Collin Hobbs
Associate Professor of Biology / Department Chair
(260) 359-4201
chobbs@huntington.edu
Dr. F. Collin Hobbs joined the faculty of Huntington University in 2013 and teaches courses in botany, ecology, microbiology, cell biology, and environmental science. He has a life-long interest in plants, ranging from horticulture to molecular genetics, and loves engaging students with his vibrant teaching style and passion for the sciences.
Collin earned his PhD in Ecological and Evolutionary Biology from Indiana University in 2013 with a thesis that focused on the ecology and biogeography of disjunct eastern hemlock populations. Prior to his graduate work he received a B.S. in Biology with a minor in Music Performance from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. At Huntington University he has continued studying the population genetics of locally rare conifer populations, with a current focus on white pine. His research skill sets include molecular genetic techniques, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and botanical surveying. He recently published an article on eastern hemlock in the Indiana Native Plant Society Journal. He is also interested in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) and was the lead author on a paper published in CBE – Life Sciences Education.
Collin serves as the Manager for the university’s Thornhill Nature Preserve, and as the Curator of Huntington University’s Fred Loew Herbarium. He also serves as a founding faculty sponsor of the Huntington University Horticulture Club, a student organization that maintains the university’s campus vegetable garden and orchard, honeybee hives, and the trail system in the campus woods. He has been a violist since grade school and currently plays in the university chamber orchestra and at his church.
Originally from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Collin and his wife Kara and five children now live in Huntington. The whole Hobbs family is quite active in their local church, where they serve in several capacities. Collin enjoys gardening, playing viola, camping, photography, and traveling with his family.