by Ericka Simpson
Assistant Editor
You sent in your questions, and Brian Eisenback, associate professor of biology, answered them. Eisenback graduated from Bryan College in 2002 with a degree in biology. In 2006, he married his wife Ashley. He went on to pursue his doctorate at Virginia Tech (Blacksburg) and graduated with a degree in entomology with a specialty in forest entomology in 2008.
Did you always know you wanted to be a professor?
I always knew I wanted to be a biology teacher. It wasn’t until I observed a high school science class during my freshman year of college that I decided I wanted to be a college professor. I enjoy the breadth and depth of topics that teaching college courses allows, and I especially enjoy interacting with college students.
What made you decide to become a professor?
During high school I worked on a farm doing manual labor like picking apples, planting corn and spraying pesticides. At that time I realized how important a good education is, and I became determined to get a job where my paycheck is based on what my brain contains rather than from what my hands can do. Also, my dad is a professor and like him I love teaching and talking about science. Looking back I can see how God has guided my life towards being a professor, and I am grateful to be here.
What is your favorite dinosaur?
That’s easy, a velociraptor. Yes, “Jurassic Park” makes my answer rather cliché, but I remain fascinated by its large sickle-shaped claw.
What rules did you break while at Bryan?
At the time there was a rule that you couldn’t wear a hat in the cafeteria. There were a few instances when I definitely wore a hat in the cafeteria.
Is it awkward to teach on the reproductive system?
It was at first, to be honest. Now I am fine as long as everyone in the class is mature about it. If folks start giggling or someone is wide-eyed and horrified, then I start to get self-conscious. Once we get into it and get past all that then I think almost everyone finds it absolutely fascinating to study.
Who was your favorite professor at Bryan? Who was your least favorite?
Favorite: CS Lewis. Not many people know this but he taught Zoology here for just one semester. Least favorite: CS Lewis. He kept promising that we could dissect a marsh-wiggle but he never came through for us. (He said jokingly.)
Did Coach Sandy Zensen ever call you a bonehead when you played soccer at Bryan?
The question should be “Did Coach Zensen ever call you anything other than bonehead when you played soccer at Bryan?” If that was the question, I would say no.
My strategy was to divert Zensen’s attention by surrounding myself with bigger boneheads than I was. For example, one of my best friends on the team broke his toe at Pocket because he ran from me as I was shooting at him with my paintball gun. Because of that, he missed a few games and became a really big bonehead, while I kept playing and remained a regular bonehead. Friend choice is so important in college.
Who would win in a fight of brute strength and intelligence between you, Hartzell, Hill and Barnett?
I’ve got to go with Hartzell on this one. His depth of knowledge about human anatomy and physiology would play to his advantage. Definitely not me, as my knowledge of plants and insects would make me especially worthless in any sort of fight.
Why do you like studying insects more than humans?
Insects are so misunderstood. They are incredibly diverse and numerous, and their lifecycles and behaviors are mind-blowing. Each species has its own distinct personality. After studying them for a time you start recognizing particular species in predictable areas, and when that happens it can be like seeing an old friend. For some reason, most people have an immediate adverse gut reaction whenever insects are brought up. But God made insects, and for some reason he made them in every form and fashion that you can imagine. Insects can be beautiful in their own way, and I consider myself privileged to be able to study them and to teach about them.