Liberal Arts faculty member earns Fulbright for ecology research

Image: CIA Liberal Arts faculty member Troy Neptune uses a metal minnow trap to sample for adult salamanders as part of a monitoring project related to his post-doctoral work at Case Western Reserve University. Photo by Michael Benard. 

How can one strike a balance between artistic creativity and scientific precision? That’s a potentially career-defining question that Troy Neptune—a Liberal Arts professor of practice at Cleveland Institute of Art who recently earned his PhD in Biology from Case Western Reserve University—has faced before. And, he has a good handle on it. 

“I’m a creative individual, and that informs my work as a scientist,” Neptune says. “Coming up with research questions and thinking creatively and critically about science is so, so important. It’s the same way with my artistic practice. My background in science makes me methodical and regimented, making my approach to art very intentional. It goes both ways, like they inform each other.” 

Not only has Neptune struck the right balance, but his methodical artistic practice and creative scientific reasoning were instrumental in him earning a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Postdoctoral Award for his research investigating how artificial light at night affects amphibians. 

The Fulbright Program is an international, educational and cultural exchange designed to establish lasting connections between the people of the United States and people of other countries by working together on common goals. 

CIA President + CEO Kathryn Heidemann emphasized the broader impact of Neptune’s achievement. 

“Having grown up abroad (Australia, Venezuela, Germany), I have seen firsthand the value of cross-cultural experiences in building bridges, fostering mutual understanding and cultural diplomacy,” Heidemann says. “I am thrilled that Troy will be representing CIA internationally through this prestigious fellowship, and look forward to the new ideas, perspectives and knowledge he will bring back to our community.” 

Crucial amphibian research 

Neptune’s Fulbright-supported research focuses on a timely and often overlooked environmental issue: the impact of artificial light at night on amphibians, specifically within the context of climate change. His work explores how exposure to unnatural lighting disrupts amphibian behavior, physiology, and ecosystems—an area of growing concern as urbanization expands. 

Neptune, an amphibian ecologist, will travel to Seville, Spain to work alongside other scientists at the renowned Doñana Biological Station. The public research institute, known for its dedication to the conservation of biodiversity, will include Neptune’s work as part of a growing body of research focusing on how light pollution—increasing globally by 10 percent each year—poses an existential threat to all wildlife. 

“Essentially, when the [artificial] lights are on—like street lights, façade lighting on buildings, car lights—all of those correlate and disrupt how organisms are perceiving their circadian rhythms, or light and dark cycles,” Neptune says. “So, I will be putting frogs under 24 hours of light and seeing if they develop in a bad way or have sort of negative or deleterious impacts on their health and growth trajectory.” 

Classroom impact at CIA 

Neptune’s ability to bridge the worlds of science and art doesn’t just define his research, it also shapes his impact in the classroom. At CIA, he brings this interdisciplinary mindset to the Liberal Arts curriculum, encouraging students to explore the intersections between creative expression and scientific inquiry. 

Zach Savich, Liberal Arts professor and division chair, says Neptune has played a pivotal role in CIA’s new curriculum in the Natural Sciences. His main contributions have been in Visualizing Global Change and The Spectrum of Sex courses. 

“Troy’s courses help show what the Natural Sciences can be at a school of art and design,” Savich says. “He teaches in a way that pulls in science, contemporary culture, some pop culture, and a range of media sources that are really accessible and help students understand what these topics can offer their work.” 

Neptune, who studied science and studio art as an undergraduate at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio, seamlessly integrates these disciplines in a way that traditional secondary schools don’t often provide. 

“My students come in saying ‘I don’t do science’ and ‘I didn’t like biology in high school,’ and I’m like, ‘Well we’re going to have a good time, and you’re going to see why I love science, and you’ll see all the connections with art making and your practice,’” Neptune says. “And that’s part of my perspective on how I teach my classes. Yes, we’re learning science, but it’s through a lens of artistic practice that connects with the students, resonates with them—and is authentic. It’s my world view of science and the process of art-making. It’s all very intertwined.” 

Looking ahead, Neptune hopes to build on the connections he forges in Spain to develop a cross-disciplinary travel course in Seville—an ideal location given the city’s rich artistic history. By blending scientific exploration with artistic immersion, the course would offer students a rare opportunity to experience firsthand how creativity and research can inform and elevate each other. 

For Neptune, it’s not just about studying amphibians under Spanish skies—it’s about inspiring the next generation of artists and scientists to see the world, and by extension their work, through a more interconnected lens. 

“My students come in saying ‘I don’t do science’ and ‘I didn’t like biology in high school,’ and I’m like, ‘Well we’re going to have a good time, and you’re going to see why I love science, and you’ll see all the connections with art making and your practice,’” Neptune says. “And that’s part of my perspective on how I teach my classes. Yes, we’re learning science, but it’s through a lens of artistic practice that connects with the students, resonates with them—and is authentic. It’s my world view of science and the process of art-making. It’s all very intertwined.” 

Looking ahead, Neptune hopes to build on the connections he forges in Spain to develop a cross-disciplinary travel course in Seville—an ideal location given the city’s rich artistic history. By blending scientific exploration with artistic immersion, the course would offer students a rare opportunity to experience firsthand how creativity and research can inform and elevate each other. 

For Neptune, it’s not just about studying amphibians under Spanish skies—it’s about inspiring the next generation of artists and scientists to see the world, and by extension their work, through a more interconnected lens.