Dan Wetzel

Dan Wetzel is a Teaching Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, where he teaches ecology, animal behavior, biostatistics, and scientific writing. His research bridges behavioral ecology—focusing on individual differences in avian parental care—and science education, specifically investigating student and faculty perceptions of office hours to enhance academic support systems.

He earned his PhD from the University of Kentucky and MS from Georgia Southern University, both centered on behavioral ecology with emphasis on individual variation in bird parental care behaviors.

Dr. Wetzel's research spans behavioral ecology and science education. In behavioral ecology, he examines individual variation in parental care syndromes, genetic and environmental influences on behavior, and amphibian disease dynamics. His science education work analyzes office hour interactions and science communication pedagogy, as demonstrated by his "De-Jargonizing SciComm" study. His interdisciplinary approach integrates field ecology, molecular techniques, and educational research methodologies to address complex biological and pedagogical questions.

His publication trends (2011-2022) reveal dual trajectories: persistent contributions to avian behavioral ecology (particularly house sparrow systems) and amphibian disease ecology (focusing on chytrid fungus dynamics), alongside emerging work in science education research. This evolution demonstrates a strategic expansion from organismal ecology into educational scholarship while maintaining core expertise in behavioral variation analysis.

No scientific awards are documented in the provided information.

Dr. Wetzel mentors students in biological sciences though specific advisees aren't listed. His research likely involves grant funding for disease ecology and educational innovation, particularly in developing improved office hour frameworks and amphibian pathogen detection methods.

While no formal lab is specified, his amphibian disease publications indicate collaboration with disease ecologists and conservation biologists, and his education research engages university teaching communities in systematic assessment of academic support structures.