Print this page

Bulletins

Department of Biology

College of Science and Engineering

Dr. Steven Gorsich, Chair

2100 Biosciences, 989-774-3227;

https://www.cmich.edu/colleges/cst/biology

Elizabeth Alm, Ph.D., microbial ecology, environmental microbiology

Hunter Carrick, Ph.D., aquatic ecology, health and biogeochemistry of aquatic systems

Gregory Colores, Ph.D., microbial ecology, soil microbiology, biodegradation

Cynthia Damer, Ph.D., molecular mechanisms of membrane trafficking, cell biology, genetics, microscopy

Joanne Dannenhoffer, Ph.D., botany, plant cell biology, plant physiology

Peter D. Dijkstra, Ph.D., behavioral ecology, endocrinology, comparative physiology, evolutionary biology

Tracy Galarowicz, Ph.D., fish ecology and management

Thomas M. Gehring, Ph.D., GIS applications, landscape ecology, management of wildlife-human conflicts, predator-prey ecology, wildlife conservation

Steven W. Gorsich, Ph.D., stress tolerance and oxidative damage during yeast fermentation and spore development using cell, molecular, genetic and molecular techniques

Philip L. Hertzler, Ph.D., developmental biology of marine shrimp

Stephen J. Juris, Ph.D., toxin biochemistry, molecular mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis, cellular biology of host-pathogen interactions

Xantha Karp, Ph.D., Developmental timing and cell fate plasticity in C. elegans, using genetic and molecular approaches

Jonathan Kelty, Ph.D., stress tolerance, neurobiology, neural control of respiration, environmental physiology

Peter S. Kourtev, Ph.D., structure and function of microbial communities in the environment

Deric R. Learman, Ph.D., geomicrobiology

Debra Linton, Ph.D., biology education, science teacher training

Eric W. Linton, Ph.D., bioinformatics, eukaryotic microbiology and systematics

Andrew Mahon, Ph.D., molecular ecology, aquatic surveillance for rare species, Antarctic phylogeography, systematics

A. Scott McNaught, Ph.D., limnology, zooplankton ecology, statistics

Anna K. Monfils, Ph.D., plant biology, systematics and evolution

Kirsten E. Nicholson, Ph.D., evolution and systematics of vertebrates, particularly reptiles and amphibians; museum studies

Kevin Pangle, Ph.D., predator-prey interactions, phenotypic plasticity, Great Lakes food webs

Wiline Pangle, Ph.D., behavioral ecology, science education

Shasta Sabo, Ph.D., neuroscience; molecular and cellular mechanisms of synapse formation and neuronal development; pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders; live fluorescence imaging

Jennifer Schisa, Ph.D., cell and molecular effects of stress and aging

Nancy E. Seefelt, Ph.D., ecology and evolution of vertebrates, ecological modeling, ornithology

Michelle L. Steinhilb, Ph.D., genetic models of human neurodegenerative disease, cellular and molecular neurobiology

Bradley J. Swanson, Ph.D., ecology, molecular ecology, conservation biology, population genetics, population dynamics, animal behavior

Don Uzarski, Ph.D., limnology, wetland and stream ecology, experimental design

Rebecca Uzarski, Ph.D., toxicology, cell biology

Mallary Wacker, Ph.D., Innate immunology; molecular mechanisms of inflammation; cell biology of human phagocytes; host-pathogen interactions

Daelyn Woolnough, Ph.D., spatial ecology of aquatic and terrestrial systems

Dave Zanatta, Ph.D., aquatic ecology, molecular ecology, conservation of freshwater mussels

Course Designators:

BIO - Biology

MAR - Marine Science

The Programs:

Master of Science (M.S.) in Biology

Master of Science (M.S.) in Biology:Conservation Concentration

Interdisciplinary Programs:

M.S. in Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology

Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology

M.S. in Neuroscience

Ph.D. in Neuroscience

Ph.D. in the Science of Advanced Materials

Ph.D. in Earth and Ecosystem Science

The Department of Biology has two Master of Science (MS) degree programs: the M.S. in Biology (general) and the M.S. in Biology with an emphasis on conservation. The general biology M.S. is designed to prepare students for careers in all areas of biology. The conservation biology M.S. is designed to prepare students for careers with state and federal agencies or non-government organizations. Students enrolled in the general M.S. in Biology program may pursue a Plan A (thesis) or Plan B (non-thesis) option. Students enrolled in the M.S. conservation concentration program may pursue a Plan A option only.

The Department of Biology supports teaching and research activities with excellent multi-user resources, including a microscopy facility with confocal, transmission electron and scanning electron microscopes; and a natural history and herbarium collection. The Department also boasts a fleet of boats and research vehicles, a Biological Station on Beaver Island in northern Lake Michigan with diverse and pristine island habitat available for field-oriented research and laboratory studies, and Neithercut Woodlands, a 252-acre tract of mixed hardwood forest providing habitats suitable for both aquatic and terrestrial studies.

The CMU Biological Station on Beaver Island is an approved residence center for graduate work in biology. It is possible to fulfill some course requirements at the Biological Station.

A number of graduate teaching assistantships and graduate research assistantships are available on a competitive basis in the Department of Biology website. Application forms may be obtained from the Biology Department. The deadline for applications is February 1 each year for full consideration.

Most Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA) are supported through faculty research grants or contractual agreements. A limited number of GRAs are available for 12 months with highly competitive stipends.

Biology Graduate Scholarships:

Raymond E. Hampton Excellence in Biology Research Award
Established in 1994 in recognition and appreciation of Dr. Hampton, who served 24 years as professor of biology at CMU. This merit-based award will recognize second-year biology graduate students identified as worthy of distinction to be used for a research project while at the CMU Biological Station on Beaver Island.

Daniel E. & Mildred G. Wujek Scholarship
This scholarship recognizes an outstanding second-year botany or aquatic biology graduate student who has been identified as worthy of distinction. The award may be used for tuition, books, room and board at a biological station, and for research supplies and logistics. This endowment was established by CMU alumni Daniel E. and Mildred G. Wujek. Daniel Wujek was a faculty member in the CMU Department of Biology.

Marian Whitney Summer Graduate Scholarship
Awarded to an outstanding graduate student who is completing a thesis in zoology. The award may be used to support the graduate student in the summer.

Michigan Graden Club, Inc. Scholarship
This scholarships is awarded to an outstanding full-time biology undergraduate junior or senior, or a graduate student with interests in any of a variety of botanical or land management subjects. Applicant must have taken a general botany course, maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA overall with a minimum 3.25 GPA in biology courses, and a minimum of 12 credit hours each semester. At least one additional plant course must be taken.