Research Opportunities
Ball State’s wildlife biology and conservation faculty are more than teachers—they are also active researchers that work with students. Many students conduct their own research under the direction of our faculty.
Some of the research projects our students have assisted with include:
- herpetology surveys on local properties
- camera trapping studies to document local fauna
- bird-window collision studies of local buildings
- behavioral ecology of freshwater fish
- migration and song patterns of the cerulean warbler
- the cause of the deadly “white-nose syndrome” disease in bats in the northeast and central United States
- bat use of local riparian ecosystems
- urban Canada goose ecology and management
- testing for Chronic Wasting Disease in local white-tailed deer populations
Classrooms Indoors and Out
Ball State University manages a number of resources, collections, and properties used for teaching and research in the Wildlife Biology and Conservation Concentration. Indiana is also home to several regional and state parks that provide great field trip opportunities for birding, plant taxonomy, ecological research and more.
- Don and Brenda Ruch Herbarium – This collection, located in the Foundational Sciences Building, serves as a growing repository 20,000+ of samples of plant matter for research and analysis.
- Animal Diversity Collections – This collection of specimens is central to our teaching of animal diversity. Located in the Foundational Sciences Building, it contains thousands of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects, and other invertebrates. Primarily used for teaching, this collection contains rare and endangered specimens from around the world.
- Rinard Orchid Greenhouse – This on-campus greenhouse houses nearly 2,000 orchids and tropical fruit-bearing plants, and tropical animals making Ball State University the home of the largest university-based orchid collection in the United States.
- The Environmental Education Classroom – This is home to our community outreach program that provides educational opportunities for kids from 3 to 90 years old! Serving tens of thousands of our community members annually.
- Christy Woods and the Teaching and Research Greenhouse – This 17-acre area is located on the southwest end of campus to give students hands-on experience studying, testing, and growing local and exotic flora. It also serves as a location for bird and mammal research and a quiet place to go for a nice walk!
- Additionally, six field properties in the area provide dozens of acres of wetlands, tallgrass prairies, forests and agricultural fields to visit for teaching and research.
Student Organizations
The Ball State chapter of The Wildlife Society founded in 1995, provides an opportunity to connect with other students in your concentration for support, professional development opportunities and academic discussion. Through biweekly meetings, this student-run club offers insight to the profession through external speakers, such as alumni of the program, that now work for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and other governmental and nonprofit agencies. It is a fun venue for students to connect with each other and share their journey into this rewarding profession.
Small Class Sizes
Our low student-to-professor ratio and small class sizes give you daily contact with professors in lecture, laboratory, and out in the field, plus the individualized attention you need to excel. You will get to know our faculty and they will get to know you!