Department of Applied Environmental Science
AES Lecturer Brings Passion for Teaching and Ecology to CSUMB
Dr. Kelly Barr joined the CSUMB community in 2022 and is a valued lecturer in the AES and BIOC departments. He teaches various classes, including ENVS 240: Environmental Biology, and will be offering a new class, BIO 395: Ornithology, this upcoming fall semester. Kelly also gave a seminar last semester as part of the Natural Science Seminar series: "Supporting Species Conservation Using Molecular Tools: Genetics to Genomics."
We reached out to Kelly to learn more about what led him to CSUMB and his career pathway. Check out his interview below!
What led you to CSUMB?
My family and I were moving back to the area for my wife's job. Out of the blue, my friend Alison Haupt called me and said she'd mentioned my name in a meeting with her department chair at the time and there was interest. In one fell swoop, Alison helped me get a job, housing, and healthcare.
What is your favorite part of being a lecturer?
I love building and developing relationships with students. I don't think I'm the best public speaker or the funniest or most knowledgeable; but there is so much power in having empathy and being interested in supporting students as they figure out their lives.
I also love the flexibility to spend more time with my kids, supporting their and my wife's needs, and being able to do the things that make me happy, like cooking and exercising.
What are the courses that you've taught/are currently teaching?
I initially dove into the deep end here, teaching Agricultural Entomology, Plant Pathology lab, Environmental Biology lab, and the BIOC scientific writing course. Since that first semester, I've taken the helm for ENVS240 (Environmental Biology) and BIO204 (Introduction to Life Sciences) as my primary assignments each semester. In the Fall 2025, I'll be starting an Ornithology class, which is exciting. If you're reading this, look for BIO395 - Ornithology for the Fall!
What is your educational/professional background?
I started at the University of North Carolina, where I majored in Environmental Sciences and Engineering. Later, I earned a Masters in Biology from the University of Louisiana, and then a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UCLA. In between, I've had jobs at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, Hopkins Marine Station here in Pacific Grove, the U.S. Geological Survey in San Diego, and a bunch of other shorter positions throughout my long career arc in science.
What hobbies do you like to participate in during your free time?
Anything with my kids! We hike, bike, swim, read, and cook together. I, of course, watch every single UNC basketball game too.
What has been your greatest professional accomplishment thus far?
I'm the first generation to graduate from high school in my family, much less go to college. So getting a PhD in EEB from UCLA was pretty incredible.
Thank you for all that you do for our students, Kelly!