Adventures of an Unlikely Scientist

Biology Lecture Featuring

David S. McLeod, PhD, Associate Professor, Biology Department

Join MBU’s own herpetologist and anatomist for a conversation about his unlikely journey from student to professional scientist and educator. McLeod will share insights from teaching, travel, and studies of amphibians and reptiles from around the globe.

Biologist and environmental health scholar Tyrone B. Hayes, PhD, professor of integrative biology at the University of California, Berkeley, is unfortunately unable to come to MBU as previously scheduled. The university plans to host Hayes in spring 2027.

The Humphrey's Biology Lecture Series was established in 1992 in honor of Dr. Mary Humphreys, the late professor emerita of biology, who served on the faculty at Mary Baldwin from 1943 to 1968. As one-half of the college’s two-woman biology department for most of her tenure, Humphreys taught general biology, botany, and genetics. She was a strong role model for her students, and her friends created this lecture to bring prominent scientists to campus to talk about their work and inspire in others Humphreys’ dedication to the field of biology.

About the Speaker:

Dr. David McLeod joined the MBU faculty in 2023 to lead the undergraduate Anatomy and Physiology program.  An experienced educator, he has taught domestically and internationally at both secondary and post-secondary levels. McLeod earned his bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education Biology at Emporia State University, a Master’s of Science in Ecology and Organismal Biology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and his Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Kansas.

As a herpetologist, anatomist, and biology educator, McLeod is interested in many things. His current research focus is on amphibian morphology and ecology here in Appalachia while also pursuing his long-standing interests in the systematics and biodiversity of amphibians in Southeast Asia. He uses molecular and morphological tools, including 3D technologies to study these animals. He actively mentors students in field-, laboratory-, and museum-based research projects.

About Signature Events:

MBU Signature Events are a new series of public lectures, performances, and community experiences hosted by Mary Baldwin University and designed to engage both the campus and broader Staunton communities. Events are sponsored by one of MBU’s four academic “Neighborhoods,” interdisciplinary communities that unite students and faculty around shared interests in areas like business and technology, health and science, education and society, and creativity and design. Signature Events bring the Mary Baldwin Signature to life — a distinctive academic and residential model that emphasizes purpose-driven learning, community connection, and real-world readiness. Learn more at marybaldwin.edu/signature.

Event co-sponsored by the Spencer Center for Civic and Global Engagement at MBU