Westminster College Home > Gabe McNett
Gabe McNett

Gabe McNett

Professor of Biology
 CSC 225
Department(s): Biology and Environmental Science


Biography:

Current Position
Professor of Biology
Chair, Division of Natural and Mathematical Sciences
 
Education
Ph. D. 2007, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
M.S. 2002, University of California, San Diego, California
B.S. 1997, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
 
Professional Interests
Dr. McNett’s area of expertise is in field and organismal biology, with professional interests in the areas of ecology, evolution, and animal behavior, particularly working with insects and birds. His work has focused primarily on how natural selection affects the evolution of animal communication systems (bird vision and feather coloration, vibrational communication in insects). Of particular interest is how ecological factors affect the evolution of mating signals, and ultimately, the evolution of new species. Over the years he has been afforded the opportunity to work with diverse warbler species in upstate New York, satin bowerbirds (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus) in Australia, woodland songbird species in southern Ohio, American golden plovers (Pluvialis dominica) in sub-arctic Canada, and amazing insects called treehoppers right here in mid-Missouri.
 
More recently he has also pursued pedagogical interests. This work includes the how stories can facilitate teaching and learning, and dispelling misconceptions around evolutionary theory. Work with students has spanned avian (bird) and invertebrate behavior, insect diversity, and evolutionary theory. Throughout his time at Westminster one of the most common threads running through all of his work is a passion to getting students outdoors and sharing with them the weird and fascinating biological diversity that surrounds us (and yes, especially the invertebrate variety).

Other positions
  • Chair, Dept. of Biology and Environmental Science (2015-2020)
  • Advisor, Westminster Stream Team, Westminster Beekeeping Society
  • Committee appointments: Admissions, Assessment, Curriculum, Ethics in Research, Faculty Personnel, Professional Standards, Teaching and Learning.

Background
Dr. McNett joined the Westminster community in 2007. The primary courses he has taught over the years includes Biodiversity, Biological Processes, Evolution, Animal Behavior, Entomology, Ornithology, and Ecology. Other teaching forays have included Field Research Methods, Biology of Social Insects, and Insects and Human Affairs. He lives in Columbia with his wife, three kids, dog Gus, and two cats, Scout and Hope. When he’s not working Dr. McNett enjoys spending time with his wife and kids, hiking, camping, and playing in the woods and streams around Columbia seeing what critters he can find.

Select publications:
  • McNett, G., (2016). Using stories to facilitate teaching. College Teaching, 64(4), 184-193. [PDF]
  • McNett, G.D., (2015). Whale of a Tale? The Evidence for the Evolution of Whales. National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science. https://www.nsta.org/ncss-case-study/whale-tale.
  • McNett, G.D., (2015). Seeing the reality of evolutionary theory. pp 45-71 in: Re-Vision: A New Look at the Conversation between Religion and Science. ed. Cain, Clifford C. University Press of America, Lanham, MD. 
  • McNett, G.D., Luan, L.H., and Cocroft, RB (2010) Wind-induced noise alters signaler and receiver behavior in vibrational communication. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 64: 2043-2051. [PDF]
  • McNett G.D., Cocroft R.B. (2008) Host shifts lead to divergent selection on vibrational mating signals in Enchenopa binotata treehoppers. Behavioral Ecology 19(3): 650-656. [PDF]
  • McNett G.D., Miles R.N., Homentcovshi, D., and Cocroft R.B. (2006) A method for two-dimensional characterization of animal vibrational signals transmitted along plant stems. J. of Comparative Physiology A 192: 1245-1251. [PDF]
  • Cocroft, R.B., McNett, G.D., (2006) Vibrational communication in treehoppers (Hemiptera: Membracidae). In: Insect Sounds and Communication: Physiology, Ecology, and Evolution. (eds. Claridge, M.F., and Drosopoulos, S.), CRC Press, pp 305-317. [PDF]
  • McNett G.D., Marchetti K, (2005) UV degradation in carotenoid patches: Live-caught versus museum-based   specimens of wood warblers. Auk 122(3):793-802. [PDF]
  • Krijgsveld, K.L., Reneerkens, J.W.H., McNett, G.D., and R.E. Ricklefs. (2003) Time budgets and body temperatures of American golden plover chicks in relation to ambient temperature. Condor 105: 268-278. [PDF]