{"id":8909,"date":"2022-09-14T09:54:45","date_gmt":"2022-09-14T13:54:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/?p=8909"},"modified":"2023-07-19T14:54:45","modified_gmt":"2023-07-19T18:54:45","slug":"curiosity-biology-professor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/blog\/curiosity-biology-professor\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018What\u2019s under that next rock?\u2019 exemplifies the curiosity of new Eckerd College biology professor"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extraa-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”] [image_with_animation image_url=”8914″ image_size=”full” animation_type=”entrance” animation=”Fade In” animation_easing=”default” animation_movement_type=”transform_y” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”][vc_column_text]A cover story about Assistant Professor Peter Scott’s project appeared in <\/em>Science magazine. Photo: Penh Alicandro ’22<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_content” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”padding-2-percent” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”right” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]\n

Peter Scott grew up on the shores of the Pacific Ocean near Santa Cruz, California, and he admits he\u2019s always been \u201cone of those people who\u2019s always fascinated by what\u2019s outside.\u201d<\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_content” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” top_padding=”32″ bottom_padding=”32″ text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” advanced_gradient_angle=”0″ overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” shape_type=”” gradient_type=”default”][vc_column column_padding=”padding-2-percent” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”right” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”2\/3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]That curiosity combined with his love of science lured him recently to Eckerd College, where he\u2019s beginning his first year as an assistant professor of biology<\/a> after two years in the same role at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was thinking about biodiversity before I knew that was a word,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd when I got a little older, my mom checked out books for me in the library about amphibians and reptiles. She wasn\u2019t fond of frogs and snakes and lizards coming into the house, but she overcame that,\u201d he adds with a chuckle. \u201cI always wanted to figure out what\u2019s under that next rock.\u201d<\/p>\n

An evolutionary biologist and herpetologist, Scott earned his undergraduate degree from Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, his master\u2019s degree from San Diego State University, and his Ph.D. in biology\/biological sciences from the University of Alabama. He also was an instructor and research adviser in the UCLA Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences. \u201cPoint Loma is on the ocean and similar in size to Eckerd,\u201d he adds. \u201cBut [with] colder water and more waves.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][image_with_animation image_url=”8913″ image_size=”full” animation_type=”entrance” animation=”Fade In” animation_easing=”default” animation_movement_type=”transform_y” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”16″][vc_column_text]Peter Scott, Ph.D.<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_content” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” top_padding=”32″ bottom_padding=”48″ text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” advanced_gradient_angle=”0″ overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” shape_type=”” gradient_type=”default”][vc_column column_padding=”padding-2-percent” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”right” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_gallery type=”flexslider_style” images=”8915,8916,8917″ onclick=”link_image” img_size=”medium”][vc_column_text]Mojave desert tortoises (<\/em>Gopherus\u00a0agassizii), photos by Roy C. Averill-Murray<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_content” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” top_padding=”32″ text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”padding-2-percent” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”right” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]One of the highlights of his career thus far has been his role as the lead author of a study of the DNA of Mojave desert tortoises. Scott and his fellow researcher at UCLA collaborated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service<\/a> to study the tortoises that had been placed in its Large Scale Translocation Site in the Ivanpah Valley southeast of Las Vegas.<\/p>\n

According to published reports, many of the tortoises were kept as pets, which became illegal when the animals were added to the endangered species list, or had to be moved because of development. The Fish and Wildlife Service wanted to see if the tortoises could safely reenter the wild. A cover story about the project appeared in the Nov. 27, 2020, issue of Science <\/em>magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid I ever think I\u2019d get on the cover of Science<\/em>? No. But the data we found was nothing like what we thought it would be,\u201d Scott explains.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_content” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” top_padding=”32″ text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”padding-2-percent” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” el_class=”lg_text” advanced_gradient_angle=”0″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” gradient_type=”default”][vc_column_text]\u201cBut that\u2019s the process of science. You have to be open to what the data say. That\u2019s why it\u2019s so fun. If all we got was expected results, it wouldn\u2019t be worth doing.\u201d<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_content” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” top_padding=”32″ text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”padding-2-percent” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”right” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]The search for answers, he says, fits perfectly into what he teaches and where. \u201cI really work to ensure students are excited and learning more about the process of science as opposed to rote facts,\u201d he explains. \u201cAnd it\u2019s important to be in a community where you feel you can do all the things you want. When I saw the job opportunity at Eckerd, it clicked that this would be a very good place for me. Everyone knows its reputation.\u201d<\/p>\n

And Florida, Scott adds, has a wonderful native biodiversity that presents all sorts of opportunities for research. \u201cDangle a fun question in front of me,\u201d he admits, \u201cand I\u2019ll try to help work on it. It\u2019s why science is great. You get to ask questions and then try to answer them.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extraa-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default”…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":130,"featured_media":8914,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37,45,85],"tags":[454,262,788,349,347],"class_list":{"0":"post-8909","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-academics","8":"category-biology","9":"category-research","10":"tag-fwc","11":"tag-herpetology","12":"tag-peter-scott","13":"tag-reptile","14":"tag-tortoise"},"yoast_head":"\n\u2018What\u2019s under that next rock?\u2019 exemplifies the curiosity of new Eckerd College biology professor - News | Eckerd College<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/blog\/curiosity-biology-professor\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u2018What\u2019s under that next rock?\u2019 exemplifies the curiosity of new Eckerd College biology professor\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extraa-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default”...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/blog\/curiosity-biology-professor\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"News | Eckerd College\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-09-14T13:54:45+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-07-19T18:54:45+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2022\/09\/scott-Science-magazine.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1620\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Tom Zucco\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"News | Eckerd College\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Tom Zucco\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/blog\\\/curiosity-biology-professor\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/blog\\\/curiosity-biology-professor\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Tom Zucco\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e4f374512cebfaf0e80743ab22a7f66d\"},\"headline\":\"\u2018What\u2019s under that next rock?\u2019 exemplifies the curiosity of new Eckerd College biology professor\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-09-14T13:54:45+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-07-19T18:54:45+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/blog\\\/curiosity-biology-professor\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1996,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/blog\\\/curiosity-biology-professor\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/51\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/scott-Science-magazine.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"FWC\",\"herpetology\",\"Peter Scott\",\"reptile\",\"tortoise\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Academics\",\"Biology\",\"Research\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/blog\\\/curiosity-biology-professor\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/blog\\\/curiosity-biology-professor\\\/\",\"name\":\"\u2018What\u2019s under that next rock?\u2019 exemplifies the curiosity of new Eckerd College biology professor - News | Eckerd College\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/blog\\\/curiosity-biology-professor\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/blog\\\/curiosity-biology-professor\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/51\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/scott-Science-magazine.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-09-14T13:54:45+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-07-19T18:54:45+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e4f374512cebfaf0e80743ab22a7f66d\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/blog\\\/curiosity-biology-professor\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/blog\\\/curiosity-biology-professor\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/blog\\\/curiosity-biology-professor\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/51\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/scott-Science-magazine.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/51\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/scott-Science-magazine.jpg\",\"width\":1620,\"height\":1080,\"caption\":\"Professor holding Science Magazine\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/blog\\\/curiosity-biology-professor\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"\u2018What\u2019s under that next rock?\u2019 exemplifies the curiosity of new Eckerd College biology professor\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/\",\"name\":\"News | Eckerd College\",\"description\":\"Newsroom at Eckerd College\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.eckerd.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e4f374512cebfaf0e80743ab22a7f66d\",\"name\":\"Tom Zucco\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/e95b572fd764b73d09a73a51bd8ff41d76bbc23aa5d35c272f0c61a36265fc19?s=96&d=blank&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/e95b572fd764b73d09a73a51bd8ff41d76bbc23aa5d35c272f0c61a36265fc19?s=96&d=blank&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/e95b572fd764b73d09a73a51bd8ff41d76bbc23aa5d35c272f0c61a36265fc19?s=96&d=blank&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Tom Zucco\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"\u2018What\u2019s under that next rock?\u2019 exemplifies the curiosity of new Eckerd College biology professor - News | Eckerd College","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/blog\/curiosity-biology-professor\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"\u2018What\u2019s under that next rock?\u2019 exemplifies the curiosity of new Eckerd College biology professor","og_description":"[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extraa-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default”...","og_url":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/blog\/curiosity-biology-professor\/","og_site_name":"News | Eckerd College","article_published_time":"2022-09-14T13:54:45+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-07-19T18:54:45+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1620,"height":1080,"url":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2022\/09\/scott-Science-magazine.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Tom Zucco","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_description":"News | Eckerd College","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Tom Zucco","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/blog\/curiosity-biology-professor\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/blog\/curiosity-biology-professor\/"},"author":{"name":"Tom Zucco","@id":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/e4f374512cebfaf0e80743ab22a7f66d"},"headline":"\u2018What\u2019s under that next rock?\u2019 exemplifies the curiosity of new Eckerd College biology professor","datePublished":"2022-09-14T13:54:45+00:00","dateModified":"2023-07-19T18:54:45+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/blog\/curiosity-biology-professor\/"},"wordCount":1996,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/blog\/curiosity-biology-professor\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2022\/09\/scott-Science-magazine.jpg","keywords":["FWC","herpetology","Peter Scott","reptile","tortoise"],"articleSection":["Academics","Biology","Research"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/blog\/curiosity-biology-professor\/","url":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/blog\/curiosity-biology-professor\/","name":"\u2018What\u2019s under that next rock?\u2019 exemplifies the curiosity of new Eckerd College biology professor - News | Eckerd College","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/blog\/curiosity-biology-professor\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/blog\/curiosity-biology-professor\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2022\/09\/scott-Science-magazine.jpg","datePublished":"2022-09-14T13:54:45+00:00","dateModified":"2023-07-19T18:54:45+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/e4f374512cebfaf0e80743ab22a7f66d"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/blog\/curiosity-biology-professor\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/blog\/curiosity-biology-professor\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/blog\/curiosity-biology-professor\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2022\/09\/scott-Science-magazine.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2022\/09\/scott-Science-magazine.jpg","width":1620,"height":1080,"caption":"Professor holding Science Magazine"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/blog\/curiosity-biology-professor\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"\u2018What\u2019s under that next rock?\u2019 exemplifies the curiosity of new Eckerd College biology professor"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/","name":"News | Eckerd College","description":"Newsroom at Eckerd College","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/e4f374512cebfaf0e80743ab22a7f66d","name":"Tom Zucco","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e95b572fd764b73d09a73a51bd8ff41d76bbc23aa5d35c272f0c61a36265fc19?s=96&d=blank&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e95b572fd764b73d09a73a51bd8ff41d76bbc23aa5d35c272f0c61a36265fc19?s=96&d=blank&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e95b572fd764b73d09a73a51bd8ff41d76bbc23aa5d35c272f0c61a36265fc19?s=96&d=blank&r=g","caption":"Tom Zucco"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8909","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/130"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8909"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8909\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15042,"href":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8909\/revisions\/15042"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8914"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8909"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8909"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eckerd.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8909"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}