By playing in the muddy backwoods of Maine as a child, Matt Waterhouse developed a deep love for nature. It wasn’t long before his adventures in academia changed his life. With a deep passion for ecology and conservation biology, he explored the use of genetic tools in research, worked with conservation agencies across the U.S., and earned his Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia. With expertise in ecology, evolution, conservation biology, genetics and technical writing, he finds teaching to be deeply rewarding while pursuing research. The National Library of Medicine published one of his notable publications, “Adaptive population divergence and directional gene flow across steep elevational gradients in a climate-sensitive mammal.” Now as a new Senior Instructor I in the Department of Integrative Biology, he continues to chase his passion while also helping others improve their lives.