Eloise Carter

Eloise Carter served as Professor of Biology at Oxford College of Emory University from 1988 until her retirement on August 1, 2021. A Georgia native, she earned a B.A. in biology from Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia, followed by an M.S. in biology from Emory University in 1978 and a Ph.D. in biology from Emory in 1983. Her early career included work as a research technician with the National Pituitary Agency studying pituitary hormones and in Emory’s biochemistry department. While completing her doctorate, she taught biology at Agnes Scott College. From 1984 to 1988, she was an assistant professor of biology at Emory University before transferring to Oxford College. Carter taught popular courses in biology, field botany, ecology, and evolution, emphasizing hands-on, inquiry-driven learning through field experiences such as collecting specimens in local creeks and identifying plants outdoors. She co-founded the Oxford Institute for Environmental Education, which trained hundreds of K-12 teachers from Georgia, Florida, and the Southeast in inquiry-based science teaching.

Carter’s research and academic interests centered on plant ecology, botany, and conservation, particularly the unique flora of Georgia’s granite outcrops and Emory’s forests. She co-authored the Murdy-Carter Report in 1986 with William Murdy, documenting vegetation diversity that informed Emory’s first forest protection plan and current land-use policies. Key publications include Guide to the Plants of Granite Outcrops, a photographic field guide published by the University of Georgia Press in 2000, and Investigating Biology, a laboratory manual for introductory biology now in its ninth edition by Pearson. She led sustainability initiatives, including the Quadrangle Forest Restoration Committee, efforts to achieve Tree Campus USA status for Oxford College, and volunteer projects removing invasive species along the Hearn Nature Trail. Carter shepherded the design and construction of Oxford’s new science building, which opened in 2016 with LEED Gold certification. Her contributions earned her the Thomas Jefferson Award in 2016, Emory Williams Teaching Award in 2004, Lifetime Achievement Award from Emory’s Office of Sustainability Initiatives in 2021, Association of Southeastern Biologists’ Meritorious Teaching Award, Fleming Award, Mizell Award, and Phi Theta Kappa Teaching Award.