Scholarly Pubs
Professional Experience
2018 – Current Part-time Research Fellow at the Maxwell Institute of Religious Scholarship
2006 – Current Associate Professor; Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.
2008 One year sabbatical leave with United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (UN-IAEA) in Vienna, Austria working on computer simulation models of tsetse fly ecology and population genetics.
2000-2006: Assistant Professor; Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.
1997-1999: Research Scientist; United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) / Agriculture Research Service (ARS); Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, Hilo, Hawaii.
1993-1997: Research Faculty; Department of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Insect Indicator Lead for the Agroecosystem Resource Group of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP), Raleigh North Carolina.
1990-1993: Statistician; Faculty, North Carolina State University, Department of Statistics Agroecosystem Resource Group of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP).
1988-1990, (1995-1997: consulting): Statistician; Duke University Medical Center,Department of Cardiology, Biostatistics Unit
Areas of Interest
Acoustic Ecology, Philosophy of Biology; Agent Based Models; Simulation Modeling; Religion and Science; Complexity Theory; Ecology; Emergence; Environmental spirituality and poetry; Environmental Bioethics; Insect Movement; Process Philosophy; The Evolution of Novelty; Creative Writing.
Peer Reviewed Code
Peck, S. L. 2020. Evolution of Ecological Communities: Testing Constraint Closure (version 1.0.0). CoMSES Open ABM. Source code repository and peer review of agent-based model code. https://www.comses.net/codebases/c9d55182-4444-4cc1-9a6f-dcf9c4ca942a/releases/1.0.0/
Peer Reviewed Papers
Peck, Steven L. Peck (accepted contract with University of Illinois Press) Duane Jeffery: Mormon Evolutionist. Due 10/01/2023.
Laidlaw, C. T., S. M. Bybee, S. Shumway, T. H. Ogden, S. L. Peck, J. L Jensen. 2022. An Examination of Constructivism, Active Learning, and Reflexive Journaling and Their Independent and Combined Effects on Student Acceptance of Biological Evolution. Journal of College Science Teaching 51 (3): 88-98.
Peck, S. L. (In preparation). Are ecological niches real, just a good idea, or a case theoretical indigestion? The case of audioecology. Target: Philosophy & Biology.
Peck, S. L. 2022. The Sword of Laban, Deleuze, and Climate Change: Slouching Toward Apocalypse in The Book of Mormon Parts I & II, Based on presentation at the 2020 Association for the Study of the Book of Mormon Conference 2020). Ships of Hagoth (online LDS literary magazine) August 2022: https://shipsofhagoth.com/2022/08/the-sword-of-laban-deleuze-and-climate-change-slouching-toward-apocalypse-in-the-book-of-mormon-part-1/.
Peck, S. L. 2022. Resonances of Latter-day Saint theology of a material, embodied deity with evolutionary conceptions of agency and matter. Journal for the Study of Religion 35, 1,
ISSN 2413-3027; DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2413-3027/2021/v35n1a1
Peck, S. L. (In Press) Our Eternal Round With the God Who Dances. In A Thoughtful Faith. Phillip Barlow (ed). Maxwell Institute Press. Provo, UT.
Peck, S. L. (In press: June 2022) Why the Latter-day Saint community should trust science (in the same way scientists do). BYU Studies (Special issue on Evolution)
Peck, S.L. (2021) Each atom an agent? in Open Topics in LDS Thought, Eliason, E.. and Givens, T. (eds.) BYU Studies Quarterly 60 (3): 139-146,
Peck. S. L. and A. Heiss (2021) Can constraint closure provide a generalized understanding of community dynamics in ecosystems? (Editor’s Choice) Oikos 131(9):1425–1439 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/oik.07621
Peck, S. 2019. Trajectories in the Evolution of Mormon Studies on Faith and Science. Mormon Studies Review, 6, 67-90. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.18809/mormstudrevi.6.2019.0067
Peck, S. L. 2019. The Rumors of Bergson’s Demise May Have Been Exaggerated: Autonomous Agents and Emergence in Evolution. Foundations of Science 24: 541. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10699-019-09598-4
Lindsay, John, Adhieu Arok, Seth M. Bybee, Walter Cho, April Maskiewicz Cordero, Daniel G. Ferguson, Leontine L. Galante, Richard Gill, Mark Mann, Steven L. Peck, Cassidy L. Shively, Michael R. Stark, Joshua A. Stowers, Michael Tenneson, Ethan R. Tolman, Thomas Wayment, and Jamie L. Jensen. 2019. “Using a Reconciliation Module Leads to Large Gains in Evolution Acceptance.” CBE—Life Sciences Education 18 (4):ar58. doi: 10.1187/cbe.19-04-0080.
Peck, S. L. and J. Leishman. 2019. DeCreation: Art, Poetry, Science. Whitefish Review. 12(2) p. 39-45.
Bradshaw, W.S., Phillips, A.J., Bybee, S.M., Gill, R.A., Peck, S.L. and Jensen, J.L., 2018. A longitudinal study of attitudes toward evolution among undergraduates who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. PloS one, 13(11), p.e0205798. Bradshaw, W.S., Phillips, A.J., Bybee, S.M., Gill, R.A., Peck, S.L. and Jensen, J.L., 2018. A longitudinal study of attitudes toward evolution among undergraduates who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. PloS one, 13(11), p.e0205798.
Peck, S. L. 2017. Science the Key to Theology. BCC Press, Salt Lake City, UT.
Abbott MN, Peck S.L. 2016. Emerging ethical issues related to the use of brain-computer interfaces for patients with total locked-in syndrome. Neuroethics 8. doi:10.1007/s12152-016-9296-1
Schuster, Haley and Steven L. Peck. 2016. Mars ain’t the kind of place to raise your kid: Ethical implications of pregnancy on missions to colonize other planets. Life Sciences, Society and Policy. 12:10. DOI: 10.1186/s40504-016-0043-5
Peck, S. L. (2015) Evolving Faith. Neal A. Maxwell institute. Provo, Utah
Cottrell, S. J. L. Jenson, and S. L. Peck. 2014. Resuscitation and resurrection: The ethics of cloning cheetahs, mammoths, and Neanderthals. Life Sciences, Society and Policy 10:3 doi:10.1186/2195-7819-10-3
Ahmadou H. Dicko, Renaud Lancelot, Momar Talla Seck, Laure Guerrini, Baba Sall, Mbargou Low, Marc J.B. Vreysen, Thierry Lefrançois, Fonta Williams, Steven L. Peck, and Jérémy Bouyer. 2014. Using species distribution models to optimize vector control: the tsetse eradication campaign in Senegal. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. 11 (28) : 10149-10154
Peck, S. L. 2014. Perspectives on why digital ecologies matter: Combining population genetics and ecologically informed agent-based models with GIS for managing dipteran livestock pests. Acta Tropica. 138S (2014) S22–S25
Vargas, R.I., J.D. Stark, J. Banks, L. Leblanc, N. Manoukis, S. L. Peck. 2013. Spatial dynamics of two oriental fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) parasitoids, Fopius arisanus (Sonan) and diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), in a guava orchard in Hawaii. Economic Entomology 42(5) 888-901.
Peck, S. L. 2013. Life as emergent agential systems: Tendencies without teleology in an open universe. Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science 48 (4): 984-1000.
Peck, S. L. 2012c. Agent-based models as fictive instantiations of ecological processes.” Philosophy & Theory in Biology. Vol. 4.e303 (2012): 12.
Froerer KM, Peck SL, McQuate GT. 2011. Evaluation of readmission ink as a marker for dispersal studies with the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis. Journal of Insect Science 11:125, available online: insectscience.org/11.125
K.M. Froerer, S.L. Peck, G.T. McQuate, R.I. Vargas, E.B. Jang, and D.O. McInnis. 2010. Long distance movement of Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Puna, Hawaii: How far can they go? American Entomologist 56(2): 88-94.
Rasmussen, J., M. Belk, and S. L. Peck. 2009. Endangered species augmentation: a case study of alternative rearing methods. Animal Conservation 8:225–232
Bell A.V., R. B. Rader, S. L. Peck, and A. Sih. 2009. The positive effects of negative interactions: Can avoidance of competitors or predators increase resource sampling by prey? Theoretical Population Biology. 76:52-58.
Caprio, M. A., N. Storer, M. S. Sisterson, S. L. Peck and A. de H. N. Maia. 2008. Assessing the risk of the evolution of resistance to pesticides using spatially complex simulation models. In Whalon, Sanchez, and Hollingworth, Global Pesticide Resistance in Arthropods, CABI Publishing, Cambridge, MA.
Belk, M.C., Benson, L.J., Rasmussen, J., and Peck, S.L. 2008. Hatchery-induced morphological variation in an endangered fish: a challenge for hatchery-based recovery efforts. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 65.3 (2): 401-408.
McQuate, G. T., A. H. Bokonon-Ganta, and S. L. Peck. 2007. Background population biology and prospects for suppression of the solanaceous fruit fly, Bactrocera latifrons (Diptera: Tephritidae). Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society. 39:1-5.
Peck, S. L., G. T. McQuate, R. I. Vargas, D. C. Seager, H. C. Revis, E. B. Jang, D. O. McInnis. 2005. The movement of sterile male Bactrocera cucurbitae (Diptera: Tephritidae) in a Hawaiian agroecosystem. Journal of Economic Entomology. 98(5): 1539-1550.
Mc Quate G. T., S. L. Peck, P. G. Barr, and C. D. Sylva. 2005. Comparative evaluation of Spinosad and Phloxine B as toxicant in protein baits for suppression of three fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) species. Journal of Economic Entomology 98 (4): 1170-1178.
Peck, S. L. 2004. Simulation as experiment: a philosophical reassessment for biological modeling. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 19 (10): 530534
Peck, S. L. and G. T. McQuate. 2004. Ecological Aspects of Bactrocera latifrons (Diptera: Tephritidae) on Maui, Hawaii: movement and host preference. Environmental Entomology 33(6): 17221731.
(many authors), Peck, S. L. 2004. Minutes FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel Meeting: A Set of Scientific Issues Being Considered by the Environmental Protection Agency Regarding: Product Characterization, Human Health Risk, Ecological Risk, And Insect Resistance Management For Bacillus Thuringiensis (Bt) Cotton Products June 810, 2004, Arlington, Virginia. U.S. EPA SAP Report No. 2004.
Storer N.P., S. L. Peck, F. Gould, J. W. Van Duyn and G. G. Kennedy. 2003. Spatial processes in the evolution of resistance in Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to Bt transgenic corn and cotton in a mixed agroecosystem: a biology-rich stochastic simulation model. Economic Entomology 96(1): 156-172.
Storer N.P., S. L. Peck, F. Gould, J. W. Van Duyn and G. G. Kennedy. 2003 Sensitivity analysis of a spatially-explicit stochastic simulation model of the evolution of resistance in Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to Bt transgenic corn and cotton. Economic Entomology. 96(1): 173-187.
Peck, S.L. 2003. Randomness, contingency, and faith: Is there a science of subjectivity? Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science. 38(1):5-24. (Also included in the Critical Concepts in Religious Studies Volume: Religion and Science Edited by Sara Fletcher Harding, Nancy Morvillo)
Peck, S. L. 2001. Antimicrobial and Insecticide Resistance Modeling: Is it time to start talking? Trends in Microbiology. 9(6):286-292.
Vargas, R.I., S.L. Peck, G.T. McQuate, C. G. Jackson, J.D. Stark and J.D. Armstrong. 2001. Potential for areawide integrated management of Mediterranean fruit fly with a braconid parasitoid and a novel bait spray. Journal of Economic Entomology 94 (4): 817825.
McQuate, G. T. and S. L. Peck. 2001. Suppression of Mediterranean fruit fly populations over mountainous areas through aerial phloxine B-Protein Bait Sprays: regional Medfly program in Guatemala. In KengHong Tan (ed.) AreaWide Control of Fruit Flies and Other Insect Pests. Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia. Penang, Malaysia.
McQuate, G. T and S. L. Peck. 2001. Enhancement of attraction of male Bactrocera latifrons to alpha-Ionol (Diptera: Tephritidae) by addition of a synergist, cade oil. Journal of Economic Entomology 94(1):39-46.
Peck, S. L. 2001. Ecological Modeling: A guide for the nonmodeler. Conservation Biology in Practice 2(3) : 3639.
Peck, S. L. 2000 A tutorial for understanding ecological modeling papers for the nonmodeler. American Entomologist 46(1):40-49.
Peck, S. L. and G. T. McQuate. 2000. Field Tests of malathion replacements spinosad and photoactive dyes for suppression of wild Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) populations. Journal of Economic Entomology 93(2): 280-289.
Peck, S. L., S. Ellner, and F. Gould. 2000. Varying Migration and Deme Size, and the Feasibility of the Shifting Balance. Evolution 54 (1):324-327.
AlcantaraLicudine, J.P.; N. L. Bui, Q. X. Li, G. T. McQuate, S. L. Peck. 2000. Method for determination of xanthene dyes in guava fruits and its application in a field dissipation study. Journal of AOAC (Association of Official Analytical Chemists) International. 83(3): 563568.
Hellkamp, A.S., J. M. Bay, C. L. Campbell, K. N. Easterling, D. A. Fiscus, G. R. Hess, B. F. McQuaid, M. J. Munster, G. L. Olson, S. L. Peck, S. R. Shafer, K. Sidik, and M. B. Tooley. 2000. Assessment of the condition of agricultural lands in six midAtlantic states. Journal of Environmental Quality 29:795-804.
Hess, G. R., C. L. Campbell, D. A. Fiscus, A. S. Hellkamp, B. F. McQuaid, M. J. Munster, S. L. Peck, and S. R. Shafer. 2000. A conceptual model and indicators for assessing the ecological condition of agricultural lands. Journal of Environmental Quality 29:728-737.
Peck, S. L., F. Gould, and S. Ellner. 1999. The spread of resistance in spatially extended systems of transgenic cotton: Implications for the management of Heliothis virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Economic Entomology 92:1-16.
Peck, S. L., S. Ellner, and F. Gould. 1998. A spatially explicit, stochastic model demonstrates the feasibility of Wright’s shifting balance theory. Evolution 52:1834-1839.
Peck, S. L., C. L. Campbell, and B. McQuaid. 1998. Using ant species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as a biological indicator of agroecosystem condition. Environmental Entomology 27(5): 1102-1110.
McQuate, G. T., R. T. Cunningham, S. L Peck, and P. H. Moore. 1999. Suppressing oriental fruit fly populations with phloxine B-protein bait spays. Pesticide Science 55 (5): 574-576.
Anderson, N. D., H. S. Stubbs, S. L. Peck, and J. W. Slusher. 1999. Ants: Using Biological Indicators to Investigate Environmental Conditions (Monitoring the Environment Series). Carolina Biological Supply Company, Burlington, NC.
Christenson, R., M., S. Duh, K. Newby, E. Ohman, R. Califf, Granger, S. L. Peck, K. Pieper, P. Armstorng, H. Katus, and E. Topel for the GUSTO-IIa Investigators. 1998. Cardiac troponin T and cardiac troponin I: relative value in short-term risk stratification of patients with acute coronary syndromes. Clinical Chemistry 44(3):494-501.
Peck, S. L. and S. Ellner. 1997. The effect of economic thresholds and life history parameters on the evolution of pesticide resistance in a regional setting. American Naturalist, 149:44-65.
Peck, S. L. 1997. Spatial Aspects of the Evolution of Pesticide Resistance: Models and Recommendations. A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of North Carolina State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy: Departments of Biomathematics and Entomology. North Carolina State University. Raleigh, NC.
R. Christenson, Vollmer, R. Califf. S. L. Peck, M. O. Hanesian, Duh, E. Topel, K. Newby, and M. Ohman for the TAMI-7 Study Group. 1997. Assessment of coronary reperfusion after thrombolysis with a model combining myoglobin, creatine kinase-MB, and clinical variables. Circulation 96:1776-1782.
Neher, D. A., S. L. Peck, J. O. Rawlings and C. L. Campbell. 1995. Measures of nematode community structure for an agroecosystem monitoring program and sources of variability among and within agricultural fields. Plant and Soil. 107:167181.
Hawks, S. R., S. L. Peck and Lynn Smith. 1993. Impact to first aid education: occurrence of emergency helping among college students. Journal of Health Education. 24(6):379.
Hawks, S. R. and S. L. Peck. 1992. Non-traditional teaching methods for emergency care education: student perceptions. Journal of Health Education. 23(1):39-44.
Hawks, S. R., S. L. Peck, and K. Vail-Smith. 1992. An educational test of health behavior models in relation to emergency helping. Health Psychology. 11(6):396-402.
Hellkamp, A. S., S.R. Shafer, C. L. Campbell, J.M. Bay, D.A. Fiscus, G.R. Hess, B.F. Mcquaid, M. J. Munster, G.L. Olson, S.L. Peck, K.N. Easterling, K. Sidik, and M.B. Tooley. 1998. Assessment of the condition of agricultural lands in five Mid-Atlantic states. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 51:317-324.
Meyer, J. R. , C. L. Campbell, T. J. Moser, G. R. Hess, J. O. Rawlings, S. L. Peck, and W. W. Heck. 1992. Indicators of the ecological status of agroecosystems. In Ecological Indicators volume 1. ed. D. H. Mckenzie, D. D. Hyatt and V. J. McDonald. Elsevier Applied Science London and New York.
Sevilla, D.C., N.B. Wagner, R. Pegnes, S.L. Peck, E.M. Mikat, R.E. Ideker, G. Hutchings, K.A. Reimer, D. B. Hackel, and R. H. Selvester. 1992. Correlation of the complete version of the Selvester QRS scoring system with quantitative anatomic findings for multiple left ventricular myocardial infarcts. American Journal of Cardiology 69(5):465-469.
Clemmensen, P., E.M Ohman, D. C. Sevilla, S. L. Peck, N. B. Wagner, P. S. Quigley, P. Grande, K. L. Lee and G. S. Wagner. 1990. Changes in standard electrocardiographic ST-segment elevation predictive of successful reperfusion in acute myocardial Infarction. The American Journal of Cardiology. 66:1407-1411.
Harrell, F. E., S. E. Marcus, P. M. Layde, S.K. Broste, E.F. Cook, D. P. Wagner, L.H. Muhlbaier, and S.L. Peck. 1990. Statistical methods in SUPPORT. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology 43 Supplement: 89S-98S.
Hawks, S. R., S. L. Peck, B. Hafen & K. Karren. 1990. Rating stress in EMS: A Responder Survey. Journal of Emergency Medical Services. 15 (9):55-57.
Sevilla, C. D., N. Wagner, R. White, S. L. Peck, R. Ideker, D. Hackel, K. Reimer, R. Selvester, G. Wagner. 1990. Anatomic validation of electrocardiographic estimation of the size of acute or healed myocardial Infarcts. The American Journal of Cardiology. 65:1301-1307.