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Dr. Scott A. Eckert
Dr. Scott A. Eckert

Professor of Biology and Natural Resources
Chair of the Biology and Natural Resources Department

TEACHING AREA

Biology

EDUCATION

  • PhD, Zoology, University of Georgia
  • BS, Principia College

CONTACT

"After more than 40 years as a research scientist and graduate student advisor at research institutions and at top-tier research universities, it’s been gratifying to return to Principia to mentor the next generation of conservation biologists and zoologists."

Dr. Scott Eckert has been active for more than four decades in the field of pelagic marine vertebrate research and conservation, focusing largely on sea turtles. He is world-renowned for his expertise on leatherback turtles and the important role these wide-ranging oceanic reptiles play in the marine environment. Eckert pioneered the use of microelectronics on sea turtles, was the first to successfully use satellite telemetry to study the long-term movements and behaviors of leatherbacks and whale sharks, and was also the first to connect the collapse of major sea turtle nesting aggregations to distant commercial fishing activity. His current research focuses on the conservation of endangered or threatened marine megafauna; the oceanic behavior and ecology of the leatherback sea turtles and on timber rattlesnakes. Dr. Eckert is an associate editor of the scientific journal Animal Biotelemetry, and has authored more than 150 scientific articles.  He currently serves as the Chair of the Biology and Natural Resources Department at Principia College where he teaches courses in the disciplines of Ecology, Conservation Biology and Zoology. After a 35 year career in biological research and conservation, Eckert joined the Principia College faculty in 2010.

SCHOLARLY INTERESTS

  • Endangered species research and management
  • Marine turtle management and conservation
  • Conservation biology
  • Biotelemetry
  • Biologging
  • Herpetology
  • Ecological physiology
  • Ornithology

CONTRIBUTIONS TO FIELD

  • Consultant to governments, non-governmental organizations, and inter-governmental bodies, including the World Trade Organization and the U. S. Commission on Oceans
  • Chairman of the U.S. Pacific Sea Turtle Recovery Team
  • Member of the U.S. Atlantic/Caribbean Sea Turtle Recovery Team, the Marine Turtle Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission
  • Chairman Emeritus of the Sea Turtle Working Group of the Census of Marine Life “Tracking of Pacific Pelagics” program
  • Editor Emeritus of the acclaimed Marine Turtle Newsletter
  • Associate Editor of Animal Biotelemetry.

MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS

  • Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network, Director of Science
  • Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
  • IUCN Marine Turtle Specialist Group
  • International Sea Turtle Symposium
  • Nature Seekers (Trinidad), Science Advisor

AWARDS

  • Awarded the Kent Smith Professor of Math, Computer, and Natural Sciences
  • Department of Commerce NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service Recognition Award for "outstanding efforts in sea turtle conservation," 1984
  • Antarctic Service Medal, 1989 

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

  • Eckert has written more than 150 scientific and general interest articles. See the CV below for details.

Dr. Scott Eckert CV