Why Biology?
Biology is an adventure! It’s solving problems about living organisms. As a student of biology you must have a curiosity about living things and a foundation for questioning, exploring, experimenting and experiencing the excitement of discovery.
Why PLU?
Professional Careers
During the past 10 years, 65 percent of PLU graduates seeking medical school admission and 90 percent of those seeking dental school admission have been accepted. Over 95 percent of graduates applying to graduate programs in biology have been accepted.
The PLU Biology Department faculty are trained across the total spectrum of knowledge, from molecular biology to population biology, and have professional teaching and research expertise with a full range of organisms: viruses, bacteria, fungi, plants and animals (including humans).
Professors, not teaching assistants teach the laboratory sections and they are available outside of class for conversation and advising.
The diversity of department courses provides broad coverage of modern biology and allows flexible planning. The laboratory components of courses are designed to permit plenty of hands-on experiences in genuine research settings. Students may participate in special internships, research and field biology studys abroad.
After competing general biology, students may choose elective courses to earn either the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Sciences degree in biology. A minor in biology is also available.
What Careers Are Possible?
Many of our biology graduates go on to programs leading to health-related professional careers in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, physical and occupational therapy, optometry, medical technology, and human genetic counseling.
Other graduates earn master's and doctoral degrees in areas including wildlife biology, marine biology, physiology, cell biology, genetics, immunology, molecular biology, biochemistry and neurobiology.
Biology graduates also find immediate employment opportunities in secondary education, fish and wildlife programs, environmental programs, pharmaceutical industries, basic research, genetic engineering and other biotechnology areas.
Extensive career files and faculty expertise in career counseling are available to PLU biology students. Faculty members work with you to plan coursework, map out career objectives and assist with professional and graduate applications.
The Health Sciences Committee advises students aspiring to careers in the health sciences. Students are encouraged to obtain a health sciences advisor early in their program of study. Requirements for pre-professional preparation for health sciences are available from the committee or the department and are described in the university’s catalog.
What if I Want an Internship or Campus Job?
Many internship opportunities are available. Weyerhaeuser, Washington State University Research & Extension Center, hospitals and other health care facilities, and physical therapy clinics all have provided internships to PLU biology students. Internships are also available through the Division of Natural Sciences for students with interests in environmental education or scientific study in a local forest.
The department also employs a number of students as laboratory teaching assistants, herbarium assistants, museum assistants, research assistants, animal care technicians, greenhouse technicians and stockroom/glassware workers.
Facilities
The modern Rieke Science Center supports students and programs with efficient teaching and research laboratories. PLU has:
- A research-grade scanning electron microscope
- A tissue processing microtechnique room
- A microscopy room with research-grade equipment
- A working museum with vertebrate and invertebrate specimens
- An herbarium with extensive plant collection
- A walk-in cold room for low-temperature experiments
- An electronic instrument room
- Containment facilities for recombinant DNA experiments
- A working greenhouse
- Animal quarters
- A human cadaver morgue
- A photographic darkroom
- Protein and DNA electrophoresis equipment
- Refrigerated preparative centrifuge
- Gel documentation systems
- PCR thermocyclers
- Microtiter plate reader
Course Requirements
For a list of course offerings check-out the catalog »
Faculty
Angelia Alexander. Professor and Dean of Natural Sciences
Ph.D., University of Washington
Microbiology, epidemiology, antigenic analysis
Ann Auman, Assistant Professor
Ph.D., University of Washington
Environmental microbiology
Michael Behrens, Visiting Assistant Professor
Ph.D. candidate, University of California at Santa Barbara
Evolution, ecology, biogeography of marine organisms
Tom Carlson, Professor and chair
Ph.D., University of Minnesota
Biochemical, molecular, and cellular aspects of amphibian development
Michele Crayton, Professor
Ph.D., Oregon State University
Toxic cyanobacteria
Mary Ellard-Ivey, Associate Professor
Ph.D., University of British Columbia
Molecular biology, plant gene expression
Dana Garrigan, Associate Professor
Ph.D., University of Utah
Physiological and chemical ecology of plant-animal interactions
David Hansen, Professor
Ph.D., University of California, Irvine
Plant water relations and photosynthesis, community structure and dynamics
Jerrold Lerum, Professor
Ph.D., Northwestern University
Reproductive biology, comparative anatomy and histology
John Main, Professor
Ph.D., University of Washington
Botany, physiological ecology, mineral nutrition, stress physiology
Dennis Martin, Professor
Ph.D., Utah State University
Behavioral ecology, communication systems, general zoology
Elizabeth Skendzic, Visiting Assistant Professor
PhD., Texas A&M University
Floristic studies, traditional and molecular plant systematic, floral development
Matthew Smith, Assistant Professor
Ph.D., University of Connecticut
Neurobiology, reproductive endocrinology
William Teska, Professor
Ph.D., Michigan State University
Zoology, tropical ecology, vertebrate ecology
Professors Emeritus
Arthur Gee, Professor Emeritus
Ph.D., Purdue University
Microbial diseases of shellfish, molecular diagnostics, probiotic treatment of infectious diseases
Richard McGinnis, Professor Emeritus
Ph.D., University of Southern California
Evolutionary biology, marine ecology
For more information about biology courses and faculty visit www.nsci.plu.edu/biol.
