Dr. Steven Boese grew up on a small family farm (dairy, crop and stock) in rural South Dakota. This rural upbringing has continued to influence his values and goals in the areas of sustainability and food security. Steven received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in biology and minors in chemistry and geology from the University of Minnesota - Morris. After receiving a Master of Science degree in Forestry from the University of Missouri - Columbia, he spent 5 months in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire at that time) with Habitat for Humanity and African Inter Mennonite Missions. He then obtained a PhD in Plant Sciences from the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario. Dr. Boese has post-doctorate experience at the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research in Ithaca, NY, and the Fruit and Vegetable Crops Department, Cornell University where he worked with global climate change research (before climate research became popular).
Dr. Boese joined Ottawa University Biology Department in August of 2007, teaching a wide range of biology courses at the organismal and higher levels of organization. Additionally, Dr. Boese teaches an interdisciplinary course on hunger issues and has co-taught an interdisciplinary course on disaster response, planning and assessment.
Along with sailing, gardening and woodworking, Dr. Boese is very active in community outreach. He has volunteered with the American Red Cross for local fire and disaster response, volunteered with OYAA and Imagine Art youth art clubs, presented numerous “Science Saturdays” at the community library, provided after-school programs, and worked with scouting groups for badges. Dr. Boese spearheaded the Math and Science Showcase effort that has brought several hundred area high school students to campus and has worked with the local school district to provide science enrichment for the middle school gifted program.