Ruby Beil, PhD
Professor of Environmental Science,
Sustainable Agriculture Program Coordinator, and
Service Learning Faculty Liaison
At LCCC since 2005
Dr. Ruby Beil has been at LCCC since 2005 and is presently Professor of Environmental Science, Sustainable Agriculture Program Coordinator, and Service Learning Faculty Liaison. Wearing many but related “hats,” Dr. Beil is a champion for experiential education and campus sustainability, creating diverse educational experiences in the outdoor environment not only for students and but also for members of the greater community.
Education
Dr. Beil earned her doctorate in Environmental Horticulture in 2007 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Her PhD research there focused on the deposition of fine particulate pollution on leaf surfaces while her MS research, also at Cornell University, was on the phytoremediation of lead-contaminated soils. Her B.S. in Chemistry was earned at Gannon University in Pennsylvania. Beil relocated to Northeast Ohio to be closer to family and joined LCCC for a career in teaching and community service.
Ecology, Music, Art and the Community
Songwriting and painting also fill her days (see below) and, not surprisingly, ecology is the primary subject of her song lyrics and art work. Over the past 13 years, Beil established on the college campus the LCCC Specialty Gardens and founded the Sustainable Agriculture Program. Within the community she likewise continues to cultivate the land through collaborative, regenerative projects, inspired by nature.
Presentation: “Outdoor Experiences in Science, Art and Education” on Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Description
When it comes to Environmental Science, nothing beats an outdoor educational experience, but the benefits of outdoor experiences reach far beyond a field trip in ecology. In observing and being part of the natural world, infinite learning is possible. Biophilic design, biomimicry, and ecoagriculture are just a few examples of working with nature to create a better future for humankind. The scientific literature cites many results supporting the health and wellness benefits of spending time outdoors. Artists, writers, and musicians around the world continue to tap into nature’s splendor and beauty for inspiration. In this Focus on Faculty presentation, Dr. Ruby Beil will share some of her most memorable outdoor experiences in science, art, and education.
Free and Open to the Public
All are invited to Dr. Beil’s presentation in the Bass Library in LC 209 on Wednesday, November 6, 2019, from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm. The event is free and open to the public and is part of the Library’s Focus on Faculty Series. For more information contact Rita Blanford, Reference Librarian, at 440-366-7279 or rblanfor@lorainccc.edu.
Songwriting
Lyrics to the song – “Soil” by Ruby Beil
Soil, soil, soil, there’s something about you…
You plaster my brain with a rush of serotonin, the microbes inside you that make you breathe, they make me feel so free!
In light of the fact – your 20 trillion dollar impact, you’re the basic ecosystem making food for me!
Soil, soil, soil, there’s something about you…
With fungi that spread tiny threads beneath the surface, secreting enzymes decompose, brings new life from the dead!
In light of the fact – your 20 trillion dollar impact, you’re the basic ecosystem making food for me!
Soil, soil, soil, there’s something about you…
Lyrics to the song – “Dream Come True” by Ruby Beil
Everybody’s looking down at the cell phone in their hand. Everybody’s stumbling round, bumping into your fellow human.
It’s true, it’s true, technology got you.
Everybody’s dumbing down into idiocracy. Don’t let it bring you down, rise above and be happy!
It’s true, it’s true... I want to go to where the water’s blue, and the green, green grass, and my bare feet too. I want to go to where the air is clean, I want to take a deep breath and sing, sing, sing! Come true, come true, that’s my dream come true!
Tell me, can you hear that sound? Can you smell it in the air? It tastes like revolution, return to Mother Nature!
It’s true, it’s true… I want to go to where the water’s blue, and the green, green grass, and my bare feet too. I want to go to where the air is clean, I want to take a deep breath and sing, sing, sing! Come true, come true, that’s my dream come true!
Beil Artwork Display
See a display of some of Ruby Beil's artwork on the second floor of the Bass Library beginning in mid-October 2019.
Paintings by Ruby Beil L to R: "To Touch the Sky," "Sun Family Generations," and a painting to promote sustainable agriculture.
Click on the link below for the PDF version of Dr. Beil's 6 November 2019 presentation in the Bass Library.
These are the websites Ruby outlined in her PowerPoint.
