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	After growing up saying, &ldquo;I will never go under the ocean or out into space,&rdquo; Dr. Darren Proppe started his research career studying coral diseases on a reef 100 miles off the coast of Texas as an undergraduate at Texas A&amp;M University. Shortly after graduation, however, a temporary position assessing populations of endangered golden cheeked warbler in Central Texas shifted Darren&rsquo;s focus from the marine environment to terrestrial ecosystems. His interest in birds, the ecological processes that support them, and the need for conservation measures, blossomed throughout his graduate research and as an assistant professor.</p>
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	As an educator, Darren strives for a relaxed, yet rigorous, approach to learning about the natural world. He promotes applied learning through hands-on activities and example driven presentations. He is most invigorated when teaching students while immersing them in the ecosystem they are studying! Perhaps, that is because it is here that the beauty of God&rsquo;s Creation is most evident.</p>
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	When not teaching or conducting research, Darren enjoys spending time with his wife, Sarah, and two children, Elliott and Grace. He prefers to spend this time in the outdoors seeking opportunities to hike, bicycle, bird, and cross-country ski. Darren&rsquo;s past experiences includ: being a wilderness guide in Wisconsin and British Columbia, Canada; teaching scuba diving in the Bahamas and British Virgin Islands; and teaching outdoor education in Californa, Oregon, and Washington State. He currently resides in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Despite his failure to avoid going under the ocean, he still has no immediate plans to visit space.</p>
