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Dr. Ryan Bebej

Associate Professor
Biology

Biography

I grew up in central Illinois and graduated from Calvin in 2005. I moved on to the University of Michigan, where I earned a Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology in 2011. After spending a year as a professor at Olivet Nazarene University, I returned to Calvin and joined the Department of Biology in 2012. Outside of academia, I enjoy Euro-style tabletop games, recreational birdwatching, science fiction (especially Star Wars), super heroes, rooting for the St. Louis Cardinals and Michigan Wolverines, and exploring nature with my wife and two sons.

Education

  • B.S. in Biology (with honors), Calvin College, 2005
  • Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 2011

Professional Experience

  • »Æ´óÏɸßÊÖÂÛ̳, Associate Professor of Biology (2019–present)
  • Calvin College, Assistant Professor of Biology (2012–2019)
  • Olivet Nazarene University, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences (2011–2012)

Academic Interests

I am interested in comparative anatomy, functional morphology, vertebrate paleontology, and the evolutionary history of mammals (especially aquatic mammals). I mostly teach courses courses related to anatomy and physiology, but I have also co-led off-campus courses in Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, and New Zealand.

I am also deeply interested in the relationship between science and Christian faith. I have been a speaker for the BioLogos Foundation since 2016 and frequently speak at churches and schools about evolutionary science and Christianity. In addition, I have been a Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford (SCIO) visiting scholar in science and religion and a participant in SCIO's Bridging the Two Cultures of Science and the Humanities II program.

Research

In the past, I have worked on fossil horses and pinnipeds, but most of my research has focused on fossil cetaceans. For my doctoral work, I studied an enigmatic group of fossil whales from the middle Eocene of Pakistan called remingtonocetids. My research focused on their postcranial skeleton and utilized multivariate statistical analyses and three-dimensional multibody dynamic models to test hypotheses of vertebral function. In 2009, I spent two months on a paleontological dig in Egypt, where I helped to excavate the skeletons of fossil whales at Wadi Al-Hitan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Egypt's western desert. I routinely work in research collections at museums, where I study the anatomies of modern mammals to aid in the interpretation of fossil forms.

My current research focuses on the transition from foot-powered to tail-powered swimming in the earliest fossil cetaceans. I am also working on an interdisciplinary project exploring the theological ramifications of pre-human animal death and suffering that are a part of the evolutionary process.

Awards

  • 2020 »Æ´óÏɸßÊÖÂÛ̳ Advising and Mentoring Award
  • 2018-2019 Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford (SCIO) visiting scholar in science and religion
  • 2017 Calvin College Professor of the Year (presented by Calvin College K4L: Student Alumni Association)

Research and Scholarship

whale_research

Evolution of Early Whales

<p>The evolution of modern cetaceans (including whales, dolphins, and porpoises) from terrestrial ancestors required many drastic anatomical, physiological, and behavioral changes. The development of an efficient swimming mode in the earliest cetaceans is one key to understanding this remarkable transition. This behavioral change from a limb-dominated form of swimming to a tail-dominated form can be inferred from the anatomies of fossil whales, but it requires careful comparison with the anatomies of modern mammals, whose behaviors can be directly observed and correlated with their anatomies. This project seeks to develop a quantitative framework from the anatomies of modern mammals in order to infer the behavioral capabilities of early fossil whales. It involves working extensively with museum collections of modern and fossil mammals and utilizing multivariate statistical analyses to discern patterns in the data.</p>
<p>Student Contributors: Alexandra Kuipers, Josiah Valk, Melissa Braun</p>
Ryan Bebej

Contact Me

616-526-7564

Where to Find Me

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