Chad Heins

Bethany Lutheran College | www.blc.edu

Faculty - Biology

Faculty » Biology

Phone: 507-344-7327
Office: Meyer Hall 209
Message: Send web message

Courses Recently Taught

Biology Independent Research
Ecology and Lab
General Biology I and Lab
General Biology II and Lab
Invertebrate Zoology and Lab
Principles of Biology and Lab
Vertebrate Zoology and Lab


Teaching Philosophy
I love teaching and I love learning.  More than anything I want my students to get excited about learning new things in biology.  Is there anything so fascinating as a living, breathing animal or plant?

I believe that students learn the most when they are challenged and I prefer to lead students to the answer rather than provide it directly.   In today’s world of internet searches, it is easy to find an answer but more important for students to be able to use answers to raise new questions.    My approach in the classroom and laboratory stresses the inseparable ideas of form and function.

Research Interests
The more I learn about God’s Creation, the more I want to know. 

Cobb River Project

I am currently working with students and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to carry out biological inventories of Cobb River and Perch Waterfowl Production Areas.  That project gives me the opportunity to learn about inventory methods as well as to identify organisms ranging from plants and fungi to birds and aquatic macroinvertebrates. 

Spiders of Minnesota

Our inventory work led me to another project involving the spiders of Minnesota.  Very little is known about the spider fauna in the state of Minnesota and I am currently working on a literature study to determine which species occur in the state and how they are distributed. 

Bethany Hawkwatch

My other main project involves the Bethany Hawkwatch on our campus.  We count southbound raptors like hawks, eagles, and vulture which utilize the Minnesota River Valley during fall migration.  Our data is submitted to Hawkcount which is a clearinghouse for data from across the country and is utilized to create the Raptor Population Index for North America.

Personal
I’ve been teaching at Bethany since January of 2000.  My wife and I have four children under the age of 8 which keep us plenty busy at home.  We love camping with the family and exploring Minnesota State Parks and National Parks across the country.

In my free time I can normally be found outdoors playing with my kids, taking pictures, or birdwatching.

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