Biology

Contact Information

Phone: 401.865.2585
Fax: 401.865.1438
Location: Sowa Hall 236

The Faculty

Professors

John H. Costello, Ph.D.
Robert I. Krasner, Ph.D., Emeritus
Yinsheng Wan, Ph.D.
Craig B. Wood, Ph.D., Emeritus

Associate Professors

Elisabeth Arévalo, Ph.D.
Rev. Nicanor Austriaco, O.P., Ph.D.
David B. Baier, Ph.D.
Joseph A. DeGiorgis, Ph.D.
Patrick J. Ewanchuk, Ph.D.
Rev. Mark D. Nowel, O.P., Ph.D.
Charles R.Toth, Ph.D., Chairperson

Assistant Professors

Maia F. Bailey, Ph.D.
Brett J. Pellock, Ph.D.
Jonathan L. Richardson, Ph.D.
Marla B. Tipping, Ph.D.
Laura E. Williams, Ph.D.

The Program

The goal of the biology curriculum is to make students aware of the structure, function, and evolution of life as manifested on the cellular, organismic, and population levels through lecture, formal laboratories, and experiential education (e.g. research and internship).

The faculty of the Department of Biology stress the conceptual approach in course content. A core program is required for all biology majors, which relates the content of the biology courses to the scientific background obtained in chemistry, mathematics, and physics, and provides the opportunity for a wide choice of biology and other elective courses.

Completion of the core meets the usual science requirements demanded for admission to both medical and other professional schools specializing in the health sciences (i.e. veterinary, physical therapy, etc.) and to graduate schools offering advanced degrees in the various research-oriented biological specialties.

The Department of Biology offers a combined degree program with the New England College of Optometry. This program allows completion of the B.A. or B.S. degree in biology and the doctor of optometry degree in seven years.

Students may prepare for careers in teaching at the secondary level by taking additional courses elected from the offerings in the Department of Education and, upon completion, will meet the requirements of the Rhode Island Department of Education and 47 other states for certification for secondary school biology teachers.

Also, students have ample opportunity for experiential learning through faculty-directed laboratory, field research, and internships. One such opportunity is our affiliation with the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS).

Organization for Tropical Studies

The Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) is a nonprofit consortium that includes 63 universities and research institutions from the United States, Latin America, and Australia, in collaboration with the Universidad de Costa Rica. The main interest of the OTS is to strengthen education and research in tropical biology.

The OTS, in partnership with Duke University, offers semester and summer programs for undergraduate students interested in field biology.

Further details are available by visiting the OTS Web site at www.ots.duke.edu/en/education/undergraduate.shtml.

Biology electives may be from any of the following:

Either Research (BIO 395, 396, 495 or 496) OR Internship (BIO 450) will count as a biology elective, not both, and any additional courses under these numbers will count as free electives.

BIO 201 - Comparative Anatomy 4 Credits

BIO 205 - Human Anatomy 4 Credits

BIO 209 - Introductory Botany 4 Credits

BIO 210 - Field Botany 4 Credits

BIO 215 - Histology and Cytology 4 Credits

BIO 220 - An Introduction to Tropical Biology 4 Credits

BIO 225 - Symbiosis

3 Credits

BIO 230 - Invertebrate Zoology 4 Credits

BIO 240 - Marine Biology 4 Credits

BIO 308 - Modern Genetics 4 Credits

BIO 310 - Evolution 3 Credits