Ralph W. Dexter was a professor of Biology

Biology

Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...

 at Kent State University

Kent State University

Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...

 in Kent, Ohio. He published over 300 articles on the ecology

Ecology

Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...

 of marine communities, including crustaceans, mollusks, insects, and birds. He also published many articles on the history of early American naturalists.

Dr. Dexter spent many years conducting research on the chimney swift

Chimney Swift

The Chimney Swift is a small bird .-Physical description:In flight, this bird looks like a flying cigar with long slender curved wings. The plumage is a sooty grey-brown; the throat, breast, underwings and rump are paler. They have short tails.-Reproduction:The breeding season of Chimney Swifts is...

from the rooftops of various buildings on the Kent State campus. The university honored his research by featuring the chimney swift on its official seal.

Dr. Dexter was awarded many honors as a teacher and scientist, including the Outstanding Faculty Member award and the President’s Medal. He died in 1991 at the age of 79.