Kristina Krumpos- Class of 2016 “” These past four years have made me realize how well the Biology Department is preparing me to succeed in the real world and be an effective professional and leader.”

Alexis Pennings, Class of 2014 and current Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine student. -“The biology program at UMW was the perfect stepping-stone on my way to veterinary school.”

Overlays

The mission of the Biology Program is to provide a strong undergraduate education in the fundamental principles of biology and train students to use the research methods practiced by biologists. The program is designed to prepare undergraduates for future careers in life sciences research, biotechnology, medicine, dentistry, and other allied health fields.

Department News

New Faculty Joins the Department

Two new faculty members will be joining the Department in August. Swati Agrawal is a new Assistant Professor in the Department. Her research interest is cell biology. She will be teaching Biol 340 (Cellular Biology). Ginny Morriss is also a new Assistant Professor in the Department. A geneticist, Dr. Morriss’ research focuses on understanding how deregulation of energy metabolism pathways in the disease myotonic dystrophy type 1 leads to skeletal muscle wasting. Among other courses, Ginny will be teaching (Biol 341) General Genetics.

New Addition to Jepson Opens in the Fall, 2019

The new addition to the Jepson Science Center will open in time for the Fall, 2019 semester. While the Biology Department will still be housed in the original building, the renovation means a few changes for the Biology Department. Chemistry faculty offices have moved to the 4th floor, replaced by Biology faculty offices. Now, most Biology Department faculty offices will be located on the third floor, while four Biology faculty will occupy 4th floor offices. The 4th floor student lounge has been replaced by two computer labs, one for chemistry and one for biology. In addition, many of the Biology Department labs have been renovated and or moved to different locations in the original building. Overall, it means an expansion and improvement in the Biology Department facilities.

New Tracks Added to the Biology Program

The Biology Department has added a new Conservation Biology Track to the undergraduate program in Biology at UMW. Conservation Biology is a track leading to a Bachelor of Science in Biology degree. This track is designed for students interested in public or private-sector careers in fields such as endangered species protection and recovery, habitat conservation, conservation biology education, and fisheries and wildlife management. Additionally, it prepares students for graduate study in conservation biology in cases where graduate degrees are required for particular careers.

The Department is also is the process of submitting a request to officially create a Biomedical Sciences Track. The proposed track is designed for students interested in pursuing careers in the health sciences. The track provides students with the knowledge and the skills to be successful candidates for graduate study in a broad range of health related fields including medical, dental, physician’s assistant, nursing, physical therapy, and more. If approved in 2019, the track will go into effect the Fall, 2020 semester.

Find Out More . . .

Department Newsletter

You can send comments and suggestions for the next issue of the newsletter by sending an email to Professor Andrew Dolby.