BRYAN DERRICKSON is Professor of Biology at Valencia College in Orlando, Florida, where he teaches human anatomy and physiology as well as general biology and human sexuality. He received his bachelor’s degree in biology from Morehouse College and his Ph.D. in cell biology from Duke University. Bryan’s study at Duke was in the Physiology
Division within the Department of Cell Biology, so while his degree is in cell biology, his training focused on physiology. At Valencia, he frequently serves on faculty hiring committees. He has served as a member of the Faculty Senate, which is the governing body of the college, and as a member of the Faculty Academy Committee (now called the Teaching and Learning Academy), which sets the standards for the acquisition of tenure by faculty members. Nationally, he is a member of the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society (HAPS) and the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT). Bryan has always wanted to teach. Inspired by several biology professors while in college, he decided to pursue physiology with an eye to teaching at the college level. He is completely dedicated to the success of his students. He particularly enjoys the challenges of his diverse student population, in terms of their age, ethnicity, and academic ability, and finds being able to reach all of them, despite their diff erences, a rewarding experience. His students continually recognize Bryan’s efforts and care by nominating him for a campus award known as the “Valencia Professor Who Makes Valencia a Better Place to Start.”
Bryan has received this award three times.