Rate My Professor Tim Knight

Tim Knight is Professor of Biology and Dean of the J. D. Patterson School of Natural Sciences at Ouachita Baptist University. A 1984 alumnus of the university, he earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from Ouachita Baptist University. He then completed a Master of Science in 1986 and a Doctor of Philosophy in 1989, both in environmental sciences with an emphasis in aquatic toxicology, at the University of Texas at Dallas. Knight joined the Ouachita Baptist University faculty as a biologist in 1989. He served as chair of the Department of Biological Sciences starting in 1994 and was appointed the J. D. Patterson Endowed Chair in the Department of Biology in 1999. In addition to his teaching and research roles, he took on leadership responsibilities including university assessment coordinator and chairing the biology department's advising efforts.

In 2012, Knight was named dean of the J. D. Patterson School of Natural Sciences, where he has directed the Patterson Summer Research Program and chaired the Health Professions Advisory Committee. Under his deanship, the school launched two graduate programs in nutrition and dietetics and applied behavior analysis, as well as several undergraduate programs, including a Bachelor of Science in Nursing that has become one of the university's largest majors. Effective June 1, 2026, he will assume the role of Vice President for Academic Affairs. Knight's service extends beyond the university; he has been a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission since 2007, conducting site visits nationwide, and has held appointments on the State Board of Education, the Ouachita River Commission, and the Arkansas Osteopathic Rural Medical Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Board. His research interests encompass ecology, water quality, and wildlife, aligning with his expertise in aquatic toxicology. Knight continues to foster research opportunities for students through programs like SEA-PHAGES.