Washington People: Stan Braude

stan braude
Stan H. Braude, professor of practice in biology, received the Arts & Sciences Distinguished Teaching Award in September. (Photo: Sean Garcia)

You may not remember crossing paths with Stan Braude, professor of practice in biology, in the hallways of the biology buildings. He blends in perfectly in his natural habitat of McDonnell Hall, where professors are known for their unassuming nature and neutral-colored attire.

Braude and a mole rat
Braude studies the evolution of social behavior and senescence in naked mole rats in east Africa. (Courtesy photo)

Enter his Arts & Sciences office on the Washington University in St. Louis campus, however, and the modest man with glasses and a beard will transport you all over the world. The bison dung, the cervical vertebrae of a giraffe and an assortment of rodent traps he designed for mole rats, tuco-tucos and giant pouched rats will further enrich your experience. A 15-minute question about the day’s lecture will easily turn into a two-hour conversation.

You might learn about the time he bought polarized sunglasses to avoid getting cataracts when doing research at the equator. Or about his fieldwork in Kenya studying naked mole rats.

Braude is not just an approachable professor with fascinating stories. He is also a talented teacher who instills in his students the skills that they need to prepare them for life outside of Washington University.

Braude's dog Joe
Braude teaches a popular class, “Biology of Dog Breeds,” with assistance from his St. Bernard, Joe, and cat, Juniper. (Courtesy photo)

It is no surprise, then, that Braude was awarded the Arts & Sciences Distinguished Teaching Award. This award was established in 2014 to recognize faculty who demonstrate exceptional teaching and have had an impact on students.

Read more about Braude and his impact on students, as told in their own voices, on the Department of Biology website.

Leave a Comment

Comments and respectful dialogue are encouraged, but content will be moderated. Please, no personal attacks, obscenity or profanity, selling of commercial products, or endorsements of political candidates or positions. We reserve the right to remove any inappropriate comments. We also cannot address individual medical concerns or provide medical advice in this forum.