125 - Science Communication: Bill as a Leader in Teaching

Bill Walton was an exceptionally effective and dedicated educator. He received multiple awards (National Academies Education Fellow in the Life Sciences; Outstanding Teaching Award at UCR; USDA-NIFA; and the Entomological Society of America). Bill valued students from biology majors in their introduction to ecology, to upperclassmen in insect ecology and aquatic insects. He routinely explored new methods and tools to ensure that students understood and applied concepts. Routinely, students who attended Bill’s office hours would find themselves touring his lab so that they learned more about the relationship from first principles to applied research. Related to this work, Bill was exceptional at explaining the importance of the research to non-scientists, ensuring that his audience value the impacts of local research in their communities.