everest in Nepal. (photos provided by Bran Cromer)
