TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Dr. Charles “Chuck” Lydeard, associate professor of biological sciences at The University of Alabama, has been appointed program director in the Division of Environmental Biology at the National Science Foundation (NSF) in Arlington, Va.

Lydeard plans to serve in the NSF position for two years and then return to UA. His significant service to NSF is made possible through an Intergovernmental Personnel Agreement, allowing him to go “on loan” to NSF and then return to research and teaching at UA.

Lydeard has been at the University since 1993; his area of scientific expertise is the study of evolutionary relationships and conservation of invertebrates with an emphasis on mollusks. He has taught a variety of classes including Principles of Biology, Invertebrate Biology and Evolution at the undergraduate level, Conservation Biology, Molecular Systematics and Professional Ethics at the graduate level, and field-oriented classes for K-12 teachers.

His NSF appointment began on June 28.