Eddie Alford began teaching at Arizona State University's Polytechnic Campus in 2006. He is a lecturer in math and sciences in the College of Integrative Sciences and Arts. Previously he worked for the U.S. Forest Service for 30 years. Alford's experience is in the areas of ecology and natural resource management. In the Forest Service, he coordinated the rangeland, forestry, soils, watershed, minerals, wildlife, fisheries, endangered species and land management programs.

Alford's interests include restoration and management of wildlands to sustain healthy functioning of natural ecosystems. His research interests include studying the effects of wildland fire on natural ecosystems. Fire is an important component in of many wildland ecosystems. Vegetation types are often characterized by the fire regimes that have been part of their long term evolutionary history. In many cases anthropogenic activities, including the introduction of non-native vegetation, have changed fire regimes and the characteristic native vegetation of some regions.

Other interests include rangeland management and Sonoran Desert Ecology. He teaches courses in: General Biology, Restoration Ecology, Vegetation Dynamics, Plant Adaptations to Environmental Stressors and Rangeland Ecosystem Management.

He is a member of the Society for Rangeland Management and the Ecological Society of America.