Nancy Eyster-Smith

Nancy Eyster-Smith

  • Associate Professor Emeritus, Natural and Applied Sciences
  • Curator of Bentley Herbarium,
  • Marine Studies Consortium Board Member/Coordinator,
  • Ph.D. Univ of Arkansas/Fayetteville
  • M.S. Univ of Minnesota
  • B.S. University of Southwestern Louisiana (now Univ of Louisiana -Lafayette)
  • Office: Jennison Hall - 100 | 781.891.2980 | neystersmith@bentley.edu
  • Department Phone: 781.891.2980 | Department Fax: 781.891.2838

Teaching Interests

Ecological and Botanical Biology; Ecology: Principles and Applications; Lewis & Clark: Scientific Contributions; Economic Botany; Natural History of New England; Coastal Biology of Cape Cod

Research Interests

Plant community ecology, especially of Cape Cod grasslands and Midwestern tallgrass prairies; Pollination biology; Teaching using information technology; Paleoecology (active 1973 - 1980's)

Consulting/Practice Interests

Education Committee for New England Wild Flower Society; Instructor - Certificate in Native Plant Studies for New England Wild Flower Society; Instructor of ecology/environmental science to National Council of State Garden Clubs; Biology textbook reviewer

Bio

Special teaching and research interests include ecology, botany, conservation biology, and natural history.

Professional Memberships

  • Ecological Society of America Present
  • Natural Areas Association Present
  • Society for Conservation Biology Present
  • Massachusetts Association of Science Teachers 2007 - Present
  • New England Botanical Club 1985 - Present

    • Awards and Honors

  • , Faculty Activities Grant, Bentley University
  • 1999, Curriculum Development Grant for a "Proposal to Further Integrate the Use of Information Technology Into Science Courses
  • 1994, Academic Advising Award, Bentley College for 1993-1994
  • 1989, Henry E. Rauch Grant, for "Developing the Bentley College Herbarium: A plant library for teaching and research."
  • 1983, Edgar Anderson Award for best presentation at Second Annual Midwest Botany Graduate Student Meeting, University of Oklahoma
  • 1983, Elected to Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society, Associate Member
  • 1982, Finalist for Murray F. Buell Award, for best student presentation at Ecological Society of America meeting, Pennsylvania State University
  • 1982, Honorable Mention for presentation at First Annual Midwest Botany Graduate Student Meeting, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis.
  • 1978, Alexander P. and Lydia Anderson Summer Fellowship - for courses at Itasca Biological Field Station, MN
  • 1974, NSF Graduate Traineeship - for graduate study
  • 1973, Outstanding Senior in Biology (USL)

    • Publications

    Journal Articles

  • Eyster-Smith, N. M., Wright Jr, H. E., Cushing, E. J. (1991). Pollen studies at Lake St. Croix, a River Lake on the Minnesota/Wisconsin border, U.S.A. The Holocene.

    Books

  • Eyster-Smith, N. M., Fagan, S. M. (1998). Laboratory Manual for Biology. 66. Bentley College: NMES

    • Other(s)

  • Eyster-Smith, N. M. (1978). Tallgrass prairies: An ecological analysis of 77 remnants.

    • Presentations

  • Eyster-Smith, N. M. (2002). “Ecological education to business leaders of the future” Presented at theEcological Society of America Tucson, Arizona
  • Eyster-Smith, N. M. (2000). “Conservation Biology Education to Business Leaders of the Future” Presented at theSociety for Conservation Biology Missoula, Montana
  • Eyster-Smith, N. M. (1983). “The prairie-forest ecotone of the western Interior Highlands: An introduction to the tallgrass prairies” Presented at theThe Eighth North American Prairie Conference Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI

    • Service

    Department Service

  • Committee Member for NAS Department Facilities & Operations Committee 2008 - Present
  • Committee Member for NAS Promotion and Tenure Committee 2011 - 2012

    • University Service

  • Mentor for Earth, Environment, & Global Sustainability LSM - Present
  • Committee Member for Bentley's Sustainability Task Force 2007 - Present
  • Committee Chair for Nominations Committee 2001 - Present
  • Committee Member for Campus Connections 2000 - Present

    • Professional Service

  • Corresponding Secretary for New England Botanical Club 1994 - Present
  • Committee Member for New England Wild Flower Society Education Committee 1989 - Present
  • Board of Directors of a Company for Marine Studies Consortium 1984 - 2010