Museum Club

Museum of Idaho Speaker Series Event

Theme: Snakes and Snake Safety

With Chuck Peterson, PhD — Professor of Zoology, Idaho State University

Join us for a fascinating and practical session with Dr. Chuck Peterson, one of Idaho’s leading experts on snakes. Learn how to stay safe while exploring Idaho’s great outdoors—from understanding rattlesnake behavior to knowing what to do if you’re ever bitten. Dr. Peterson will cover key tips for avoiding snakes, the real risks involved, and how to react calmly and correctly if you encounter one. Bonus: He’s bringing two live snakes for an up-close look at these often-misunderstood animals.

About the speaker: Chuck Peterson is a Professor of Zoology in the Department of Biological Sciences and a member of the Geotechnologies Program faculty at Idaho State University. Peterson’s teaching responsibilities at ISU include Introductory Biology, General Ecology, Herpetology, Environmental Physiology, seminars in GIS Applications in Ecology, Photographic Applications in Ecology, and Teaching College Biology. Since coming to ISU in 1988, Dr. Peterson has had five Ph.D., four DA, and 18 Master’s students complete their degrees under his supervision. He has conducted herpetological training sessions for many agencies and corporations. Peterson’s research interests include the ecology and conservation biology of amphibians and reptiles. He has authored or coauthored 2 books, 20 book chapters, 28 journal articles, and numerous notes and technical reports on topics such as temperature and water relationships, movements, habitat and distribution, the effects of various disturbances on populations (e.g., fire, roads, and introduced species), and developing techniques for surveying and monitoring populations. Much of his work has focused on reptile populations on Idaho’s Snake River Plain and amphibian populations in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Peterson received the Outstanding Herpetologist Award from the Idaho Herpetological Society in 1997, the Professional Wildlife Award from the Idaho Chapter of the Wildlife Society in 1998, an ISU outstanding researcher award in 1999, an ISU outstanding public service award in 2000, the ISU Distinguished public service award in 2001, an ISU outstanding researcher award in 2002, and the Jeremy Bigelow Award for outstanding service to scientific research from the ISU Chapter of the Society of Sigma Xi in 2009. Peterson is also an avid nature photographer.

No pre-registration is required. Museum Club is included with admission, and members get in free. Not a member yet? Join now! Become one now!

Museum Club is supported by Red Cedar Wealth Advisors.