Meet Tiffany M. Doan | Biologist & Martial Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tiffany M. Doan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tiffany M., what is the most important factor behind your success?
Perseverance. Unlike some people whose career paths are a straight line, mine has been a very winding road. I have been working as a biology professor and researcher since completing graduate school but I had a major turn in my career when I quit my tenured position without another job in hand. It was scary and risky, but it was the right thing to do for my life. I drifted among temporary positions for many years before finally obtaining a permanent position at New College of Florida. There were many times when I considered leaving academia because it was too hard to find the kind of job that I wanted but I kept going. Perseverance serves me still because I have to keep applying for grants that are not often funded, keep working at research projects that are complex, and keep refining my classes to enhance student learning, which had to completely change because of the pandemic. Perseverance is also important in the martial arts that I practice. It helps me refine my technique, train for competitions, and prepare my aikido students. Perseverance is what has kept me going toward my goals.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My career is as a biology professor and researcher. My field is unusual because I primarily study reptiles. I am very interested in the reasons that species are distributed around the world. I have two main research areas. I study lizard distributions and how they are affected by climate change in the high Andes Mountains of South America and I also study how malaria affects lizards in the United States. Even though my research is on reptiles, the phenomena that I study have larger implications, including effects of global warming and infectious disease transmission. My other passion is educating students about the natural world. It was not easy to get where I am today. I spent years in graduate school and then many more years working towards a job that I like. The first long-term job I had professionally was a toxic place to work and greatly discouraged me from continuing in academia but I kept going to find the perfect fit. I love teaching and doing research at New College of Florida where we have incredible, curious students who want to make an impact on the world.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Although I lived in Miami for four years while studying at the University of Miami, I haven’t spent much time in the city in several years. I love the natural environment though so I would probably take visitors scuba diving off the coast, on a trek in the Everglades, and a trip throughout the Florida Keys.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I can’t think of one person, but all of my various friend groups have stuck with me through the trials, tribulations, successes, and detours through my life.

Website: https://tiffanymdoan.weebly.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffany-doan-712a0716/
Twitter: @DoanTiffany