News

Au Sable Alum Takes on Teaching Role at Great Lakes

Aug 16, 2010

Au Sable welcomed a new faculty member to the Great Lakes Campus in 2010. Dr. Sam Riffell joins Au Sable from Mississippi State University where he serves as Associate Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Management.

Dr. Riffell’s experience as an Au Sable alumnus strongly influenced his decision to teach at Au Sable. He took Restoration Ecology in the summer of 1991 and completed his summer research at the Great Lakes Campus, studying the distribution of Ash trees with a particularly distinct leaf. Riffell has known since he was a student that he wanted to come back one day and teach.

Au Sable made a big impact on his academic career path since his undergraduate days. He completed his undergraduate degree in biology at Asbury College, his master’s degree in environmental studies from Baylor University, and his doctorate in zoology from Michigan State University.

With five current graduate students working with him at Mississippi State and three more joining the ranks, research takes up most of Riffell’s time. His research focus includes: wildlife conservation in agricultural landscapes, landscape ecology, and the role of technology in education.

His background makes him the perfect candidate to take on the Conservation Biology class as well as the Session I Research Methods course. One research student commented on the high expectations set by Riffell: “We were pushed to perform above an undergraduate level. This class was a simulation of grad school. I feel so much more prepared for graduate level research after taking this class.” We are excited that Dr. Riffell has joined the faculty at Au Sable and look forward to seeing how he’ll challenge and shape our students in his course and summer research in the future.