Welcome to the Department of Biological Sciences!

As Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, I am excited that you have decided to learn more about our world-class Program. The Department of Biological Sciences is currently home to more than 40 tenure-track faculty and research / teaching professionals and a strong cohort of adjunct and affiliate professors and scientists, and we are currently recruiting 4 new faculty to bolster our strengths in One Health Research and Biology Pedagogy (see current job postings).  Our diverse faculty carry out world-class research in a wide array of fields: ecology and evolutionary biology, systematics and quantitative biology, molecular and cellular biology, physiological ecology of plants and animals, and microbial biology and biotechnology, to name just a few. Biomedical research is an important strength, and many of the faculty participate in human and ecosystem health related research activities.

Our department is not just for researchers. We play a critical role in the education of life science and health majors, and the department offers four different B.S. degrees (in Biology, Ecology and Environmental Biology, Microbiology, and Cell and Molecular Biology) to over 1600 undergraduate student majors. We are committed to providing our students with hands-on research opportunities in our laboratory and field-based research efforts. Our dedicated advising staff are eager to help you plan your degree and coursework, so don't hesitate to reach out to them if you are interested in learning more about our degree options.

We are also home to a productive graduate program that includes more than 120 students across our four degrees. We offer M.S degrees in Biology or Microbiology, with thesis and non-thesis options available, a Ph.D. in Biology, and a professional sciences master's program in Environmental sustainability and Natural resources management jointly with the Department of NRM. If you are interested in these programs, reach out to faculty members with like interests, the graduate committee, or even current students in our graduate programs – they would all be happy to tell you more!

Undergraduate and graduate student researchers have received competitive grants, presented papers at scientific meetings, and authored papers published in scientific journals. Knowledge about the world around us opens doors to a multitude of careers, and our graduates can be found working in biotechnology and industry, as doctors and other health professionals, in wildlife and conservation fields, as University professors and K-12 educators, and even as artists and writers. Where you take your degree is up to your own imagination.

Integrated Learning

Our faculty are committed to using innovative teaching practices to improve student learning of content and practical skills in the biological sciences. Authentic student research experiences at all levels expand opportunities for student success across gender, ethnicity and disciplines. Students are given choices in their learning, allowing for their creativity to thrive as faculty provide training in critical thinking skills at all levels. By promoting research and scholarly productivity through student engagement across all our degrees and research areas, we hope to foster students that can create biology-based approaches to tackle complex societal challenges.

Community Engagement

Members of the DBS are engaged with the broader community outside TTU's doors. We work to transform lives and communities through service, outreach, and engaged scholarship at the local, regional, national, and international levels. We willingly share our expertise with those in need, and work on issues critical to the sustainment of healthy communities and ecosystems. We train students to become transformational STEM leaders and informed citizens that contribute to the local economy and workforce needs.

Digging Deeper

I encourage you to dig a bit deeper into the department – reach out and talk with our undergraduate advisors if you are considering a major or minor in Biology; contact our professors to learn more about their research activities, and see if you can conduct research in their laboratories at the undergraduate or graduate level. Interested in giving a seminar? Have an idea about a partnership or cooperative activity? Contact the department to arrange a visit – we'd love to host you. We also love to talk with community members and alumni about your interests and activities, so please don't hesitate to get in touch. Communicate with us here to reach the right folks with your inquiry or comment.

From here, it's possible