Jesse Purdy, professor of psychology, has been interested in science and nature for most of his life. "In high school I told my biology teacher I wanted to become a marine biologist and study the behavior of marine mammals. The teacher informed me that career opportunities in marine biology were nonexistent and suggested I become a physical oceanographer instead," recalls Purdy. Once at Colorado State University, for his undergraduate studies, Purdy took his first couple of physics class and realized that his true calling was not in physics, but in psychology. "I discovered my passion in two courses, experimental psychology and the psychology of learning. I enjoyed designing experiments, collecting and analyzing data, and I enjoyed thinking about the various theories of learning and how they might be tested," states Purdy. "My experimental psychology instructor, Henry A. Cross, conducted experiments with animals and, I thought what could be better than to study animal learning and behavior in a controlled experimental setting?"

From that point on, Purdy was able to combine his interest in psychology with his interest in science and animals. He notes, "I volunteered to work in Cross' laboratory and was delighted when he agreed; I was fascinated with the laboratory." Purdy spent time experimenting and examining the frustration effect, and, in another experiment, examined whether frustrative nonreward would stimulate alcohol intake. Purdy received his master's degree and Ph.D. from Colorado State University with an emphasis in experimental psychology and a specialization in animal learning and animal behavior.

Purdy became a faculty member at Southwestern following his collegiate graduation in 1978. "Working and teaching at Southwestern University, I have been able to combine my interests in animal learning, animal behavior, comparative psychology, marine environments and marine life," he says. Purdy currently teaches classes like animal behavior, psychology of learning, research in comparative psychology and sensation and perception, among others. He states, "I enjoy giving lectures where students are engaged and are forced to think about matters they have either not considered or have preconceived ideas about. I also enjoy watching students take ownership of their own educations and start to read material not because it was assigned, but because they want to learn more about a topic."

Student engagement is important to Purdy as he also conducts an extensive amount of research in Southwestern's aquatic animal research laboratory that houses facilities for both freshwater and saltwater organisms, and he does a large amount of research with his students. "I like to engage students in my research program and instill in them the same excitement and passion that I still feel about my discipline and work," he notes. "The focus of my work is on basic animal learning processes in aquatic animals where I continue to explore the mechanisms of learning involved in sign tracking in goldfish and cuttlefish. I also am interested in the questions relating to optimal foraging in aquatic animals, defensive behaviors in aquatic animals and predator-prey interactions." With his students, Purdy has authored and co-authored more than 25 articles and made more than 40 professional presentations.

In addition to teaching and conducting research, Purdy was instrumental in establishing Southwestern's animal behavior interdisciplinary program. Purdy also has been honored by Southwestern University and named the John J. Duncan Chair. He notes, "As chair holder, I am provided the resources I need to do what I truly enjoy doing, teaching and conducting research. In addition, it provides the confirmation and recognition for what I have been doing at Southwestern for nearly 30 years."

Since that pivotal day in high school, Purdy believes that he has come full circle. "I am not a marine biologist studying the behavior of marine animals, but I am a psychologist doing virtually the same thing. I am able to teach and conduct research in a laboratory, and when necessary for my personal sense of well-being I am able to get away for field research. A couple of months on an uninhabited island observing killer whales is good therapy. If you value nature, constantly wonder how things work, and are interested in questions about the brain and intelligence, comparative psychology may be for you. It also helps to have an abiding love and appreciation for nonhuman animals."