Ernest O. Beal

Dr. Ernest O. Beal was born on March 7, 1928 in Lancaster, Illinois. He received a Bachelor’s degree from Northcentral College in Naperville, Illinois before going on to attain his Master’s and Doctoral degrees from the University of Iowa. He taught from 1954 to 1968 at North Carolina State University, where he received a distinguished teaching award from the Association of Southeastern Biologists in 1966. He was a member of numerous scientific societies and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. From 1965 to 1968 he served as Director of a National Science Foundation Academic Year Institute in Raleigh, North Carolina. From 1968 until his retirement in 1978, Dr. Beal was the head of the Biology Department at WKU. After his retirement in 1978, he served as an assistant professor.

Dr. Beal also led a full life outside of academia. He was an author of two books and numerous publications, a member of the First Christian Church in Bowling Green, husband to Mrs. Sara Fromm Beal, and father to three children. He passed away in August, 1980.

Upon his death, the Ernest O. Beal Biology Scholarship Fund was established to honor the memory of Dr. Beal: Department Head, lover of Biology, author, and scholar. Through this fund his legacy lives on, helping other students cultivate a love for Biology.