Mike Butler

Mike Butler is a Professor in the Department of Biology at Lafayette College. He holds a B.A. from Bowdoin College (2002), M.S. from Boise State University (2006), and Ph.D. from Arizona State University (2012). His research focuses on how animals adapt to environmental challenges through physiological and behavioral mechanisms, including immune system responses, oxidative stress management, and ecological adaptation. He actively involves undergraduate students in his research through Lafayette's EXCEL program, leveraging summer fieldwork to study avian and reptilian systems.

Teaching emphasizes applying scientific principles to real-world scenarios, integrating experimental design and hands-on research in courses like BIOL 251 and 275. His work bridges basic biology with practical insights into animal survival strategies, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to ecological and physiological questions.

• Research Highlights: Animal immunity, oxidative stress, avian behavior, thermal physiology
• Awards: Fellow of the American Ornithological Society (2021), Marion Jenkinson Service Award (2020)

His research program heavily relies on student collaboration, with over a decade of fieldwork and laboratory studies published in journals like Journal of Experimental Biology and Functional Ecology. Current projects explore avian immune responses to parasitism and the role of biliverdin in stress mitigation.