Doug Peacock                                   Mark Aronson              April 2007 Capitol Theater Davenport, Iowa 

Mark Aronson Scott Community College

Department of Biology

Mark Aronson grew up hiking the hill prairies of his hometown, Dubuque, Iowa.  He did his undergraduate work in Zoology at the University of Iowa and graduate work in Zoology/Ecology at the University of Montana.  His primary interests are in ecology, aquatic ecology and conservation biology.

 Mark was mesmerized by the stunning beauty of the wilderness areas of Montana.  While serving as a Research Assistant, he sampled stream insects in the largest contiguous area of wilderness in the lower 48, the Salmon/Selway/Bitterroot Wilderness area in western Montana.  He did his thesis research on rainbow trout.  He was fortunate to work with one of the most prominent salmonid population geneticists in the world, Dr. Fred Allendorf.  In addition, he worked with the well known stream ecologist and stonefly expert, Dr. Andrew Sheldon.  

After completing his graduate work at the University of Montana he returned to Iowa to teach on the biology faculty of Scott Community College in Bettendorf, Iowa.  He has been at SCC since 1985.  His teaching assignments have included:  Human Anatomy and Physiology I & II, Neuroanatomy, Biology II, General Zoology,  Environmental Science and Conservation Biology.  He offered the first online Environmental Science and Conservation Biology courses in the state of Iowa.   His most recent work is on a Sustainable Energy course.  It was offered to SCC honors students during the Fall 2008 semester.  He has written and edited material for the national ACT and CAP exams in biology and physical sciences at the American College Testing Service.   He is the chair of the Sustainable Campus Initiative Curriculum Committee for the Eastern Iowa Community College District.

In 1988 he formed the Scott Community College Environmental Club.  Since that time the club has become one of the most active and recognized student, grassroots environmental organizations in the state of Iowa.  Many of his students have gone on to take important environmental/ecological/management positions.  In 2004 Mark was honored by the Iowa Association of Naturalists with the Bohumil Shimek Environmental Educator Award.  This award is given to the most outstanding environmental educator in the state for the year.  He was cited for his outstanding student programs such as the Internships for the Land Program, a class project whereby students are encouraged to do volunteer work for the environment in the community and his ongoing research project with his conservation biology students....the Corridor Education Project�.  His Conservation Biology students at SCC are trying to preserve a linkage zone/corridor bisected by Interstate Highway 15 in western Montana that is used by grizzly bears and other carnivores. 

Mark has been a leader in the wilderness education movement.  Most recently he has worked with Doug Peacock (Mr. Griz), the well known grizzly bear/bison expert and environmental writer/Guggenheim fellow.  Mark has offered wilderness workshops in Yellowstone National Park and other Montana locations with Doug Peacock.  Mark has also worked with the Crow tribal elder and well known Montana historian, Howard Boggess to deliver wilderness courses on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana.