Gary Lafleur, associate professor of biological sciences, brings the insight on the world of biology to the Nicholls community.

     Instead of walking into his office, Lafleur walks into the climate-control lab that houses a variety of snails, frogs, toads and fish.

      Sporting his Nicholls hat and t-shirt, Lafleur has been a teacher at Nicholls since 1998. Before teaching at Nicholls, he left Louisiana for 15 years to travel around the country to do biological research. He worked as a research assistant in Florida and a scientist in Rhode Island for his post doctorate degree.

      “I was always thinking about the possibility of being in other places,” Lafleur said.

    Along with traveling, Lafleur decided to continue his education. He received his master’s degree in Texas, a PhD in Florida and a post doctorate degree in Rhode Island.

    “I was happy to come back to Louisiana,” he said. “In Louisiana, there are several of places to do biology, but I like a small university where things can get done. I feel like students are more like nieces and nephews.”

     Lafleur grabbed two toads and explains the difference between a toad and a frog. They sat comfortably in his hand as he continued to talk about teaching.

    “My first love was understanding reproductive biology as a researcher,” he said. “Once I started finding answers in research, that is when the desire to teach started to form.”

      Lafleur has done research on different processes in eggs, how a mother makes yolk for her eggs and how the egg and sperm come together in fertilization.

      “I remember being a student and not getting a topic or subject,” he said. “So once I understood biology, I thought this could be explained in a different way to students.”

    Even before he was a teacher, Lafluer had an interest in the biological world around him.

    “My earliest memory of interacting with biology is the area where my dad and I would go duck hunting,” he said. “What appealed to me the most was not just the hunting, but the exploration of the land.”

    Lafleur was not just consciously interested, but unconsciously developing a love for biology.

    “In my dreams, I would dream of going underwater to swim with alligators and join them in their houses,” he said. “That is the guy side to the Little Mermaid.”

      Lafleur encourages his students to notice the biology taking place in their everyday environment.

    “When I was a student, I did not notice the biology that was in Louisiana,” he said. “It was more interesting to go along the west and east coasts to research, but now I see that we have biology right in our backyard.”

      Outside of teaching, Lafleur is apart of the Chauvin sculpture board, which is a garden that has a number of life-size sculptures. He also takes his daughters out on pirogues.

      “These days, canoes and kayaks are cool,” he said. “I like to go back in time and use the old pirogue, because they have a French heritage component.”

      Lafleur animatedly used hand gestures to explain the animal’s reactions to a quiet pirogue boat compared to a loud airboat.

    “Using a pirogue lets you see the environment,” he said smiling as he asks if he is talking too much. “Using a four wheeler and an airboat runs the animals away. Getting in a pirogue is a great way not to disturb the environment while you are observing it.”

     Lafleur explained that even though he always traveled, but he always made sure he was close to Louisiana and Nicholls.

    “Teaching was not what I was interested in, but biology was my passion,” he concluded.  “The need for teaching just came naturally.”