Randall Cross

Randall Cross is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), located in Fort Myers, Florida. He holds a Ph.D. in Biology from UNC Chapel Hill, and his career focuses on providing quality teaching and research experiences for undergraduate students. His primary research interests include coastal plant communities, wetland ecology, and palm ecology, with extensive fieldwork conducted on San Salvador Island in the Bahamas.

Dr. Cross coordinates FGCU's General Biology I course and has led development of its custom lab manual now in its 7th edition. This course utilizes the SCALEUP classroom teaching environment, emphasizing active learning and interdisciplinary connections. He has also received notable awards including the Senior Faculty Teaching Excellence Award (2012) and multiple Governor’s Distinguished Teaching Awards.

His research spans coastal plant ecology, including studies on Coccothrinax argentata (silver thatch palm) and molecular identification of Bahamian palms. He has secured grants totaling over $14,000 for undergraduate research projects, including hurricane impact studies on palms. His teaching innovations include integrating field experiences in the Bahamas for student research.

• Grants:
  • Capital Venture Funds Grant (2019): $6,435 for palm population studies
  • Innovative Assignment Design Grant (2017): $840 for hurricane effects project
• Labs/Teams: Coordinates FGCU's General Biology I lab program and oversees undergraduate research in Bahamian ecosystems.