The University of Findlay’s College of Sciences welcomes Robert G. Verb, Ph.D., associate professor and greenhouse manager in the department of biological and allied health sciences at Ohio Northern University (ONU), as a featured speaker during the second annual Symposium for Scholarship and Creativity at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday, April 15, in Winebrenner Theological Seminary.

Verb will present “Analyzing Algae: A Look at Scummy Waters” and will provide background on algae, freshwaters and their employment as bioindicators. He also will discuss one or two of his current projects.

Verb graduated from The University of Findlay in 1996 with a bachelor of science degree in biology and environmental and hazardous materials management. He earned a doctorate in biological sciences/environmental and plant biology from Ohio University in 2001. He began teaching at ONU that same year.

In his role as a professor, he instructs a variety of plant- and field-based courses including systematic plant survey, natural history and biogeography. He also has experience as a consultant in the environmental field identifying and enumerating algae for various companies and institutes throughout the region.

His research has been funded by a number of grants from sources such as the Phycological Society of America and The Ohio Biological Survey, where much of his research has involved work with algae as biological indicators of pollutants in Ohio, such as acid mine drainage.

Verb has co-authored articles that have been published in refereed journals, and he has given presentations at professional meetings and seminars throughout the country.

He resides near Bluffton, Ohio, with his wife, Melissa, and son, Riley.

Each college will host an alumni speaker. The College of Business will host Terry Terhark. The College of Health Professions will host Julie Hammer. The College of  Education will host Deb Wickerham. The College of Liberal Arts will host Adam Brannon.

For additional information about the symposium, visit www.findlay.edu, Keyword: symposium, or click here.