Dr. Joe Gubanyi has served Concordia University, Nebraska for more than four decades, teaching a wide variety of courses in organismal biology, ecology and genetics while mentoring students in their faith and academic journeys. His passion for God’s creation is evident in his teaching and field study tours, which have taken students to the Florida Keys, Belize, and Costa Rica to explore marine biology and tropical ecosystems.
Dr. Gubanyi earned a B.S. in Elementary Education from Concordia Nebraska, an M.S. in Wildlife Biology, and a Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Prior to joining Concordia’s faculty in 1982, he taught and coached at Lutheran elementary schools in Florida and Washington.
Throughout his career, Dr. Gubanyi has emphasized the importance of growing in faith through studying the natural world. His ornithology course and birdwatching experiences have also opened the door for students to engage in hands-on citizen science.
Dr. Gubanyi and his wife, Heidi, have four children and 14 grandchildren. Two of their sons are Lutheran educators, and their youngest son, Marcus, teaches computer science at Concordia.
“I never viewed my time at Concordia as a job. I was called to teach at Concordia and as such have been a teaching minister. I always felt the most important part of my call was that my students and I grew in faith.”
Dr. Joe Gubanyi
Dr. Joe Gubanyi's Academic Programs
Undergraduate
Biology
As a biology major at Concordia University, Nebraska, you will learn essential skills such as time management and mastering complex material, as well as studying more in-depth topics such as microbiology, human anatomy and immunology to give you the knowledge you need to be successful in the field of biology.