In Memory of Dr. Daniel L. Combs (February 24, 1956 – September 29, 2025)
It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share news of the recent passing of Dr.
Daniel L. Combs. Dr. Combs was more than a distinguished professor and scientist;
he was a cornerstone of Tennessee Tech’s Biology Department, a mentor to countless
students, and a friend whose kindness and steady leadership shaped generations of
biologists. His sudden passing leaves a deep absence in our community, but his legacy
endures in the lives he touched, the programs he built, and the wild places his work
helped protect. From his early research in the wetlands of Missouri to decades of
teaching and conservation service in Tennessee, Dan devoted his life to understanding
and safeguarding the natural world he loved so deeply.
Graduate Research and Early Scholarship
Dr. Combs earned his Ph.D. in 1987 from the University of Missouri–Columbia, where he worked through the Gaylord Memorial Laboratory in Puxico, Missouri, then a leading center for waterfowl research in the Mississippi Flyway. Under the mentorship of renowned ecologist Leigh H. Fredrickson, he conducted pioneering studies on the winter ecology of mallards in southeastern Missouri. His doctoral work explored how age, pair status, season, and habitat influence wintering behavior, molt chronology, and diet composition in male mallards.
Two of his early publications remain foundational to studies of waterfowl ecology: “Foods Used by Male Mallards Wintering in Southeastern Missouri” (Journal of Wildlife Management, 60:603–610), which detailed the winter diet and energetic strategies of mallards in the Bootheel region; and “Molt Chronology of Male Mallards Wintering in Missouri” (Wilson Bulletin, 107:359–365), which documented seasonal molt patterns and their ecological correlates. These studies helped define our understanding of habitat quality and energy dynamics for wintering waterfowl in the Lower Mississippi Valley, contributions that continue to inform modern wildlife research and management.
Leadership, Teaching, and Service at Tennessee Tech
Dr. Combs joined the Tennessee Tech University Department of Biology in 1989, advancing to Associate Professor in 1994 and Professor in 1999. He served as Chair of the Department from 1998 to 2011, guiding the program through more than a decade of growth in curriculum, faculty, and research infrastructure. Throughout his 36-year career at Tech, he shared his passion for wildlife biology and ecology through courses such as Ornithology, Dendrology, Herpetology, Wildlife Techniques, and General Ecology. He also developed and taught advanced courses such as Waterfowl Ecology and Management, Animal Ecology, and Wild Bird Ecology. Known for his approachable teaching style and field-based mentorship, Dr. Combs inspired students to look more closely, think more critically, and care deeply about the natural systems around them.
As one former student, Haily Hinson, wrote, “He is one of the professors who created a home in the biology department for me and many other students… He showed his students what passion was and encouraged us. He will be missed by many; I know all of his students will keep his fire alive.” His humor and warmth were legendary. Chuck Sutherland recalled a day in class when Dr. Combs “had us laughing so hard I cried. Aside from being funny when he wanted, he was a great man, and an exceptional professor. Those who knew him are better for it.”
Research, Grants, and Conservation Impact
Dr. Combs’s research centered on avian ecology, wetland management, and wildlife conservation, blending academic rigor with applied science that informed management and policy. Across his career he secured approximately $3.7 million in external and internal support across more than thirty funded research and consulting projects. Among his largest awards were the TWRA project “Mallard Use of West Tennessee Wetlands” ($1,423,704; 2019–2023), the EPA wetlands wastewater study ($899,834; 1991–1995), and the TDOT stream impact study ($653,065; 1997–2005), reflecting both his long-term agency partnerships and his commitment to applied conservation.
He was Co-Principal Investigator with Dr. Bradley S. Cohen on the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency project Mallard Use of West Tennessee Wetlands, and Co-PI with Dr. Steve Hayslette on the U.S. Geological Survey project Avian Occurrence and Habitat Use at Naval Support Activity Mid-South. He contributed to research on rare and endangered species, including the Barrens Darter (Etheostoma forbesi) with Dr. Hayden Mattingly and the Green Salamander (Aneides aeneus) with Samantha Wyatt.
His publications appear in outlets such as Wildlife Biology, Global Change Biology, Human–Wildlife Interactions, and the Wilson Journal of Ornithology, and he was a frequent contributor and reviewer for The Journal of Wildlife Management. Dr. Combs also presented his findings regularly at the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, The Wildlife Society Annual Conference, and the Mississippi Flyway Council, where he was an invited speaker and technical advisor.
Service to the Department, Community, and Academic Societies
In addition to his teaching and research, Dr. Combs was deeply committed to service at every level of the university and profession. Within Tennessee Tech, he served on and often chaired key committees including the University General Education Committee, Graduate Executive Committee, College of Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee, and Environmental Science Ph.D. Curriculum Committee. He chaired both the Department of Biology Curriculum Committee and the Natural Sciences Subcommittee, spearheading numerous curriculum revisions and updates across the department’s concentrations. Over the course of his career, he served on more than 40 university, college, and departmental committees, including 16 faculty and seven staff search committees, and co-advised TTU’s Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society continuously since 1989.
He also supervised the department’s Small Animal Care Facility, coordinated undergraduate research, and led the Herpetology Lab, which became one of the department’s most visible outreach programs. His interactive reptile and amphibian demonstrations were featured annually at TTU Family Day, Standing Stone State Park’s Naturalist Rally, and regional science outreach events. His hands-on approach to education inspired a generation of naturalists and wildlife biologists.
Beyond campus, Dr. Combs held leadership roles in professional organizations including the Tennessee Chapter of The Wildlife Society (President, 2000–2006) and the Tennessee Ornithological Society, and he served on the Tennessee Waterfowl Strategic Planning Committee and North American Waterfowl Management Plan Steering Committee. His professional memberships included The Wildlife Society, the American Ornithological Society, the Wilson Ornithological Society, and the Association of Field Ornithologists; he also supported the National Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, and Ducks Unlimited.
A Life of Exploration and Passion for Nature
Outside the classroom and lab, Dr. Combs lived the life of a true naturalist. Walking in the woods with him was like walking with a living field guide; even in unfamiliar places, he could name nearly every plant, bird, or reptile encountered. He loved sharing his knowledge and sense of wonder with others, often turning even casual walks into impromptu lessons about ecology, behavior, and adaptation.
Despite earning both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Auburn University, Dan was, as colleague Richard Pirkle fondly recalled, “a rabid Alabama fan.” He attended Auburn football games as a student but would quietly root for Alabama from the stands, a fact that amused him greatly in later years.
He also had an enduring love of travel and the tropics. Central and South America were among his favorite destinations, and he led and participated in expeditions to Brazil, Panama, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala, Columbia, Guyana, and Mexico, with future plans to explore Trinidad and Tobago and Australia. He traveled to Africa once, but his heart always drew him back to the biodiversity and vibrancy of the Neotropics. His stories and photographs from those journeys inspired many of his students to pursue international fieldwork of their own.
Dr. Combs gave generously of his time and resources to a multitude of conservation organizations, believing deeply in the importance of protecting wildlife and wild places. His commitment to conservation was not only professional but profoundly personal.
A Legacy Rooted in Mentorship and Conservation
For Dr. Combs, teaching and mentorship were lifelong passions. At Tennessee Tech he served as major professor to 31 M.S. and four Ph.D. graduate students and served on more than 100 additional graduate committees. Alt Joy, one of his former students, remembered that “he was the professor who taught my very first biology class in college… That class solidified my academic goals: get a Ph.D. and be a voice for science literacy.” Joy recalled that he opened graduate-level courses to undergraduates and found creative ways to support their ambitions. “One of my last conversations with him always makes me emotional,” she wrote. “He said, ‘We will miss you. It’ll be sad to have you go. But that’s what the good ones do — they move on.’”
Many shared similar stories of his generosity and enthusiasm. Carissa May reflected that “the wildlife field lost an amazing, kind, and inspiring biologist… His dry sense of humor and incredible empathy will be missed by many, many people. He taught me so much about snakes, birds, and life.” Others recalled unforgettable field moments — geese banding, Amazon expeditions, and desert rattlesnakes. Kelly Laycock remembered an Ecology of Utah course where he “jumped out of the van to grab a Mojave rattlesnake and proceeded to teach us it was the only U.S. rattlesnake with both hemotoxin and neurotoxin.”
Graduate and undergraduate students alike emphasized his kindness and belief in their potential. Robbie Sykes wrote, “I owe my career to Dr. Combs. He saw potential in me and gave me the opportunity to get my master’s with him as my major professor. There’s no telling how many thousands of Canada geese we captured, sexed, and banded together.” Haley Oakley, another student and mentee, captured what many felt: “His Ornithology class got me into birding, which is now one of my main hobbies. He wrote recommendation letters that helped me get scholarships to finish school with no debt. He was an amazing professor and mentor who was so enthusiastic and passionate about his work.”
Remembering Dr. Combs
Through his scholarship, his teaching, and his leadership, Dr. Daniel Combs helped shape the identity of Tennessee Tech Biology and the field of wildlife ecology in Tennessee and beyond. His career spanned nearly four decades of service, from the marshes of Missouri to the classrooms and woodlands of the Cumberland Plateau, and his influence continues to grow through his students, his colleagues, and the ecosystems he devoted his life to understanding. Amber Jones wrote, “I wouldn’t have a Zoology degree without Dr. Combs. I didn’t know what I wanted, but he seemed to know what I needed.” Dr. Combs will be remembered not only for what he taught us about birds, habitats, and conservation, but for how he lived — with integrity, generosity, humor, and an abiding sense of wonder for the natural world.