Charles Gunnels's Profile

Gunnels, Charles (Ph.D.)

Department Chair, Biology/Professor

College of Arts & Sciences

239-590-7210

cgunnels@fgcu.edu

WH 0246

Urban & Behavior Ecology

CV/Resume

Charles (Billy) Gunnels grew up in a military family, where he spent much of his early life moving from one city to the next. This experience exposed him to different environments and the animals and plants that lived in each location. At an early age, he became interested in those cases where wildlife seemed to co-exist with people. In college, he developed an interest in animal behavior. He discovered the benefits of student research when he had the opportunity to study the parental care behavior of the Jamaican Brown Treefrog in the Cockpit Country, Jamaica. For his Ph.D., he studied the effects of ecological constraints on the social behavior of the Cuban paper wasp. He came to Florida Gulf Coast University in 2007. He was attracted to the school because of its focus on student learning, the integration of conservation areas into the campus, and the ability to engage students in research.

Professional Memberships: Animal Behavior Society, Council of Undergraduate Research, Raptor Research Foundation

Education
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- Ph.D. Biology – University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- M.S. Biology – Utah State University, Logan, UT
- B.A. Biology – Skidmore College, NY
Specialties
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- Animal Behavior
- Urban Ecology
- Wildlife Biology
- Historical Zoology
- Student Learning
Research and Teaching Interests
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Charles (billY) Gunnels is a Professor and Chair of Biological Sciences at Florida Gulf Coast University. His primary teaching responsibilities include Animal Behavior and Biological Statistics. Dr. Gunnels also leads study abroad trips to Caribbean and South America countries, where students explore the relationship between human- and natural-histories. He also mentors undergraduate and graduate research students. His personal research focuses on human-animal interactions, where he works to understand how human and non-human animals co-exist, including those cases where native animals make successful use of urbanized landscapes. In his SoTL work, he examines how undergraduate research affects the educational experience and learning gain of students. Dr. Gunnels also leads the Department of Biological Sciences as chair, where manages 35 faculty and staff, supports over 900 undergraduate majors, and oversees a new master’s graduate program. Dr. Gunnels also serves as a trustee for the CREW Land and Water Trust.
Courses Offered
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- Animal Behavior
- Biological Statistics
- Study Abroad
Publications
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Recent Publications:
- Luaces S. N. G, J. Chastain G, M. Eichbauer, and C. W. Gunnels (2023) Benefitting Historically Excluded Student Populations Through Targeted Undergraduate Research Programming. Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research 6(3):4-8. (International Journal, Invited Submission)
- Metcalf M. F., J. JohnsonU, A. CooperU, A. Marsh U, C. W. Gunnels CW, and J. Herman (2023) The Movement Ecology of Gopher Tortoises in an Urbanized Landscape. Southeastern Naturalist. 22(2):154-169 (Regional Journal)
- Metcalf M. F., C. W. Gunnels, F. R. Wallace G, W. Brosse, and J. Herman J (2022) Spatial Ecology and Movement Patterns of the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) on a University Campus in Southwest Florida. Journal of Herpetology. 56(4), 499-506. (International Journal)
- Troast S. G, A. M. Durso, K. P. Durso, M. Metcalf, C. W. Gunnels (2022) Using Visible Implant Elastomer (VIE) to mark Indotyphlops braminus (Brahminy Blindsnake). Herpetological Review 53(4):592-595. (Technical Paper)
- Carlin A & Gunnels CW (2022) This is an Intervention! Using a Campus-Wide Initiative and Assessment to Transform the Information Literacy Program. LOEX Conference Proceedings 2016: 211-216. (Conference Proceedings)
- Metcalf MF, Gunnels CW, Everham EM, Andreadis P, & Herman J (2021) Movement pattern of the Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarcho couperi) in southwest Florida. Herpetological Conservation and Biology. 16(2):425–435
- Gunnels CW, Abercrombie M, Bovard B, Croshaw DA, Drummond JG, Everham EM, Hancock T, Herman J, Jackueux M, Lefevre KL, Marcolini JP, McConnell V, Metcalf MF, Sanchez I, Thomas S, Walsh-Haney H, and Voytek M (2021) Campus as a living laboratory: conservation areas that create a community who then ensure its sustainability. In Making the Sustainable University: Trials and Tribulations, editors Katie Leon, Sim Komisar, and Edwin Everham. Springer Singapore, (Book Chapter)
Conference Presentations
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Recent Teaching Presentations:
- Gunnels C. W., M. Eichbauer, S. N. Luaces G, and S. Smith (2022) Leveraging undergraduate research programs to bolster graduate student researchers. ConnectUR: CUR Annual Conference
- Julmeus K. U, L. Rhodes, and C. W. Gunnels (2022) Experienced undergraduate research students as mentors to new students. ConnectUR: CUR Annual Conference (Poster).
- Gunnels, C. W. and K. Johnson (2022) Building community with a university-wide Learning Assistant program. SoTL Commons Conference: A Conference for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Savannah, Georgia.
Recent Disciplinary Presentations:
- Guedouar E.U and C. W. Gunnels. (2021) Effect of Isolation on Semantic Alarm Call Recognition in an Isolated Captive Vervet Monkey. Animal Behavior Society Virtual Conference
- Luaces S. N.G, J. Herman, K. Lefevre, A. Hartley, and C. W. Gunnels (2020) Population ecology of urbanized Florida Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia floridana) in Cape Coral, FL. Animal Behavior Society Virtual Conference.
- Rossetti D.G and C. W. Gunnels (2020) Bald Eagle use of cell phone towers in peninsular Florida. Animal Behavior Society Virtual Conference.
Grants & Awards
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- Phoenoteleia gunnelsi: This parasitode was named "... for Dr. Charles W. Gunnels IV in recognition of his generosity, zeal for teaching, and love for the natural world.” (2021)
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Excellence Award (2020-2021)
- Faculty Mentor Excellence Award (2020-2021)
- Individual Faculty Service Excellence Award (2012 – 2013)
- Junior Faculty Teaching Excellence Award (2010 – 2011)

Faculty & Staff Directory

Gunnels, Charles (Ph.D.)

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