Rate My Professor James Collins

Collins holds a B.S. from Manhattan College (1969), an M.S. (1971), and a Ph.D. (1975) from the University of Michigan. His groundbreaking research on amphibian metamorphosis and global declines has profoundly influenced ecology and conservation. Key publications include the book Extinction in Our Times: Global Amphibian Decline (Oxford University Press, 2009), "Global amphibian declines: sorting the hypotheses" (2003, 1674 citations), "Ecological Aspects of Amphibian Metamorphosis: Nonnormal distributions of competitive ability reflect selection for facultative metamorphosis" (Science, 1973, 1675 citations), and "Emerging infectious disease and the loss of biodiversity in a Neotropical amphibian community" (2006, 1568 citations). He has produced over 140 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and edited volumes, including the Amphibian Conservation Action Plan (2007). Awards recognizing his impact include the Henry S. Fitch Award for Excellence in Herpetology (2019), election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2020), AAAS Fellowship (1986), and Arizona State University’s Distinguished Faculty Award (2003). Collins has mentored 23 master’s and 20 Ph.D. students, served on the National Science and Technology Council under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and held leadership roles such as President of the American Institute of Biological Sciences (2011).