Dale Benham

They call me

professor of biology

My classes

Liberal Arts Seminar: Necessity of Wilderness
Biology of Plants
three labs

Road-trip

I once drove 5,000 miles roundtrip from Arizona to Oaxaca, Mexico, to collect desert ferns.

Get a hobby

Canoeing and kayaking are my passions, but I also enjoy woodworking. I've made two canoes, a kayak and over 20 paddles.

What kind of student were you?

I was a science geek. Not much of a risk-taker. Only with age have I learned the necessity and pleasure of taking risks and being okay with making mistakes in front of others

	One of my favorite areas is the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northeastern Minnesota. In June, I took a 6-day trip where this particular butterfly, a white admiral, flew to my shoulder and stayed a while catching the morning rays and warming up (a biological phenomenon called thermoregulation).
A good friend of mine, Guang, wanted to build a canoe so he and I started building this 15' Ranger Prospector in July 2006 and completed it in May 2007. We took a nice inaugural trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and spent 5 days in May canoeing north of the Ely, MN.
	My oldest daughter, Erin, graduated from NWU in 2005 with degrees in Spanish and Psychology. Erin spent one semester in Queretaro, Mexico and has traveled to South American and back to Mexico since graduating - she is a world traveler at heart.
My youngest daughter, Sara, was a Spanish major and attended Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX. She spent one year studying in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and upon graduation in December 2006, moved back to Buenas Aires where she works in translation.
	This summer I purchased this whitewater canoe and I am attempting to "surf" this small wave on the Spring River in Arkansas. Surfing means that the canoe gets "locked" into the wave and although the water is rushing by, you remain at the same location in the river – literally without doing anything. It is an awesome experience.