Dr. Tracy's research interests include avian vocal communication and the impact of invasive species on local forests and grassland ecosystems. He has done work for both the U.S. Geological Survey and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and is a textbook reviewer for a publishing and technology company that specializes in science.
Student mentor
Dr. Tracy is a frequent recipient of Northwestern Scholarship Grants, which provide funding for his multi-year research into the impact of the invasive European buckthorn and eastern red cedar on local forests and grassland ecosystems. He has also received research grants from the Iowa Academy of Science. These grants allow him to hire Northwestern students as summer research assistants, giving them field experience to list on their resumes and graduate school applications.
Bird enthusiast
Another interest of Dr. Tracy is avian vocal communication. His doctoral dissertation explored house finch dialects and repertoires in northern Colorado. He has served the U.S. Geological Survey as a bird bander and breeding bird survey route monitor, as well as the Iowa Department of Natural Resources as a water quality monitor.
Science expert
Pearson Benjamin Cummings, a publishing and technology company that specializes in science, has relied on Dr. Tracy to serve as a textbook reviewer, content expert, and test bank editor and author for their Mastering Biology and Mastering Environmental Science course management platforms. He has also done extensive work for CollegeBoard’s AP Environmental Science program as a curriculum and test developer, scoring leader, and curriculum auditor.
Sports enthusiast
A bowler with an average of 180, Dr. Tracy helps coach the local high school’s bowling team. He has also been serving as a scorekeeper for Raider volleyball games for more than a decade and at the NAIA Volleyball National Championship for nearly that long.
