Personal:

• Born: 21 July 1952, Belleville, Illinois
• Department of Science & Mathematics, Murray State College, 1 Murray Campus St., Tishomingo, OK 73460
• Work Telephone: (405) 371-2371 Ext. 225
• E-mail: bstewart@mscok.edu

Education:

Degrees

• M.S., Biology, Northeast Louisiana State University, Monroe, Louisiana, 1974-1976. Thesis: Aspects of the Ecology of the Chestnut-sided Shrike-vireo (Vireolanius melitophrys) (GPA 3.9)
• B.S.Ed., Biology, East Central State College (presently East Central University), Ada, Oklahoma, 1970-1974. (GPA 3.4)

  Additional Graduate and Undergraduate Work

• Achieved All But Dissertation Ph.D. Candidate Status (general exams passed in May 1993, coursework completed, and 2/3 of research completed), Department of Zoology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma. Dr. William A. Matthews, Major Professor. (GPA 4.0)
• Graduate Studies, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1976-1977. (GPA 3.4)
• Undergraduate Research Program, University of Oklahoma Biological Station, Kingston, Oklahoma, 1973.

Certifications/Continuing Education:

• Certified Wildlife Biologist, The Wildlife Society, since 1983.
• Certified Environmental Professional, Louisiana Environmental Professionals Association, since 1983.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Habitat Evaluation Procedure Workshop, Salt Lake City, Utah, February 1981.
• Cuauhnahuac Escuela de Lengua y Cultura, Spanish Language Study, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico, Summer 1990.
• Many Multimedia, Interactive Television, and Other Teaching Technology Workshops and Seminars

Biological and Instructional Experience:

• Chair of the Department of Science, Mathematics, and Physical Education, 2008-present.
• Professor of Biological Sciences, Murray State College, Tishomingo, Oklahoma, 2005-present (only full professor at institution as of 2009)
• Instructor of Biological Sciences, Murray State College, Tishomingo, Oklahoma, 1983 - present. (Tenured since Spring 1987).
• Invited Ichthyologist, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, México, 1994-present. Taught Fish Community Ecology (in Spanish) in July-August, 1997. Team taught Fish Systematics (with Humberto Mejia Mojica and Topiltzin Contreras MacBeath of UAEM) in Nicaragua (Universidad Autónoma de Leon). Educational and Research Collaborations began in 1994 and are ongoing with team teaching “Biologia de Campo de Vertebrados” each March.
• Chair of the Department of Science, Murray State College, Tishomingo, Oklahoma, 1995-1996.
• Interim Dean of Arts and Sciences, Murray State College, Tishomingo, Oklahoma, Summer 1995.
• Instructor of Natural History of Vertebrates, East Central University, Ada, Oklahoma, Spring 1995.
• Chair of the Division of Science, Murray State College, Tishomingo, Oklahoma, 1991-1995.
• Instructor of Comparative Anatomy, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, Spring 1990.
• Graduate Teaching Associate (responsible for coordination of all comparative anatomy of the vertebrates lab sections and taught two sections), University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, Fall 1989.
• Visiting Summer Faculty Member, University of Oklahoma Biological Station, Summers 1988-1989 (taught Field Zoology for senior- and graduate-level credit).
• Director of the Science Student Training Program, University of Oklahoma Biological Station, Summer 1988.
• Instructor for the International Program Development Office of the University of Oklahoma, Birding in the Mexican Gulf Lowlands Seminars, Veracruz and Chiapas, Mexico (1986 & 1987) and Birding in Colima, Mexico (1988).
• Graduate Teaching Assistant in Ornithology, University of Oklahoma Biological Station, Kingston, Oklahoma, 1986 & 1987.
• Staff II Ecologist (1980-1983), Staff I Ecologist (1978-1980), Environmental Technician III (1977-1978), Espey, Huston & Associates, Inc., Austin, Texas.
• Graduate Teaching Assistant in Zoology, Department of Zoology, Louisiana State University, 1976-1977.
• Graduate Teaching Assistant in Zoology and Botany, Department of Biology, Northeast Louisiana University, 1974-1976.
• Field Technician, Lake of the Arbuckles Destratification Project, Field sampling Conducted for the Bureau of Reclamation through East Central State College, Ada, Oklahoma, 1973.
• Field Assistant, Terrestrial Vertebrate Inventory of the Proposed Clayton Lake Site, East Central State College, Ada, Oklahoma, 1972.

Honors/Honorary Societies/Grants:

• Global Education Faculty Award (one of two recepients), Oklahoma Global Education Consortium, 2007.
• National Conservation Award, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, 1993.
• Lennox Woods Nature Preserve Biological Inventory Grant ($13,090), Principle Investigator, The Texas Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, 1992-1994.
• Research Scholarships, University of Oklahoma Biological Station, 1983, 1984, 1985.
• Northeast Louisiana University Research Grant ($500), 1975.
• East Central State College, Department of Biology Award, 1974.
• Who's Who among Students in American Universities and Colleges, 1974.
• Undergraduate Research Scholarship, University of Oklahoma Biological Station, Kingston, Oklahoma, 1973.

Special Skills and Interests:

• Photography. Extensive use of photography in teaching and public education. Exhibition entitled Mexico: Images of Human and Natural Diversity was displayed at the Leslie Powell Foundation Gallery, Lawton, OK (June 1994) & Lockey Gallery, Murray State College, Tishomingo, OK (Nov\Dec 1994).  Bruce G. Stewart Exhibit on Mexico at Oklahoma City Community College in 2001.
• Multidisciplinary/Multicultural Education. A "Charter Committee Member" of the decade-old Murray State College President's Scholars Program. Active advisor for many student honors research projects and was the primary force resulting in the successful planning, funding and completion of the most ambitious scholars travel seminar attempted through 1992: Discoveries in Culture and Ecology of Northern and Central Mexico. Ten scholars experienced camping and traveling in areas seldom visited by tourists, and they came away with a new appreciation for human and natural diversity.
• Public Lecturer. Featured Speaker for the Arbuckle-Simpson Nature Festival, Tales and Images of Mexico with an Award-winning Oklahoma Higher Education Connection. , May 2008. Public lecturer in the 2009-2010 Leslie Powell Foundation Lecture Series. Lecture on Mexico. Leslie Powell Foundation Lecture (1994-1995) entitled: Gringos Visit the Huichol Sacred World. Public lecturer in the 1996-1997 Leslie Powell Foundation Lecture Series. Lecture entitled: Natural Selection Illustrated by Sexual Selection.. Or.. Why There Are Transvestite Beetles in the World. Public Many other public presentations have dealt largely with culture, ecology, and adventures in tropical and sub-tropical regions of Mexico.
• Chemical Dependency Recovery and Education. Active in the service structure of a 12-step recovery organizations. Actively teach about the neurophysiological and behavioral aspects of addiction and drug abuse. Presented numerous seminars and workshops for new student orientation, chemical-dependency counseling groups, and three major presentations for the Oklahoma Department of Education (in 2007 and 2008). All high school assemblies at Mill Creek High School and Turner High School in spring 2008. Community speech in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma in November 2009
• Community Service. President of the Tishomingo Lions Club (2009-2010). Active community volunteer.
  
  

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Professional Societies:

• American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
• Committee for Skeptical Inquiry
• National Center for Science Education
• Oklahoma Chapter of the Wildlife Society
• Oklahoma Academy of Science (MSC Institutional Representative)
• Oklahoma Ornithological Society (Life Member, Executive Board Member for 15 years, and served a two-year term as President)
• Southwestern Association of Naturalists (Life Member; Board of Governor (Class of 2012); USA Co-Chair of the International Relations Committee 1998-present)
• The Wildlife Society
• Wilson Ornithological Society (Life Member)

Publications and Selected Papers Presented:

• Moore, D. W. and B.G. Stewart. Biology of Mexican Vertebrates: A Course in the Biology and Culture of Mexico. Poster Presentation at the 4th Annual Conference on Applied Learning in Higher Education. Saint Joseph, Missouri. Feb. 2009.
• Stewart, B. G. "Intercambio Cultural: Mexico-Estados Unidos: A Long-term Global Education and Tropical Vertebrate Field Biology Program founded by Murray State College and the Centrol de Investigaciones Biologicas of the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Mexico." 10th Annual Oklahoma Global Education Conference, Oct. 2007.
• Stewart, B. G. "Drug Abuse is Bad: Is this Evidence-based, Propaganda, or Opinion; and How Can We Teach Students to Tell the Difference?" Alternative Education Summer Institute, Oklahoma State Department of Education. June 2007.
• Stewart, B. G. "Perspectives on Drug Education (Including Alcohol!)." Safe and Healthy Schools Conference. Oklahoma Department of Education. Nov. 2006.
• Stewart, B. G.“Intercambio Cultural and Biologia de Campo de Vertebrados—Mexico-United States-Central America (1996-2005): Rural 2-Year College Students and Faculty Play an Integral Role in a Unique Global Education Program” (2004 Revised Version). Annual meeting of the Oklahoma Global Education Consortium, Tulsa Community College, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Sept 2004.
• Stewart, B. G. “Intercambio Cultural and Biologia de Campo de Vertebrados—Mexico-United States-Central America (1996-2003): Rural 2-Year College Students and Faculty Play an Integral Role in a Unique Global Education Program” Peer-reviewed abstract accepted for Academic Festival V Conference: Beyond Borders: Globalization & The Human Experience., Cameron University, Lawton, Oklahoma. (Conference in March 2003) (Also, presented on 6 March 2003 at the annual meeting of the Oklahoma Association of Community Colleges at Rose State College, Midwest City, Oklahoma.)
• Stewart, B. G. "Investigaciones Ecologicas de Las Comunidades de Peces en Dos Riachuelos Alimentados por Manatiales del Estado de Oklahoma en Los Estados Unidos" Invited Departmental Seminar. El Centro de Investigaciones Biologicas y La Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Mexico. 15 August 1995.
• Stewart, B. G. "Pseudoscience: What and Why do we Believe?" Invited lecture sponsored by the University of Central Oklahoma Sigma XI Chapter. Edmond, Oklahoma. February 1994.
• Stewart, B. G., A. Eddy, and T. Eddy. "Prevalence of Pseudoscientific beliefs among south-central Oklahoma High School and Murray State College Students" presented at the Fall 1993 Oklahoma Academy of Science Technical Papers Meeting, Ada, Oklahoma.
• Stewart, B. G., J. Knight, and R. C. Cashner. 1992. Longitudinal distribution and assemblages of fishes of Byrd's Mill Creek, a southern Oklahoma Arbuckle Mountain stream. The Southwestern Naturalist, 37(2):138-147.
• Edwards, R. J., G. Longley, R. Moss, J. Ward, R. Matthews, and B. G. Stewart. 1989. A classification of Texas aquatic communities with special consideration toward the conservation of endangered and threatened taxa. The Texas Journal of Science 41(3):231-240.
• Stewart, B. G. and L. G. Hill. "Arbuckle Mountain Stream Fish: Effectiveness of Seining for Sampling Communities" presented at the 69th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Ichthyologists & Herpetologists, San Francisco, California. June 1989.
• Stewart, B. G., W. A. Carter, and J. Tyler. 1988. Third known nest of the Slaty Vireo (Vireo brevipennis) in Colima, Mexico. The Southwestern Naturalist, 33(2):252-253.
• Stewart, B. G. "Affects of Small Sample Size on Density Estimates of Birds", presented at the Fall 1986 meeting of the Oklahoma Ornithological Society, the Fall 1986 meeting of the Oklahoma Academy of Science and the Spring 1987 Meeting of the Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society.
• Stewart, B. G. 1984. Life History Note: Agkistrodon contortrix laticinctus Combat. SSAR Herpetological Review 15 (1):17.
• Stewart, B. G. and T. Hayes. "Interpretation and Implementation of Ecological Regulations: A Viewpoint," presented at the 29th Annual Meeting of the Southwestern Association of Naturalists, Corpus Christi State University, Corpus Christi, Texas, April 15-17, 1982.
• Stewart, B. G., J. Sproul, and W. Hoppes. "Breeding Bird Populations in Three Texas Coastal Habitats," presented at the Spring 1980 meeting of the Southwestern Association of Naturalists, Las Cruces, New Mexico.
• Stewart, B. G. "Adaptive Color Change in the Mexican Treefrog, Hyla taeniopus", presented at the Spring meeting of the Southwestern Association of Naturalists, 1979.
• Stewart, B. G. 1976. Aspects of the Ecology of the Chestnut-sided Shrike-vireo (Vireolanius melitophrys). Unpublished M.S. Thesis, Northeast Louisiana University, Monroe, Louisiana.
• Stewart, B. G. "Nesting Ecology of the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) in South-central Oklahoma", presented at Fall meeting of the Oklahoma Ornithological Society, 1973.

Technical Environmental Reports:

Mr. Stewart has authored or co-authored over 45 technical reports regarding a wide variety of environmental studies. These have included baseline ecology studies, endangered species studies, environmental impact statements, and a variety of other environmental topics on projects located at sites as far east as Florida, west as New Mexico, north as Indiana, and south as Mexico. The most recent report is cited below. Others can be provided upon request.

• Stewart, B. G. (ed.). 1994. Biological Inventory: Lennox Woods Preserve, Red River County, Texas. Prepared for The Nature Conservancy - Texas Chapter. San Antonio, Texas. September 1994. (also wrote the introduction and co-authored the sections on birds and fishes)

Narrative of College-related Experience:

From 1974 to 1976, Stewart instructed laboratory courses in General Biology, General Botany, and General Zoology at Northeast Louisiana University and Louisiana State University. After six years of practical biological experience in consulting, Stewart returned (Spring 1983) to academia as an Instructor of Science at Murray State College. Lecture and laboratory teaching responsibilities have included General Entomology, General Zoology, General Biology, Human Anatomy & Physiology, Conservation of Wildlife Resources, General Physical Science, and a number of Special Problems in Science courses. Both "on-campus" and Ardmore Higher Education Center classes have been taught over the years. In the summers of 1986 and 1987, Stewart served as the teaching assistant in Ornithology at the University of Oklahoma Biological Station (UOBS). Stewart was later a visiting faculty member at the UOBS and taught an eight-week Field Zoology course (summer 1989) and a one-week intensive Field Zoology for Teachers course (summer 1990). In the Fall semesters of 1989 and 1990, Stewart taught laboratory sections and was the teaching associate for Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates at the University of Oklahoma (OU). In the Spring of 1990, he taught the lecture and supervised the laboratory teaching associate and assistants for Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates at OU. In the Spring of 1995 he taught an evening section of Natural History of the Vertebrates on an adjunct basis at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma.

Tenured in 1987, Stewart has been an active faculty member at Murray State College well beyond the normal classroom responsibilities. He achieved the academic rank of Full Professor in 2005. He serves as the Academic Advisor for conservation and wildlife management students and a number of pre-medicine and other pre-professional students. Stewart has served for ten years on the President's Scholars Program Committee with responsibilities including design of honors seminars, honors student research projects, Spring semester travel seminars (trips), and overall planning for the program.

In the Fall of 1987, Stewart was elected by the MSC faculty to the President's Salary Schedule Committee, an ad hoc committee that completely overhauled the salary and benefits system. In 1993 he served a demanding term on the Financial Exigency Committee appointed by the President. Stewart was chair of the Staff Development Committee and serves on the Computer and Technology Committee. He currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Faculty Assembly. He served three different terms as Chair of the Faculty Assembly. He was elected by two-year college faculty representatives to serve a two-year term (2004-2006) on the Faculty Advisory Counciil of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, and also chaired that council for a rotational term.

In the Spring of 1990, Stewart was appointed as Chair of the Division of Science (but retained responsibilities for teaching 11-12 credit hours/semester). As Division Chair he facilitated maintaining overall quality of courses offered by the Science Division (which also included mathematics and physical education). He served on the Academic Council (the primary committee on instruction and education at Murray State College) and on the Financial Aid Committee. In July 1995, Stewart resigned his 12-month administrative position in favor of a 9-month teaching/departmental chair position in order to allow time to pursue his research interests. He currently focuses completely on his teaching and has been happily occupied with his classroom role for many years.

Throughout his career at MSC, Stewart has been active in public education and public relation activities. Drawing on his photography, travel experiences, and academic background, Stewart has presented public lectures or programs for such groups as the Oklahoma Science Teachers' Association, Oklahoma Education Association (Zone 13), Carter County Teachers' Association, Audubon Society of Central Oklahoma, University of Oklahoma Biological Station Summer Seminar Series, Lions' Club, Tishomingo Holiso Club, and a number of area public schools and groups like the Boy Scouts. Gaining administrative support, Stewart converted an attractive but unused small rock building on campus into a small natural history collection (dubbed the "Axolotl Natural History Collection") which serves not only to support biology courses but also as a public display. Stewart has made a number of appearances on the "Rudy Dockray" farm and ranch television show on behalf of Murray State College. Stewart did all planning and arrangements for the Fall 1987 Meeting of the Oklahoma Ornithological Society which met on the campus of Murray State College.

In summary, Stewart has a broad range of experiences and interests that relate to a professional college-level faculty position. He is dedicated to teaching and education in all of the various forms in which they come.

Narrative of Environmental Consulting and Faunal Survey Experience:

Since 1972, Mr. Stewart's interest in vertebrate ecology has resulted in numerous field surveys of terrestrial and aquatic vertebrates. While a graduate assistant at Northeast Louisiana University and Louisiana State University, he conducted field surveys of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and/or mammals in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, southern California (including San Clemente Island off the coast), and various places in Mexico. During May, June, and July 1975, he conducted field studies in ecology and distribution of terrestrial vertebrates of Colima and Jalisco, Mexico. Since 1977, Mr. Stewart has become proficient in using specific census techniques for various wildlife community types, including those techniques used for sampling in support of environmental impact studies and other environmental permitting activities. He has conducted studies evaluating reliability of certain bird census techniques and fish sampling techniques. Mr. Stewart remains active in these areas (for example, he had been the Audubon Christmas Bird Count compiler for the Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge CBC and he is the wildlife management major advisor at Murray State College).

Mr. Stewart's first consulting work was in 1972 when he was a college student. He was an ecologist with the firm of Espey, Huston & Associates between 1977-1983, where he performed qualitative and quantitative studies of terrestrial and aquatic fauna at varied sites in the southeastern and southwestern United States. Responsibilities included describing baseline ecological conditions and evaluating impacts of project development. Mr. Stewart has designed, managed and implemented studies of vegetation, aquatics, and terrestrial wildlife. These studies have included several endangered species studies including biological assessments for Section 7 (c)(1) of the Endangered Species Act. Project types have included uranium mills, uranium mines, lignite and coal surface mines, underground coal mines, reservoir construction, flood control, transmission line construction, land farming, coastal terminals for natural gas, paper mills, USFWS research projects, and a variety of others.

Mr. Stewart is certified by the USFWS to conduct Habitat Evaluation Procedures (HEP). He has prepared and presented expert testimony for public hearings and for Federal Court cases with respect to wildlife biology and endangered species. He has a broad perspective on developmental projects because he has managed multidisciplinary studies involving geology, ground and surface water, hydrology, water quality, cultural resources and socioeconomics.