John Nagy--Chair, Department of Life Sciences
Chair, Department of Life Sciences
Primary Email Address:
john.nagy@sccmail.maricopa.edu
Alternative email addresses:
Office Phone:
(480) 423-6121
FAX:
(480) 423-6101
Address:
Department of Life Sciences
9000 E. Chaparral Rd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85256
Biography
I was born in Dearborn, Michigan and grew up partially in the Detroit area (Taylor and Livonia) and partly in central Ohio (Worthington, just north of Columbus). Despite living in Ohio for nine years, I never learned to like cows. In fact, I fled Ohio as soon as possible, going back to Michigan for college. In 1986 I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology with minors in conservation and literature from Eastern Michigan University and a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from The University of Michigan. (That’s not a mistake; both in the same year.) After finishing my undergrad, I worked for a short time for The University of Michigan doing forestry research in the beautiful Upper Peninsula. Later, after a bit of bouncing around involving academics, bartending and wooing my future and current wife, Bethel, I did some graduate work at the University of Toronto. Tiring of walking down Spadina Ave. every day in the cold and wind, we moved to Arizona State University, where I earned my Ph.D. in Zoology, focusing on mathematical biology, in 1996. Bethel earned her Ph.D. in Physical Anthropology at ASU in 2000.
In addition to science, I’ve always enjoyed music and athletics. I ran track for EMU and U. of M. and continued to run for a time after my undergraduate career but never made it to national recognition. So, I decided to take that frustration out on other people and switched to ice hockey. I must have been really frustrated because I still play whenever I can. Musically, I play percussion for the Scottsdale Community Band and various ad hoc ensembles, including "The Three Radicals," a little group made up of three science professors--Steve Borick (chemistry) on guitar, Doug Sawyer (also chemistry) on Bass and me on drums. I am currently on leave of absence from the Salt River Brass, but hope to return before long.
Bethel and I entered the ranks of parenthood on August 16, 2005, with the birth of our daughter, Grace Marya.
Teaching Interests
General Biology for Majors, both semesters (1st-2nd year undergraduate)
Mathematical Medicine (Advanced undergraduate, early graduate)
Introduction to biological research (undergraduate)
Research Interests (Specialty in mathematical biology)
Evolutionary dynamics of disease
Population dynamics
Evolutionary dynamics of life history traits
