About the Author

Kenneth Kardong is professor in the School of Biological Sciences at Washington State University. He obtained his advanced degrees from the University of Washington (Seattle) and the University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana). In addition to teaching histology, embryology, and introductory biology, he has also piloted courses in vertebrate evolution and Darwinian principles of evolution for biology teachers, science majors, and students in business and the humanities. Kardong is a recipient of various teaching awards, and sets high goals for both himself and his students. First, he expects that students develop a respect for discovered knowledge based on rational techniques of investigation, which include thinking critically, gathering logical information, and developing reasoned arguments based on sound evidence. Second, because information changes and knowledge evolves, Kardong encourages students to become life-long learners. This means that they understand the resources that are available to them, apply critical judgments to cherished beliefs, and have the intellectual honesty to evolve along with their disciplines. Finally, Kardong believes that students must take responsibility for their own learning. Because learning is an active process—not a passive endeavor in which teachers give and students receive— students must be active and engaged participants in their own learning. In order to achieve these goals, Kardong, together with colleagues, developed “seminar teams,” interactive, collaborative-based learning groups for undergraduate students. Not only was this strategy effective in small courses, but Kardong was able to adapt it to larger undergraduate courses as well.

For many years, Kardong has safely engaged undergraduate students in his research program, which is broadly centered on the evolution of complex systems, but more specifically focuses on the process involved in the evolution of venomous snakes from nonvenomous ancestors. In order to gain a first-hand understanding of how information is gathered and upon which foundations scientific interpretations are based, Kardong’s students analyze venom pharmacology, examine the biomechanics of the complex snake jaw apparatus, and study the predatory behavior of nonvenomous and venomous snakes. Because this research is done at a high level of expectation, Kardong’s undergraduates occasionally have the opportunity to publish their work if the animals cooperate and the students themselves are not defeated by the unexpected surprises that attend authentic research. Besides holding productive international scientific collaborations with colleagues in the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Canada, and Japan, Kardong has also authored or co-authored over 90 scientific publications, including the textbook, Vertebrates: Anatomy, Function, Evolution.

2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
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