Tim Beagley
Professor
Biology
School of: Science Math and Engineering
What he
teaches:
Microbiology
Cell Biology
Cell Biology Lab
Number of
years teaching at SLCC:
27
Undergraduate:
University of Utah (Cell Biology and Biochemistry)
Master’s:
University of Utah (Genetic Engineering)
Doctorate:
University of Utah (Molecular Biology)
Why
working at SLCC matters:
Working here allows me to share my understanding and love
of the natural world with students who may have never been given a chance to
develop their own. We live in a golden
age of teaching biology. Students come
to us already interested in inheritance, disease, climate change, etc…. As a
biology professor, I get to simply point them in the right direction and let
them follow their own inherent interests.
It is fun to watch.
Greatest
professional challenge:
Finding ways to reach as many of my students as
possible. Some SLCC students come fully
prepared to push forward with their higher education. Many, however, are behind and not necessarily
ready for what lies ahead. The challenge
for me has been to find ways to help them all grow and move toward their
ultimate goals.
Greatest
professional accomplishment:
I love introducing students to the world of
research. Our cell biology class
includes the SLCC Genome Annotation Project, wherein students sift through the
genetic information of an organism and decipher its contents. Our microbiology lab class includes the PARE
(Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance in the Environment) Project, in which
students examine soil samples from their own surroundings and monitor the
growing problem of antibiotic resistance.
By showing students the practical implications of their own knowledge, I
get to help them achieve a far deeper understanding.
Advice for
students or others:
Be patient but persistent. I am convinced that there is a place for each
of us, but it may take some time to find.
Future
plans:
I am involved in the OPEN SLCC Initiative, which seeks to
make low- and no-cost textbooks and other resources available to students. The Biology Department has many classes and
labs that use free textbooks and lab manuals.
I hope to help that spread and to help other faculty see the utility of
this initiative.
Family:
I have been married to my beautiful wife Sally for 36
years and we have two wonderful daughters, Heidi and Anna.
Hobbies:
