Mike Tannenbaum, a biologist, joined the Marist community as Dean of the School of Science in August, 1998. A native of New York City, Dr. Tannenbaum received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and his Ph.D. in Zoology from Clemson University. He has held academic positions as R.C. Edwards Research Fellow at Clemson, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at Marshall University, postdoctoral fellow at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Visiting Scientist at Colorado State University, and, from 1988-1998, Associate Professor of Biology at Truman State University (formerly Northeast Missouri State University) in Kirksville, Missouri. He was also Convener (Chair) of the biology discipline at Truman from 1993 to 1996.
Dr. Tannenbaum is dedicated to the student-centered approach to learning, and has a strong background in the outcomes assessment process. He was nominated twice for Educator of the Year at his former institution, where he received the William O' Donnell Lee Advising Award in 1995-96. A strong advocate of undergraduate research, Dr. Tannenbaum is a long time member and is a past president of the Council on Undergraduate Research. He also has authored successful grant proposals to the National Science Foundation and the Merck/AAAS Undergraduate Science Research Program. His publication credits include a number of papers and presentations with undergraduate co-authors, whom he also has involved in on- and off-campus presentations at symposia and other venues. His research efforts, and those of his students, have been in the area of physiological and nutritive ecology, and focused on adjustments in behavior and function made by small wild rodents in response to stress-provoking environments. Dr. Tannenbaum contributes to his profession in a variety of leadership roles in national organizations (such as the American Society of Mammalogists and Sigma Xi), and he has been an invited speaker at several institutions and professional meetings across the country. He also maintains a strong interest in pre-medical advising, as well as academic program review and assessment.
Dr. Tannenbaum's primary teaching interests are in introductory biology and animal physiology, with a strong commitment to using technology, investigative learning strategies and history of biology in his classes. His hobbies include cooking, photography, and reading detective novels and about American history. He also enjoys traveling and spending time near the ocean. He and his wife Karen have two children.
