Department of Biology

Chair: Velinda Woriax

Faculty: Tim Anderson, Courtney Alexander, Mary Ash³, Ben A. Bahr⁶, Jeffrey Beasley⁷, Kaitlin Campbell¹, Chrisha Dolan, Rita Hagevik⁵, Sean Hitchman, Lisa Kelly, David W. Morse, Brandi Norman, John O’Dell, Maria Pereira⁴, Nicolas Pereira, Robert E. Poage, Amber Rock, John Roe², Bryan Sales, Maria S. (Marisol) Santisteban, Marilu Santos, Silvia Smith, Katherine Thorington, Crystal Walline, Joseph White, Mary (Meg) Zets

¹Assistant Chair
²Environmental Science Coordinator
³Science Education Undergraduate Coordinator
⁴Biotechnology Program Director
⁵Science Education Graduate Director
⁶William C. Friday Distinguished Professor of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

⁷Marion F. Bass Distinguished Professorship in Agriculture

The objectives of the Biology Department are to afford students an opportunity to gain an understanding of themselves and their environment and thus prepare themselves for taking a fuller, more satisfying role in society; to train students in their ability to reason inductively and deductively; to encourage original thought; to prepare teachers in the biological sciences for the elementary and secondary school; and to provide a background in subject matter and laboratory skills for curricula in which the fundamentals of the various sciences are used.

The department offers programs leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with indicated track, the Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science, the Bachelor of Science degree in Science Education. Students should consult the department head for details of each program.

Course offerings in the interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science Degree program in Science Education are offered through the Biology Department.

Biology (with tracks in Botany, Zoology, Molecular Biology, or Environmental Biology possible)
Biology - Biomedical Emphasis
Biology - Pre-Physical Therapy/Pre-Occupational Therapy

Biology - Agricultural Science Emphasis

Biology - Biotechnology Emphasis
Environmental Science (with track in Sustainable Agriculture available)
Science Education (with concentrations in Biology 9-12, Chemistry 9-12, Earth Science 9-12, Physics 9-12, or Middle Grades Science 6-9)

Science Education Major

Coordinator: Mary C. Ash

Several interdisciplinary programs prepare science educators to teach middle school (6-9) or high school (9-12) science. See below for descriptions of the programs of study for the B.S. in Science Education (6-9) and the B.S. in Science Education (9-12).