Having earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Webster University and an MFA in photography from Rhode Island School of Design, Frank Noelker is an experienced professor and photographer with nearly three decades of experience. He began his teaching career as an adjunct instructor at the University of Connecticut in 1991 and spent 29 years teaching photography at the school. In addition to teaching undergraduate and graduate photography courses, Frank Noelker acted as coordinator of the photography department and was tasked with maintaining darkrooms, digital photography labs, and printing facilities.

Concurrent to his academic appointment, Frank Noelker worked as a fine art photographer and had his work displayed in various solo and group exhibitions at art galleries and institutions. Among others, his work has been highlighted at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center Gallery, University of Rhode Island, Palm Beach Photographic Centre, and Fitchburg Art Museum. Moreover, he has been represented by Miller Yezerski Gallery and Galerie St. Etienne, the latter of which is among the world's most prestigious galleries.

Frank Noelker's work has been covered and reviewed by NPR, BBC Radio, and the St. Louis Dispatch, among other media outlets. Many of his photos have been published and he compiled a collection of zoo portraits into the book Captive Beauty, published by the University of Illinois Press in 2004.