Alex Acholonu

From an “Ecologist Directory” maintained by the ESA Education Office about 2004-2011. Profile circa 2004.
Update: “Dr. Acholonu has been a part of the Department of Biological Sciences since 1991 teaching various classes, serving as director of the Ecology Education Program, Ecology Club advisor, and conducting research.” —Alcorn State Biology Professor Honored
Dr. Acholonu holds a Ph.D. degree. He is a Professor at Alcorn University in Lorman MS.

Ecologist Profile

Although Ecology is not the field in which I received my Ph.D., I have been teaching it for the past 11 years. It is not a question of getting interested in it, but one of teaching it and enjoying the teaching of it.

Portrait image of Alex Acholonu in a suit and tie. Black and white.

Alex Acholonu

I have known ecological careers for many years through textbooks and practical contacts. But more was learned from the ecology careers brochure prepared by the ESA and made available to us at one of the annual meetings I attended as well as from Faculty Development workshops SEEDS Faculty had in the past. My position title at present is Professor of Biology. I am the one in charge of teaching Field Biology and Ecology in my department, the Department of Biological Sciences.
I have been using and dealing with Ecology for more than a decade. Before the SEEDS program, I had an EPA grant of $75,000 under a program called Minority Academic Institution (MAI) Project with Louisiana State University Hazardous Substance Research Center/ South & Southwest, in Baton Rouge, LA. I worked on “Freshwater Bioturbators in Riverine Sediments as Enhancers of Contaminant Release“ I got my Ph.D. in Zoology (Parasitology)and took Ecology and Limnology as a Ph.D. student and other related courses. I have held practically all positions in academia from faculty positions to academic administration positions. At Alcorn State University, I am a full professor and President of the Faculty Senate.

I would advise a student to go into the field of Ecology/Environmental Science. It is the order of the day. Practically every field of study touches on Ecology/ Environmental Science. Ecology as the economics of nature, the management of nature, is very important for human welfare.