Into the Depths of Discovery

James Salierno, Professor of Biology, Florham Campus

(Photo: Karsten Moran)

By Mary Ann Bautista

For nearly two decades, James Salierno, a professor of biology, has blended classroom instruction with outdoor investigation, allowing students to unlock their greatest potential across diverse fields — from medicine and education to research and biological sciences.

Initially, Salierno planned to go into veterinary medicine. However, a work-study job at a research lab during his freshman year of college changed that. “I worked with faculty and graduate students on the ecology and biology of lobsters and crabs,” he recalls, “and I was hooked from that point forward (pun intended).”

He wants to inspire that same enthusiasm among his students. “The courses I teach — Ecology and Field Biology, Marine Ecology, and Environmental Toxicology — are interactive and incorporate current findings and research such as integrating cell and molecular data and linking that information to the ecology of plants and animals,” he says.

Salierno enjoys interacting with students in his lecture courses and then supplementing classes with hands-on experiments in the lab and in areas in Morris County, N.J., including the Whippany River, Loantaka Brook Reservation and Great Brook, which flows through the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. “I’ve focused on local river systems so that we can easily access sites during the week and in-between classes,” he explains.

Some of Salierno’s students have said that collecting data in the field is one of their most memorable academic experiences. Field research has also given Salierno his own unforgettable moments. “Investigating the effects of fishing gear on summer flounder catches gave me the chance to go sample fishing in the ocean out on Atlantic Highlands with several fishermen,” he says. “And losing sampling equipment in a river during Hurricane Sandy was definitely memorable.”

While in the field, students also learn about the reality of a researcher’s life. “Aside from facing the inherent difficulties of doing scientific research,” he explains, “I help my students understand that research does not always go as planned and that’s okay.”

It’s a life lesson that serves his students well — some of whom have gone on to complete doctoral research degrees. Seeing his students succeed at the highest levels as PhDs, medical doctors, veterinarians and teachers strengthens Salierno’s determination to lead them on a path of discovery.

Beyond his positions as educator and researcher, Salierno serves as the president of the University’s Faculty Senate; above all, though, his most cherished roles are being a husband and father. “I’d like to positively impact my students’ and children’s lives, teach them the value of asking questions and instill in them the importance of leaving the Earth better off than how it was given to us.”