Biology

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Department Head: Alan H. Savitzky
Location: Biology-Natural Resources 121
Phone: (435) 797-2485
FAX: (435) 797-1575
E-mail: undergrad_info@biology.usu.edu or graduate_info@biology.usu.edu
WWW: http://www.biology.usu.edu/

Associate Head:

Michelle A. Baker, Biology-Natural Resources 145, (435) 797-7131, mbaker@biology.usu.edu

Director of Undergraduate Studies:

Dennis L. Welker, Biology-Natural Resources 101, (435) 797-3552, dennis.welker@usu.edu

Co-Directors of Graduate Studies:

S. Morgan Ernest, Biology-Natural Resources 143, (435) 797-8751, morgan@biology.usu.edu

Paul G. Wolf, Biology-Natural Resources 335, (435) 797-4034, wolf@biology.usu.edu

Biology Advisor:

Yvonne Kobe, Biology-Natural Resources 101, (435) 797-2577, yvonne@biology.usu.edu

Advisor for Prehealth Professions Programs:

D. M. Andy Anderson, Veterinary Science and Bacteriology 231, (435) 797-1913, andy@biology.usu.edu

Advisor for Biological Sciences Composite Teaching Major:

Richard J. Mueller, ESLC 245L, (435) 797-2479, richard.mueller@usu.edu

Advisor for Public Health Major:

David Wallace, Biology-Natural Resources 333, (435) 797-7155, dwallace@biology.usu.edu

Degrees offered: Bachelor of Science (BS), Bachelor of Arts (BA), Master of Science (MS), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Biology; BS and BA in Composite Teaching—Biological Science; BS in Public Health; MS and PhD in Ecology; MS and PhD in Toxicology is available through the Interdepartmental Program in Toxicology.

Undergraduate emphases: Biology BS, BA—Biology, Cellular/Molecular, Ecology/Biodiversity, Environmental; Public Health BS— Industrial Hygiene, Environmental Health, Public Health Education

Undergraduate Programs

Learning Objectives

Biology

The Department of Biology offers programs leading to a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree. Majors will complete a core of courses which provide an understanding of biological principles. Upper division courses provide integration, in-depth study, and an opportunity for specialization within the different degree emphases. Additional coursework in chemistry, physics, statistics, and mathematics provides knowledge and analytical skills in these important related fields. Biology degrees provide a foundation for graduate work or employment in research, industry, or governmental agencies. Biology majors can add a minor area of study, such as business or chemistry, to enhance their employment opportunities.

Prehealth Professions Programs

The Department of Biology supervises premedical, predental, and other prehealth professions programs. These programs satisfy entrance requirements for most medical and dental schools in the United States and Canada and are recognized for the high-quality preprofessional preparation they provide. After four years, the student receives a BS or BA degree in Biology or another major. Advisor: D. M. Andy Anderson, Veterinary Science and Bacteriology 231.

Composite Teaching—Biological Science

This major combines content training in biology and related fields (including chemistry, physics, geology, mathematics, and statistics) with education courses. Graduates are qualified to apply for a teaching license through the Utah State Office of Education. Advisor: Richard J. Mueller, Eccles Science Learning Center 245.

Public Health

The Department of Biology offers preprofessional training in public health. Individuals completing the BS degree have employment opportunities in such areas as environmental health, industrial hygiene, public health education, administration, nursing, nutrition, mental health, and social work. Advisor: David O. Wallace, Biology-Natural Resources 333.

The Department Head, the Director of Undergraduate Studies, and advisors in the Department of Biology are available to provide undergraduate majors with additional information regarding specific programs and career opportunities. The Biology Advising Center and the Director of Undergraduate Studies are located in Biology-Natural Resources 101. Program requirements, advising information, and an “Ask an Advisor” e-mail service are on the Department of Biology web page at: http://www.biology.usu.edu

Students with majors in the Department of Biology should consult with their advisors regularly as they plan their course of study. Students have the responsibility to keep themselves aware of major requirements and course prerequisites. For additional information, obtain an official Major Requirement Sheet from the Biology Advising Center. General requirements, specific course offerings, and the semesters that courses are taught may change.

Mathematics is an important and required skill to enhance one’s success in the sciences. Proper course level placement in mathematics at the beginning of the degree program is essential. Students should consult with an advisor and, if necessary, take the Math Placement Exam to determine the appropriate level to begin their mathematics studies for meeting requirements and completion of their major.

Assessment

The primary mission of the Department of Biology is to discover and advance knowledge in the biological sciences, and to make that knowledge available to students through a diverse set of educational experiences. To achieve this, three specific areas are being targeted: (1) A core program in the life sciences is aimed at providing the skills and knowledge base needed for a wide variety of employment and educational opportunities in biological and biotechnology fields; (2) a premedical, predental, and prehealth program has the specific goal of guiding students with respect to opportunities in the health professions; and (3) a public health program provides pre-professional training in such subjects as environmental health, industrial hygiene, and public health education. For full details about Program Learning Objectives, Undergraduate Program Assessment, Data-based Decisions, and more, go to http://www.biology.usu.edu

Undergraduate Research in Biology

The Department of Biology offers a broad array of undergraduate research opportunities. Undergraduate research allows students to have a real-life experience in a faculty research lab. Many students publish their research in scientific journals and present their research at national scientific meetings. Students may do undergraduate research work under the supervision of selected faculty members.

To receive academic credit, a student must enroll in BIOL 5800 , Undergraduate Research. Students doing Honors in Biology do undergraduate research and write a bachelor’s thesis.

For complete information about undergraduate research, contact Yvonne Kobe, Biology Advisor, at yvonne@biology.usu.edu or (435) 797-2577.

Requirements

University Requirements

Students are responsible for meeting all University requirements for total credits, upper-division credits, credits of C- or better, and the University Studies Program .

College of Science Requirements

All college requirements are met by completing the departmental degree requirements; no additional coursework is required.

Admission Requirements for the Biology and Public Health Majors

New freshmen admitted to USU in good standing qualify for admission to the Biology and Public Health majors. Transfer students from other institutions need a 2.25 transfer GPA, and students transferring from other USU majors need a 2.25 cumulative GPA for admission to the Biology and Public Health majors in good standing. Admission requirements differ for the Composite Teaching—Biological Science Major, as explained below.

Admission Requirements for the Composite Teaching—Biological Science Major

New freshmen admitted to USU in good standing qualify for admission to this major. To qualify for admission to the Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP), students must acquire a cumulative 2.75 GPA and 60 credits of coursework. Transfer students from other institutions or other USU majors need a cumulative 2.75 GPA and 60 credits of coursework to be admitted to the major and the STEP. For information on additional admission criteria, students should contact the School of Teacher Education and Leadership (TEAL).

GPA Requirement

To graduate, a candidate for any bachelor’s degree offered by the Department of Biology must maintain a grade point average of 2.25 in all Department of Biology (BIOL or PUBH prefix) courses required for the major and a grade of C- or better in BIOL 1610  and BIOL 1620 . The Pass-Fail option is not acceptable for any course required for the degree, except where a course is only graded pass/fail, but D grades are permitted within the restrictions of the 2.25 GPA. The Composite Teaching—Biological Science Major requires a cumulative overall GPA of 2.75 for admission and graduation. The 2.25 GPA requirement and the C- or better grade in BIOL 1610  and BIOL 1620  requirement apply to the Biology, Public Health, and BioMath minors.

Field Trips and Laboratory Fees

Many biology courses require field trips. Those enrolled are expected to dress appropriately for the conditions and observe any safety precautions issued by instructors. Many courses require modest laboratory fees to purchase and maintain equipment and supplies for use in the laboratories.

Financial Support

Scholarships, assistantships, grants-in-aid, and work-study programs are available from the University. Both the College of Science and the Department of Biology offer scholarships. Applications for departmental and college scholarships should be submitted during early spring semester. Contact the College of Science Office (Eccles Science Learning Center 245) and the Biology Advising Center (Biology-Natural Resources 101) for details.

Departmental Honors

Students who would like to experience greater academic depth within their major are encouraged to enroll in departmental honors. Through original, independent work, Honors students enjoy the benefits of close supervision and mentoring, as they work one-on-one with faculty in select upper-division departmental courses. Honors students also complete a senior project, which provides another opportunity to collaborate with faculty on a problem that is significant, both personally and in the student’s discipline. Participating in departmental honors enhances students’ chances for obtaining fellowships and admission to graduate school.

An Honors Plan is available for students desiring a BS or BA degree “with Honors” in Biology. Departmental Honors requires the completion of 9 credits of Honors coursework in upper-division BIOL courses, BIOL 5800 , and a research-based Bachelor’s Thesis. For details, students should contact: Kimberly A. Sullivan, (435) 797-3713, yejunco@biology.usu.edu.

Suggested Four-year Plans

Suggested semester-by-semester four-year plans for students working toward a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree are available in the Department of Biology.

Students should consult with their advisor to develop a plan of study tailored to their individual needs and interests.

Additional Information

For more information about requirements for the majors and minors within the Biology Department, see the information provided in the general catalog.

Graduate Programs

Admission Requirements

See Graduate Admission  for general admission requirements. Complete details about graduate programs, admission requirements, preapplication, and application procedures are available online at: http://www.biology.usu.edu/

For additional information, see: http://www.usu.edu/graduateschool/

To be recommended for matriculated status, an applicant must have earned a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) from an accredited institution, and a Biology faculty member must agree to serve as major professor for that applicant. The Department of Biology also considers these guidelines for admission: (1) the transcript should show a minimum GPA of 3.0 (B); and (2) the scores on the verbal and quantitative GRE should be above the 50th percentile and the analytical writing score should be 3.5 or above. Advanced GREs (especially biology) are also recommended. Applicants for whom English is not the primary language must have scored at least 575 (paper-based exam) or 233 (computer-based exam) on the TOEFL. The applicant’s undergraduate program should be similar to that offered by the Department of Biology at Utah  State University, which includes the following and their prerequisites: general biology, genetics, ecology, physiology, and evolution; general and organic chemistry; biochemistry; calculus; statistics; and physics. Other preparatory courses may be specified by the student’s  supervisory committee.

Degree Programs

For those who have demonstrated strong academic capability as well as research interest, the Department of Biology offers the Master of Science Degree and the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in either Biology or Ecology. Graduate degrees in Toxicology are available through the Interdepartmental Program in Toxicology.

Undergraduate majors in Biology at USU with especially strong backgrounds and interest in research may apply for study of the Master of Science degree as transitional students. Acceptance as a transitional student allows undergraduates with advanced standing to integrate up to 9 credits of graduate work into the final semesters of their Bachelor of Science study. Acceptance into this program, as into all graduate programs in Biology, is closely regulated. Formal application through the School of Graduate Studies is required.

Research

The Department of Biology provides a dynamic and broad base for research and graduate study through a balanced program of basic and applied studies at ecosystem, population, organismal, cellular, and molecular levels. An outstanding variety of field sites; animal, plant, and microbe growth facilities; and modern well-equipped laboratories are available. Also, the Intermountain Herbarium, an excellent insect collection, the USDA/ARS U.S. National Pollinating Insects Collection, the Stable Isotope Laboratory, and the Center for Integrated BioSystems exist as research and support facilities.

Faculty members participate in and are supported by several interdepartmental programs, including the Ecology Center and the Center for Environmental Toxicology. In addition, many less formal contacts and interactions exist with colleagues in the colleges of Agriculture, Education and Human Services, Natural Resources, and Science.

Students are encouraged to carefully consider how their career goals match the faculty’s research interests. Prospective students are strongly encouraged to contact faculty members with whom they are interested in working. Because of the combination of a diverse interdisciplinary base and excellent focused research programs, students have an opportunity to learn the philosophies and methods of many branches of biology. For further details about the faculty’s research interests, students are encouraged to visit the Biology website: http://www.biology.usu.edu/

Financial Assistance

Research assistantships are available from the grants of major professors and from Utah Agricultural Experiment Station funds. Teaching assistantships are awarded annually. All awards are made on a competitive basis and specific teaching needs are considered in awarding teaching assistantships. Given satisfactory performance, MS students are supported for at least two years and PhD candidates for at least four years on teaching assistantships. The department may also recommend particularly qualified students for College of Science or University fellowships. Admission to the graduate program of the Department of Biology does not guarantee financial support; however, applicants will not normally be admitted without financial support.

Career Opportunities

Completion of graduate degrees in Biology prepares students for careers in teaching and research in universities and colleges. Many graduates also find employment with private industry and state and national governmental agencies. Specific employment possibilities will depend on the nature of the graduate program pursued. The extensive background provided by a graduate degree also prepares students for eventual administrative responsibilities.

Research Emphases

Research areas of departmental faculty are diverse. Areas of research currently include: Cellular and Molecular Biology: plant-microbial interactions; neurobiology and biophysics; gene regulation and signal transduction; membrane transport; molecular virology; Ecology and Behavior: community and ecosystem ecology; insect ecology and behavior; pollination biology; plant-insect interactions; vertebrate behavioral ecology; mathematical and computer modeling; soil microbiology; fungal ecology; biological control; integrated pest management (IPM); Physiology and Comparative Biology: animal physiology; toxicology and industrial hygiene; insect pathology; plant physiology and pathology; and Systematics and Evolution: systematics and evolution of plants, fungi, insects, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians; evolutionary quantitative genetics; biogeography; evolution of chemical defenses and resistance in microorganisms, insects, reptiles, and amphibians.

Research and Teaching Facilities

Herbarium

Graduate study in plant taxonomy offered in the Department of Biology utilizes the extensive facilities of the Intermountain Herbarium. The collection includes over 250,000 research specimens. About 50 percent are from the Intermountain Region, while most of the remainder are from other regions of North America.

Insect Collection

Comprising more than two million specimens, the insect collection is available to scientists and graduate students involved in taxonomic research and to those requiring identification of insects in various research projects. The collection primarily covers the Intermountain Region, but it also contains species from nearly all areas of the world. The Biology-Natural Resources Building also houses the USDA/ARS U.S. National Pollinating Insect Collection.

Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope

The Department of Biology has a BioRad 1024 Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope. This state-of-the-art technology utilizes highly tuned lasers to give detailed sectional views of the interior of intact structures such as cells and tissues, and greatly extends the advantages of fluorescence microscopy. This microscope is utilized by researchers campus wide, and is an indispensable tool for molecular and cellular studies.

Center for Integrated BioSystems (CIB)

The CIB operates three service laboratories and a variety of research projects. The service laboratories provide essential biological resources for biotechnology research and development including: DNA sequencing, peptide synthesis, protein sequencing, antibodies, and fermentation.

Biology Faculty

Trustee Professor
James A. MacMahon, community ecology, mammalogy, herpetology; Dean of College of Science

Professors
Diane G. Alston, integrated pest management
Anne J. Anderson, microbiology and plant pathology
Michelle A. Baker, aquatic ecology
Edmund D. Brodie, Jr., behavior and evolution
E. W. “Ted” Evans, insect ecology
Timothy A. Gilbertson, neurobiology
Joseph K.-K. Li, virology
Frank J. Messina, insect biology
Keith A. Mott, plant physiology
John M. Stark, microbial ecology and biogeochemistry
Jon Y. Takemoto, microbiology
Paul G. Wolf, systematics and molecular biology
David A. York, human nutrition and obesity

Associate Professors
Brett A. Adams, cell signaling
Mary E. Barkworth, plant systematics
S. K. Morgan Ernest, spatial ecology
Bradley R. Kropp, mycology
Richard J. Mueller, plant morphology
James P. Pitts, insect biology
Gregory J. Podgorski, developmental biology
Kimberly A. Sullivan, behavioral ecology
Carol D. von Dohlen, insect biology
Dennis L. Welker, microbial functional genomics

Assistant Professors
Susannah S. French, physiological ecology
Ethan White, ecology

Professors Emeritus
William A. Brindley, entomology and toxicology
Donald W. Davis, entomology and pest management
Keith L. Dixon, ornithology and mammalogy
James A. Gessaman, vertebrate physiological ecology
James W. Haefner, systems analysis
Ting H. Hsiao, insect physiology and biochemistry
Gene W. Miller, plant biochemistry and physiology
Ivan G. Palmblad, evolutionary ecology
Sherman V. Thomson, plant pathology
Nabil N. Youssef, cell biology and parasitology

Associate Professors Emeritus
David B. Drown, environmental health
Wilford J. Hansen, systematic entomology
Jay B. Karren, entomology
Raymond I. Lynn, algology and microbial ecology
William J. Popendorf, industrial hygiene
George W. Welkie, plant physiology and virology

Research Professor
Donald W. Roberts, insect pathology

Research Assistant Professors
Stephane Boghossian, neuroscience
Christian Dimkpa, environmental biology
Michelle A. Grilley, molecular biology
Dane R. Hansen, molecular biology, physiology, cell signaling
Joanne E. Hughes, molecular genetics

Adjunct Professors
Creagh Brunner, ecology
James H. Cane, bee biology
Marty Crump, herpebiology
Daryll B. DeWald, cell biology
Jeanette M. Norton, soil microbiology
Michael Pfrender, evolutionary biology
James A. Powell, mathematical biology
Donal G. Sinex, psychology

Adjunct Assistant Professors
Karen H. Beard, community ecology, ecosystem ecology, conservation biology
Terry Griswold, bee biology
Rosalind R. James, entomology
Theresa L. Pitts-Singer, entomology

Principal Lecturer
David M. “Andy” Anderson, medical technology

Senior Lecturers
John A. Flores II, public health, industrial hygiene
David O. Wallace, public health, industrial hygiene

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