Name: Spencer Ingley
BYU–Hawaii employee since… 2017.
My job at BYU–Hawaii is an associate professor of biology and co-director of the Center for Learning & Teaching.
I grew up in Gainesville, Florida, USA.
I chose to teach at BYU–Hawaii because… I value diversity as a key to solving the world's problems. I love the mission of BYU–Hawaii, and our family has been personally blessed by this mission. My wife's parents were students here at BYU–Hawaii — her mother is from New Jersey, USA, but her dad is from Upolu, Samoa, and we have seen how education at BYU–Hawaii can impact students from underserved groups. We wanted to give back to the university and its students.
My favorite thing about teaching is getting to know the students and seeing their progress. When I was younger, my dad was a professor at the University of Florida. At the end of each semester, we always had students stop by our house so that they could introduce their families to my dad and thank him for all that he had done. Those experiences taught me from a young age that a professor who cares about their students can improve their lives.
What sparked my interest in my field is that I grew up on a lake in Florida and spent much of my free time catching and studying the critters there. At an early age, I had some key formative experiences that helped me see the potential to build a career in biology and conservation. One came when I could do research as a teenager with a dear friend and mentor, Dr. Harvey Lillywhite. Another came when I spent a summer at a biological field station on the island of Ometepe in Lake Nicaragua. Both experiences allowed me to gain hands-on experience and see the potential for a career in this field.
I'm currently working on a project to restore a patch of indigenous Hawaiian forest at the back of the BYU–Hawaii campus. We are using this area to train students in restoration ecology and host groups from the university and the community to learn about the value of Indigenous ecosystems. I have had many outstanding students participate in this work, doing things like propagating plants, planting, removing invasive species, creating interpretive signage, hosting volunteer groups, and studying the impact of visits to the restoration site on attitudes toward science and the environment.
My most cherished moment was watching my wife complete her degree in music and being able to hug her as she came through the line at commencement.
My advice to incoming first-year students is… Talk to the professors from your major to learn what they would recommend for you to do to succeed. Find out what you need to do now to get the job, internship, or graduate school offer you want, and start doing those things immediately.
My favorite spot on campus is… the BYU–Hawaii habitat restoration project. I love spending time with plants and working on the land.
What's one thing that can instantly make your day better? I like listening to some of my favorite music while running or on a bike ride.
The next big trip I'm interested in… Returning to Auckland, New Zealand, this fall for the World Indigenous Peoples' Conference on Education.
My favorite holiday is… Christmas. Hands-down.
If I could only eat one food for the rest of my life, it would be… pho and bánh mi.
My hobby is… My three favorite hobbies are woodworking, hiking, and mountain biking. I got into woodworking from a young age; it's one of my dad's favorite hobbies. I spent a lot of time working on building furniture in his shop. Doing woodworking helped me connect with my dad in the past, and it helps me continue to feel connected to him now that he has passed away. I got into hiking and mountain biking during graduate school in Utah. Anywhere I go, I look for opportunities to hike or ride to get to know the natural beauty of the area. My favorite hikes are the Pinnacles in the Coromandel Peninsula or the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in New Zealand. My favorite mountain biking place is in the Ellsworth Mountains in central Antarctica.
On Friday nights, you can find me watching a movie with my family or, if I'm lucky, on a date night with my wife.
