Philip Bucolo

  Dr. Phil Bucolo is an academic educator and community ecologist that joined the Department of Biological Sciences in 2016. As an instructor, Dr. Bucolo utilizes many active learning techniques rooted in the use of the scientific process to teach biological concepts.  He clearly states learning objectives, promotes open discussions and debate, and provides a cooperative classroom environment conducive for comprehensive understanding and retention of material.  Dr. Bucolo’s enthusiasm, energy, expertise, and personal research experiences throughout a number of exotic marine habitats inspires a classroom culture that is both fascinating and challenging for his students.  His research endeavors focus on algal ecophysiology and the biochemical and ecological drivers of lower trophic level communities in aquatic systems.  Specifically, he examines primary and secondary production, predator-prey relationships, biofouling, community shifts caused by human activities, and the chemical ecology of marine communities.  Dr. Bucolo’s research experiences have included investigations throughout Louisiana’s wetlands, coastal Gulf of Mexico from south Texas to the tropics, and subtidal systems along the Antarctic Peninsula and the Alaskan Arctic.  Dr. Bucolo is always seeking new research endeavors and promoting undergraduate research interests so stop by his office for an ecological chat.

Collaborative Research with Students

  Dr. Bucolo is very interested in collaborative research with Loyola students and mentoring independent research projects.  His current research interests include assessments of primary production of algal communities, water quality assessments of local wetlands, nutrient limitations of novel algal growth media, effects of eutrophication on local wetland populations, and effects of invasive species on wetland ecology.