Dr. Daniel Howard, Ph.D.
Education Path
Ph.D.
Biology Science Ecology and Evolution, University of Tulsa,
M.S.
Biology Education. Northeastern State University , Tahlequah, OK
B.S.
Secondary Sciences Education. Northeastern State University
Tahlequah, OK
Special Career Skills
“The type of biology research that I conduct is known as integrative biology because the questions in which I am interested to require that I integrate a variety of tools from across STEM fields (animal behavior, field ecology, bioacoustics, mechanical and electrical engineering, geography, genetics, computer programming, neuroscience). So I first had to gain broad foundational training in biology, which I did by pursuing an undergraduate degree in organismal biology (4-years). I then gained additional and more specific training while pursuing a masters (2 years) and doctoral degree (3 years), and then even more advanced training during a postdoctoral fellowship (3 years). Along the way I picked up many of the skills required to conduct research in integrative organismal biology, some learned in formal classes, but some also during hands-on training related to specific studies in which I participated or sponsored. I allowed the types of research questions and topics in which I was interested guide my training and learning trajectories. Which means that as I explore new areas of interest today, I continue to learn new skills by working beside experienced scientists in those fields.
I encourage biologists to build a foundation that includes a strong foundation in bioinformatics, biostatistics, and mathematics.”
Benefits of This Career
"The opportunity to explore behavioral ecology and research fascinating places.”
Career Choice Decision
Why did you select biologist?
“I suppose I became interested in teaching and research in the biosciences as an elementary student. I always enjoyed outdoor learning activities and those explorations that held the promise of discovering new things. I also loved insects from an early age, and so I guess I was destined to become a scientist that studies insect behavior. I remember reading old issues of National Geographic in middle school and daydreaming about visiting some of the exotic locations highlighted in the stories and photos depicted by its authors. During my doctoral studies and postdoctoral research I was able to travel to New Zealand to study some of the rare and unique insects that live there, and now take students there to do the same each January.”
I Like My Career Because
3 reasons you like your career
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I love teaching about the natural world and its processes, and I consider myself a lifelong student. As a professor of biology, I get the opportunity to learn about new discoveries in my field of interest (ecology, evolution, and behavior) every day through explorations of the literature and by conducting my own research with students.
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I get to travel to beautiful and sometimes distant places to conduct this research, most of which are on tribal lands in New Zealand and Oklahoma, and work with other tribal scientists, professionals, and stakeholders.
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Best of all I get to do all of this in a dynamic academic community surrounded by other enthusiastic scientists and motivated biology students.
Other Information
Listing of his publications
“I remember my father telling me once as a young man that one can accomplish anything if we can overcome the fear of failure. I think this idea and his words have guided how I approach tasks. Do not be afraid to learn or try new things, or take classes in topics that seem especially difficult, or attempt to learn things in which you have no experience; do not be afraid to fail. I think I have learned more from my failures than from my successes. In fact, I could argue that perhaps our truest accomplishments can only be built upon a foundation of insight-producing failures. In science as in life, it is true that our biggest and most notable discoveries occur not when we find support for a hypothesis, but when we do not.”
Words of Wisdom
