Ian, who is currently a professor at Rollins College, has always been passionate about nature, especially the creepy-crawly animals most people don’t appreciate. This passion eventually turned into a determination to advocate for animals and the environment.

 After completing degrees in Biology and Mathematics at Rutgers University, Ian volunteered as a firefighter. Realizing the overlap between wildlife and fire, and turned his studies to fire ecology and conservation at UCF. 

 At UCF, Ian sought to improve people’s appreciation and understanding of nature while also becoming a multifaceted leader. In 2022 he was inducted into the Order of Pegasus, one UCF’s highest honors, for his determination to do good, devotion to leading by example, and his commitment to the community. He graduated from UCF with a PhD in Conservation Biology in 2023, and has since been an Assistant Professor at Rollins College’s Environmental Studies Department.

Since joining the faculty at Rollins, he has worked to make science more approachable for non-science majors while simultaneously creating courses that fill the needs of the science majors. He currently teaches Conservation of Biodiversity, Field Ornithology, Intro to Geospatial Information Systems (GIS), and Florida Biodiversity and Environmental Science.

The research he conducts, which has previously sent him into tree canopies, spans conservation and environmental ethics, fire ecology, herpetology, and science education, though he works with students to develop research in other areas. He actively reviews for several peer-reviewed journals, acts as a mentor to new faculty, and serves on the board for the Florida Undergraduate Research Association (FURA). Ian joined the Winter Park Land Trust in 2025, and believes every tree tells a story, you just have to learn how to listen to it.