By Mariah Simank
Westlake Picayune Contributing Writer
St. Edward’s University has selected John Abbott as the new director of the Wild Basin Creative Research Center.
Abbott, formerly the curator of entomology for the University of Texas at Austin, will work to develop and implement a vision and strategic plan for Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve, keeping with its educational and conservation mission.
“I will be working with St. Edward’s students and faculty to engage with them on research out here at Wild Basin,” Abbott said. “One of the most interesting parts of my job is going to be seeing how the students learn and utilize Wild Basin, by learning about the ecology, conservation and the Edwards Plateau.”
The implementation of this vision and strategic plan will include interacting with local, regional, national and international preserve programs, along with government entities.
“As curator of entomology at the University of Texas and with my own research, I engaged a lot with other researchers around the world as well as locally,” Abbott said. “A lot of the people I will be working with in this job I actually know, and even though we will be engaging at a different capacity, it will still help me, as well as the students, immensely.”
Abbott received his doctorate in biology from the University of North Texas in 1999 with a Bio-geographical study of the dragonflies and damselflies of the south-central U.S. Not long after completing the program, he took a faculty position at the University of Texas, and in 2006, became curator of entomology.
“While there, I taught primarily entomology courses over the years, and I also had a lot of students doing undergraduate research with me as well,” Abbott said. “Even though I won’t be teaching here at St. Edward’s, I will still be engaging with the students and mentoring them in different ways.”
Abbott cares deeply about helping students grow and focus on the tools to having successful careers.
“St. Edward’s is a smaller university, and I look forward to getting to know students on a one-on-one basis,” Abbott said. “I like to help them learn in whatever way I can, and then watch them figure out how they are able to go off and have productive careers because of the things they got to do here.”
One of Abbott’s passions in life is educating students and the public about insects. His research focuses on aquatic insects, particularly the systematics and biogeography of dragonflies and damselflies.
“My interest in insects, personally, has always focused on systematics and diversity,” Abbott said. “I imagine that once I get things under my belt here and feel more comfortable I will start looking at the community of insects specifically, here at Wild Basin, and I will work to get students involved so they can gain an understanding of what is going on here.”
According to St. Edward’s website, the Wild Basin Preserve was founded in 1974 despite enormous development pressures and was saved from the region’s rapid development and growth.
“Before St. Edwards owned Wild Basin it was a nonprofit, and I actually sat on the executive board from 2006-2009,” Abbott said. “I got to see the transition from non profit to St. Edward’s slowly taking it over.”
The center focuses on creative research and is designed to encourage research in all areas of study.
“I aim to work with the students and faculty to come up ideas for research projects that they can do out here, while making sure that they are not going to be doing any harm to the property, but instead contribute to it,” Abbott said. “One of my goals is to look at the Wild Basin’s natural resources and to try and figure out ways in which the students can not only use the property, but how they can actually contribute to the management of the natural resources for the long term.”
As he prepares for the fall semester, Abbott cannot wait to start sharing his knowledge with students.
“Probably the single biggest thing that I think I can give to students is a passion for nature, natural history and conservation,” Abbott said. “I care a lot about those things and about what I do, and that is often something that students perceive. I think that has been an important influence in the lives of students in the past.”