John Confer, associate professor of biology, began teaching at Ithaca College in 1970. For the past 37 years, he has taught a variety of courses related to his lifelong commitment to environmental studies; he also served as the coordinator of the environmental studies program from 2003 to 2006. Confer has worked closely with students in the field, obtaining external funding for several students to do research with him nearly every summer, and this is where he feels his best teaching occurred. “For all these students, that kind of intensive research experience helped them understand the science process for learning, which is valuable in assessing information throughout their lives.” His published research, concerned with the regulation of species diversity and abundance and our impact on natural ecosystems, earned him the College’s Excellence in Scholarship award in 2002. He will continue his research on the golden-winged warbler in 2007-8 as the biology department’s faculty in residence. “For me, the greatest experience has been moments of perception, when living shined brightest in some small creature I influenced. I have always felt that sharing such experiences was the most valuable experience I could provide.”
