Long before Brandon Jones became a biology professor, he was a curious boy roaming the sun-soaked hills of Orange County, where the rustle of leaves and the scurry of insects beneath his feet sparked a fascination with the natural world.
Whether chasing lizards or observing ants, Jones spent his childhood immersed in the wildlife teeming around him, unknowingly setting the stage for his career.
“It’s total freedom, you’re independent and it’s like being a part of something special”, Jones said reflecting on his childhood.
Those early days led to Jones becoming Pierce College’s associate professor of biology. After several years of teaching in schools around Orange County, San Bernardino, and the L.A. area, he joined Pierce in 2016.
“I tried all these different classes”, Jones said, recalling a time he considered pursuing an education in physical therapy and marine biology.
“Studying it didn’t speak to me, part of the thing in science is you ask questions, it’s not enough to love an organism,” said Jones, whose love of the beach pulled him in a different direction, “It’s almost like I don’t want to corrupt the ocean in my own mind, because if I was studying it too much, would I still have that love and passion for it”
After exploring various courses and even contemplating a career in optometry, he set that idea aside.
It wasn’t until Pearl Jam released their 1998 track “Do The Evolution” that something clicked. The song reignited his curiosity about life sciences, ultimately propelling him into the path of biology.
“My two loves in the world are music and science, so it’s kind of like putting them together in a lot of ways,” said Jones as he tore open the plastic covering a new Pearl Jam vinyl and placed it on his turntable that rests behind his desk.
Jones’ dual passion for music and biology is more than just a personal hobby – it’s his teaching philosophy.
“It feels like a performance in a lot of ways,” he said. You’re trying to give people information, but you want to do it in a way that people can absorb it. It’s like going to the world’s greatest concert, and people are talking about it and they’re absorbing it. So you want to make it the best every single day. You want to give something fresh, something new because you teach the same thing every semester.”
Jones’ enthusiasm and passion are recognized among his colleagues.
“He’s very knowledgeable, and he likes to share that. His enthusiasm is inspiring,” said Sharen Jacob, secretary for the Center for the Sciences. “All of his students care because he cares. He knows the subject, he shares it with you with enthusiasm, and I think he really enjoys it, and you pick that up as a student.”
Department Chair Dr. Shannon DeVaney praises Jones’ ability to connect with his students, “When you take material, you’re not watering it down, but you’re making it accessible and entertaining because that results in the best learning”, DeVaney said.
“Professor Jones is one of those instructors who maintain those high standards while making it enjoyable and more accessible to students, and it’s really special when an instructor can do those things”.
As a soft sound plays through Jones’ turntable, he finds himself seated, surrounded by meticulously arranged Pearl Jam posters that cover the walls of his small and vibrant office.
Jones envisions his future still teaching at Pierce College, where he plans to develop new classes and expand the department.
“There are so many constraints, but I have no plans to go anywhere else”, he said, “This is my Dodger Stadium”.