Associate Professor of Biology
My teaching interests focus on physiology, both in Animal Physiology and Human Anatomy and Physiology I. I also really enjoy teaching Animal Behavior and mentoring students in student-designed research projects in Animal Physiology and Animal Behavior. I have taught General Biology for nonmajors for several years and coordinated our department’s capstone course, Senior Seminar. I have also collaborated with colleagues in team-teaching Herpetology and Conservation Biology. See below for more information about my research interests.
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About Trixie Pittman, Ph.D.
My teaching interests focus on physiology, both in Animal Physiology and Human Anatomy and Physiology I. I also really enjoy teaching Animal Behavior and mentoring students in student-designed research projects in Animal Physiology and Animal Behavior. I have taught General Biology for nonmajors for several years and coordinated our department’s capstone course, Senior Seminar. I have also collaborated with colleagues in team-teaching Herpetology and Conservation Biology. See below for more information about my research interests.
| Present | Associate Professor of Biology, Harding University ‐ Department of Biology | |
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Disciplines
Research Interests
I am particularly interested in how animals physiologically respond to their environment, especially by thermoregulation. This led me to focus my graduate research on the physiological ecology of hibernation at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. My study species were the arctic ground squirrel and the Alaska marmot, and I really enjoyed my time in the field in the Arctic capturing and studying these fascinating animals. I worked with Drs. C. Loren Buck and Brian M. Barnes to record hibernation body temperatures of free-living animals, which allowed us to better understand how these animals tolerate and thrive in the extreme environment in which they live. Under the mentorship of Dr. Diane M. O’Brien, I used stable isotopes as a tool to monitor metabolic fuel use and protein turnover during hibernation. Since there are fewer hibernators facing only moderate temperatures in Arkansas, I am applying the skills I have gained to new projects in animal physiological ecology and behavior at the Gilliam Biological Research Station. and I am very interested in the effects of anthropogenic light pollution on organisms and their ecosystems, and I am currently guiding student research in my courses to investigate this topic.
Professional Service and Affiliations
| 2018 - Present | Member, Gilliam Biological Research Station Oversight Committee | 2015 - Present | Chair, Harding University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee | 2013 - Present | Student Advisor, Harding University Biology Department Senior Seminar (capstone course) | 2019 - 2020 | Participant, NetVUE Professional Development Grant Program |
Honors and Awards
- Nomination from Biology Department for Distinguished Teacher Award, Harding University, 2019
Courses
- BIOL 4900-4902- Senior Seminar
- BIOL 1301- Backyard Biology
- BIOL 4100- Animal Behavior
- BIOL 3230- Animal Physiology
- BIOL 3200- Anatomy and Physiology 1
- BIOL 1100- General Biology
| 2006 - 2012 | PhD, University of Alaska, Fairbanks ‐ Department of Biology and Wildlife | |
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| 2002 - 2006 | BS, Harding University | |
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Contact Information
501-279-4508
HU Box 12251
Searcy, AR 72149
