Faculty and Staff
David McShaffrey
Professor
Dept: Biology
740-376-4743
Office: SELBY 242
Degrees: Ph.D in Ecological Entomology (Purdue), 1988; Master's in Biology (Akron), 1983; Bachelor's in Biology (Akron), 1981
Year appointed: 1989
Dr. McShaffrey has been in Marietta College's Biology and Environmental Science Department since 1989. He has taught more than 15 different courses, including zoology, aquatic biology, insect taxonomy, scientific imaging, leaders in environmental activism, and microbiology.
He was the president of the Ohio Odonata Society in 2000 and co-edited a scholarly book and an informational pamphlet on the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Ohio. He is Marietta College's representative to the advisory board of the Ohio Biological Survey as well as an executive board member of that organization.
You can visit Dr. McShaffrey's personal website at www.marietta.edu/~mcshaffd/.
Steven Spilatro
McCoy Professor of Biology
Dept: Biology/Environmental Science
740-376-4748
Office: BART 161B
Degrees: Ph.D. (Indiana University), 1984; Bachelor of Arts (Ohio Wesleyan University), 1979
Year appointed: 1988
Dr. Spilatro is one of just three distinguished faculty members who earned the McCoy Professor appointment twice in their careers, having received the award in 1994 and in 1999. Most recently, he was awarded a Harness Outstanding Educator Award in 2009. He teaches courses in Cell Biology, Microbiology and Immunology, as well as Intro Biology courses.
He is actively developing new interactive Web-based educational tools, using new technologies in classes and labs, and he continues to encourage students to be involved in independent research projects.
Away from campus, Dr. Spilatro plays a leadership role with a number of community groups, and in 2002 was the recipient of the College's Marietta Community Leadership Award. He is Editor of the quarterly newsletter of the Marietta Natural History Society, co-organizer Washington County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day, and prior Chair of the Marietta City Tree Commission and Vice Chair of the Marietta Development Advisory Board.
Almuth H. Tschunko
Professor of Biology
Dept: Biology
740-376-4747
Office: BART 366
Degrees: Ph.D. in genetics (University of Michigan); Master of Science in botany (University of Michigan); Master of Arts in Teaching, in science education (Cornell University); Bachelor of Science, double major in biology and German (Tufts University)
Year appointed: 1986
Dr. Tschunko has taught a variety of courses over the years at Marietta College, currently teaching Genetics, Flowering Plants, Lower Plants, as well as introductory biology courses. She has also been an active contributor to many outdoor education workshops for educators in the area, and has taught several courses for the Institute for Learning in Retirement.
Dr. Tschunko has written the book Plant Biology Laboratory Manual for Pearson publishers, to accompany their Plant Biology textbook.
Supported by an NSF grant, she is currently working with students on the Herbarium database/imaging project which will be linked with those at other institutions to form an online searchable Appalachian Ohio Herbarium Database Network.
Eric Fitch
Chair of the Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Associate Professor, Director of Environmental Science program
Dept: Environmental Science
740-376-4997
Office: RICK 135
Degrees: Ph.D. in Resource Development-Environmental Policy and Law (Michigan State), 1993; Master's of Environmental Science (Miami University), 1987; Bachelor's in Biological Science (St. Meinrad College), 1981
Year appointed: 1997
Dr. Fitch has been teaching and working in the field of environmental science for more than 20 years. In 2010, Dr. Fitch was the recipient of the Icko Iben Award, which is given annually to the water resource professional who has made outstanding contributions to the promotion of communication among the various disciplines concerned with water resources problems.
At Michigan State, he worked with the Extension Service, The Institute for Water Resources, The Center for Environmental Toxicology, as well as being a teaching associate and Head of Undergraduate Advising in the Department of Resource Development.
At the University of West Florida, Dr. Fitch was the Director of the Coastal Zone Studies Program, and a member of the Public Administration and Biology faculty.
He joined the faculty at Marietta College in 1997 as an Assistant Professor of Environmental Science and Leadership. He is the past-president and a former member of the Board of Directors of the Ohio Environmental Council, an associate editor for Water Resources IMPACT (a publication of the American Water Resources Association), and a member of the board of the Ohio River Basin Consortium for Research and Education. Dr. Fitch is a fellow of the East-West Center in Honolulu, HI. He is the current president of the Interdisciplary Environmental Association.
Dr. Fitch has numerous publications in such journals as The Interdisciplinary Environamental Review and Water Resources IMPACT, and conference proceedings for the AWRA, NAAEE, and IASCP. His long term research interest areas include "Water Resource Policy and Homeland Security," "National Security and Environmental Protection," and "Impact of Religious Beliefs on Environmental Policy." Most recently, Dr. Fitch had a chapter on Land Stewardship published in a new two volume edition by Praeger Press entitled Critical Food Issues, Volume 1 & 2: Problems and State-Of-The-Art Solutions Worldwide (Praeger Perspectives). Dr. Fitch is currently involved in research on the impacts of long term sea level rise on Hawaii, American territories and possesions in the Pacific, and on the nations of Oceania
He was granted tenure and promoted to associate professor in the fall of 2004.
Dr. David Brown
Director of the Honors Program, Associate Professor of Biology
Dept: Biology
740-376-4916
Office: BART 161B
Degrees: Ph.D. in Cell Biology (Duke), 1995; Master's in Microbiology (Ohio University), 1990; Bachelor's in Chemistry (Ohio University), 1988
Year appointed: 2002
Dr. Brown is an instructor in classes ranging from modern biology and cellular and molecular biology to environmental toxicology.
He was the Director of Research for Xenobiotic Detection Systems Inc. from 1995-2002. There he developed high-throughput cell-based bioassays for the detection of environmental contaminants and promoted the use of bioassays as a more direct measure of biological risk.
He was the President/Founder of Coastal Explorations Inc. in Beaufort, N.C., a company that developed 10 instructional programs focused on the marine environment that incorporated North Carolina science curriculum requirements.
He is currently working with a research group from the University of Cincinnati to assess human health risks associated with metals exposure in the Mid-Ohio Valley.
He is a member of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.
Dr. Brown becomes a tenured faculty member in the fall of 2007. Dr. Brown was selected as first recipient of the William Van Law Plankey Professorship in 2012.
Tanya Jarrell
Instructor, Laboratory Coordinator
Dept: Biology
740-376-4746
Office: BART 161A
Degrees: Master of Science in Environmental Studies (Ohio University), 1996; Bachelor of Science (Marietta), 1992
Year appointed: 1996
Tanya has been an instructor at Marietta College since 1996. Her thesis was on the feeding and reproduction of Corbicula fluminea, the Asian clam. While at Ohio University she had a teaching assistantship. At Marietta she is in charge of prepping several lab courses, including the supply ordering, set up and clean up of the labs. She also teaches introductory Biology labs.
Katrina Lustofin
Assistant Professor
Dept: Biology
740-376-4745
Office: Rickey
Degrees: Ph.D. in Entomology (University of Illinois); Master of Science in Entomology (University of California); Bachelor of Science in Biology (State University of New York at Buffalo)
Year appointed: 2008
Dr. Lustofin comes to Marietta from Washington College's Department of Biology. Before her experience at Washington, Lustofin held positions at the University of Illinois at Urban Champaign (UIUC) and Hinsdale High School. Lustofin is a member of the Entomological Society of America, the Society of Toxicology and the National Science Teachers Association.
Jennifer Hancock
Assistant Professor
Dept: Environmental Science and Biology
740-376-4982
Office: BART 369
Degrees: Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Ohio University, 2010); B.A. in Biology (Capital University, 2002)
Year appointed: 2008
Judith Dunn
Academic Secretary
Dept: Biology
740-376-4750
Judy Dunn has been an employee of Marietta College since 1979. For her first 25 years she served as office manager and departmental secretary for the Chemistry department. For the last seven years she has worked for the Biology, Chemistry and Environmental departments in the same capacity.
She is a past member and organizer of the Marietta College Support Council and is involved in the International Mentoring Program.
Judy is married to James W. Dunn and is the mother of two children, has seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.