The Roger Tory Peterson Institute has hired George Harper as its new director of development and communications.

“I’m honored to join the staff at RTPI,” George shared. “Roger Tory Peterson was a rock star. He inspired millions of nature lovers all over the world. My goal is to inspire people to support RTPI in advancing Roger’s legacy at the intersection of art and nature.”

Harper holds an associate’s degree in business, a bachelor’s degree in biology from the State University at Fredonia and a PhD in biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Over the course of a 14-year teaching career at Hendrix College, he held several appointments, including the N&C Wood Odyssey Associate Professor of Biology and Chair of the Department of Biology and Health Sciences.

His teaching responsibilities included coursework and mentorship focused on communicating science to general audiences. He created and managed the Hendrix Science Communication Initiative and ran several TEDxHendrixCollege conferences.

In addition to successfully applying for various research and program grants, Harper reviewed grant applications for the National Science Foundation and the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.

Prior to his academic career, harper worked as an auditor for the Internal Revenue Service and ran his own accounting practice in Jamestown. A long-time supporter of RTPI, Harper served a year as a board member.

“I really hate to lose George as a board member,” said Arthur Pearson, CEO of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute. “But I am thrilled he’s accepted the offer to join us on staff. His breadth and depth of experience are just what we need to strengthen our donor base and enhance our communications in pursuit of our new strategic vision.”