Biology—Conservation Biology Concentration, BS

Learn how to protect and restore biodiversity in the face of multiple threats including habitat loss, climate change, overharvesting, pollution, human population growth, and the spread of invasive species.

Request More Information

Clicking the button above constitutes your express written consent to be called, texted, and/or emailed by New England College at the number/email address you provided, regarding furthering your education. You understand that these calls may be generated using automated technology.

Overview

In the Conservation Biology concentration, you will learn to analyze the social, economic, and biological challenges inherent in addressing biodiversity problems.

Faculty

Elizabeth Harper
Professor, Natural and Social Sciences
Office: Science Building 117C, Henniker
Phone: 603.428.2272
Email: eharper@nec.edu

Expertise and Awards
Expertise:
- Environmental science and biology courses including Ecology, Conservation Biology, Wetlands, and Environmental Science
Awards:
- Arthur Vining Davis Foundations Periclean Faculty Leader in STEM and Social Sciences
Educational Background
PhD in Biology, University of Missouri
BS in Biology, Middlebury College

Research Interests
My research focuses on amphibian ecology and conservation with an emphasis on population dynamics. I supervise senior thesis research projects on a wide range of topics including water quality, wildlife habitat assessment, pollinator ecology, animal behavior, and vernal pool amphibians.

Bio
Elizabeth Harper came to NEC after teaching wildlife ecology and natural resource management for five years at Paul Smith’s College. Her post-doctoral research at SUNY-ESF focused on the ecological modeling of amphibian and cottonwood populations. As a Watson Fellow, Dr. Harper documented the natural history of East African Amphibians, publishing “A Field Guide to the Amphibians of the Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests of Tanzania and Kenya.”

With her Arthur Vining Davis Foundations Periclean Faculty Leader award, Dr. Harper is creating a Community Action on Climate Change course in which students are partnering with local community groups on projects to reduce local carbon footprints. In all of her courses, Dr. Harper engages students with hands-on activities in the classroom; in nearby rivers, wetlands, and forests; and on Study Away trips in the U.S. and internationally.

She lives on a small farm in Wilmot, New Hampshire, where she keeps bees, grows vegetables, makes maple syrup, and serves as the Chair of the Zoning Board and the Conservation Commission.
Eric Simon

Professor, Biology and Health Science
Office: Science Building 212-C, Henniker Campus
Phone: 603.428.2271
Email: esimon@nec.edu
Professional website: ericjsimon.com

Expertise
Dr. Simon is the author of the introductory non-majors’ biology textbooks Biology: The Core, the lead author of Campbell Essential Biology and Campbell Essential Biology with Physiology, and a co-author of the introductory biology textbook Campbell Biology: Concepts and Connections, all published by Pearson Education.

Educational Background
PhD in Biochemistry, Harvard University
MA in Biology, Wesleyan University
BA in Biology and Computer Science, Wesleyan University

Research Interests
His research focuses on innovative ways to use technology to improve teaching and learning in the science classroom, particularly among non-science major students.

Bio
Dr. Simon teaches introductory biology to both science majors and non-science majors, as well as human biology, tropical marine biology, careers in science, and TA training. Dr. Simon also teaches a variety of international travel courses to destinations such as Belize, Patagonia, Galapagos, Tanzania, and Cuba.
James Newcomb

Professor, Biology and Health Science and Co-Director of Center for Undergraduate Science Research
Office: Science Building 116C, Henniker Campus
Phone: 603.428.2374
Email: jnewcomb@nec.edu
Professional website: sites.google.com/view/newcomblab

Awards and Recent Press
Recent grants include a $160,000 grant from National Institutes of Health/INBRE to study specific cellular junctions in neurons, in both mammalian and invertebrate preparations.

Recent publications include a paper in Integrative Organismal Biology, reporting on the distribution and roles of a peptide neurotransmitter in a sea slug (Watson et al, 2020).

Educational Background
PhD in Biology, Georgia State University
MS in Zoology, University of New Hampshire
BS in Zoology, University of New Hampshire
BS in Chemistry and Physics, Keene State College

Research Interests
My lab investigates the physiological mechanisms underlying behavior. Our latest projects include studies on cellular junctions, circadian rhythms, extraocular photoreception, non-invasive neural stimulation, and regeneration.

Bio
James Newcomb has been a professor at NEC since 2006. In 2019, he also became co-director of NEC’s Center for Undergraduate Science Research. He has maintained an externally funded research lab since 2010, during which time (as of 2020), he had obtained over $800,000 in extramural grants. As of 2020, he had published a total of 19 peer-reviewed publications (cited over 800 times), including 13 NEC students as co-authors, and been a co-author on 130 presentations at research conferences. He has also coauthored chapters for two different books. He is an Associate Editor for the journal Integrative Organismal Biology and Chair of the Division for Neurobiology, Neuroethology, and Sensory Biology of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. Beyond the confines of post-secondary academia, he is also an elected School Board member for John Stark Regional High School.

Degree Requirements

Biology Core

(41 Credits)

Take one of the following:

Conservation Biology Courses

(20 Credits)

Choose two of the following courses:

Liberal Arts & Sciences Core Curriculum, Bachelor's Degree

Electives

Select additional electives to reach 120 credits for a Bachelor's degree.