5-16-2022. It is with extreme sadness that I must announce that Mark has passed away and will no longer be actively contributing to this site; however, as his wife and experienced naturalist who trained alongside him in the field, I would like to keep his vision alive. Fortunately, I have the support of some of his biologist colleagues who have expressed an interest in helping me to keep this website running so that we may continue to raise awareness about the organisms with which we share this planet. Below is the original text from this page that Mark wrote. You can learn a little bit more about this incredibly talented and amazing person below. - Marci Dunaway
My name is Mark Dunaway. I am a wildlife biologist and former Assistant Professor of Biology. I have been an avid naturalist and outdoor enthusiast since I was a child growing up in the Appalachian Mountains. I lost most of my vision when I was 13 but still continued to be active and interested in the outdoors and the plants and animals who call it home. Over time my interest in the outdoors developed into a career in Biology with a concentration in Vertebrate Biology and a specialty in Ornithology.
I chose to pursue education as a career because I enjoy sharing knowledge and helping develop an interest in science in those who sometimes didn’t even know they were curious. I have found that people enjoy learning about the plants and animals that they can find in their backyards and have used this idea to develop a project to introduce young people to science at an early age. This project, known as Birds in the Classroom, is designed to teach elementary students about birds while introducing them to science concepts in a fun and informative way.
I spend a great deal of time capturing nature recordings. I provided the recordings for the CD set, Bird Songs of the Smokies, and recently released a nature sounds CD titled, Soothing Sounds of the Smokies. I am currently working on providing recordings for Birds of Tennessee which is slated to be the official bird book for the state of Tennessee. I am also partnering with Dr. Fred J. Alsop on a CD set titled Birds of the Blue Ridge Parkway. I also serve as a lecturer on birds, their vocalizations, and behavior and have spoken for multiple groups and organizations. I created The Biology Zone as an extension of my teaching and as a way to introduce others to a variety of organisms, many of which may be commonly encountered. I hope you enjoy perusing the site and learning more about the world around you. If you would like to contact me, please fill out the form at the bottom of this page.
Meanwhile, here's a fun video showing a particular fella I had to contend with one day while recording in the Smokies.
My name is Mark Dunaway. I am a wildlife biologist and former Assistant Professor of Biology. I have been an avid naturalist and outdoor enthusiast since I was a child growing up in the Appalachian Mountains. I lost most of my vision when I was 13 but still continued to be active and interested in the outdoors and the plants and animals who call it home. Over time my interest in the outdoors developed into a career in Biology with a concentration in Vertebrate Biology and a specialty in Ornithology.
I chose to pursue education as a career because I enjoy sharing knowledge and helping develop an interest in science in those who sometimes didn’t even know they were curious. I have found that people enjoy learning about the plants and animals that they can find in their backyards and have used this idea to develop a project to introduce young people to science at an early age. This project, known as Birds in the Classroom, is designed to teach elementary students about birds while introducing them to science concepts in a fun and informative way.
I spend a great deal of time capturing nature recordings. I provided the recordings for the CD set, Bird Songs of the Smokies, and recently released a nature sounds CD titled, Soothing Sounds of the Smokies. I am currently working on providing recordings for Birds of Tennessee which is slated to be the official bird book for the state of Tennessee. I am also partnering with Dr. Fred J. Alsop on a CD set titled Birds of the Blue Ridge Parkway. I also serve as a lecturer on birds, their vocalizations, and behavior and have spoken for multiple groups and organizations. I created The Biology Zone as an extension of my teaching and as a way to introduce others to a variety of organisms, many of which may be commonly encountered. I hope you enjoy perusing the site and learning more about the world around you. If you would like to contact me, please fill out the form at the bottom of this page.
Meanwhile, here's a fun video showing a particular fella I had to contend with one day while recording in the Smokies.