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Department of Biological Sciences

Excellence in Undergraduate and Graduate Research Mentorship Awards

From ӰƵ's Division of Research & Economic Development ӰƵ is pleased to announce the two winners of both the Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentorship Award and Excellence in Graduate Research Mentorship Award. As part of the nomi…

Tags: Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute , Brain Health Research Institute , Healthy Communities Research Institute , College of Sciences and Humanities , Department of Biological Sciences , College of Architecture and Environmental Design

Office of Student Research

Michael Back, standing outside in Kent with a dog.

Honors College Student Studies Abandoned Mines in Cuyahoga Valley

Michael Back is a graduating senior Honors College student, majoring in biology with a concentration in organismal biology and a minor in Spanish. Originally from Sharon Center, Ohio, Michael has been interested in ecological restoration since he was in high school. Now in the final semester of his Senior Honors Thesis, Michael used his thesis to delve deeper into his ecological interests. His thesis analyzes a new restoration technique for abandoned surface mines in Cuyahoga Valley, examining “soil bulk density and soil chemistry.”

Tags: Senior Honors Thesis/Project , Department of Biological Sciences , undergraduate research

Honors Education

Nora Honkomp at Palo Verde National Park in Costa Rica, with ӰƵ’s study abroad program in January 2020.

Honors Thesis Student Explores Climate Change’s Effect on Bird Migration

Nora Honkomp is a senior Honors College student from Cincinnati, Ohio, majoring in zoology. She says, “Birds have always been my thing,” and her love of birds drove Nora not only to attend ӰƵ for its zoology program, but it also led her to complete a Senior Honors Thesis. Nora hopes to atten…

Tags: Zoology , Senior Honors Thesis/Project , Department of Biological Sciences

Honors Education

Outside view of Kent Hall and "Eye to Eye" sculpture by Barry Gunderson.

Honors Thesis Student Explores Ethics in Organ Procurement Programs

Sarag Gogineni is a junior Honors College student from Roseville, California, majoring in biology pre-med and minoring in healthcare ethics. Sarag discovered his passion for ethics during his time at ӰƵ and has decided to complete a Senior Honors Thesis as a way to combine his interest in et…

Tags: Senior Honors Thesis/Project , Department of Philosophy , Department of Biological Sciences

Honors Education

Aerial View of Risman Plaza

Zoology Student Works on Honors Thesis ӰƵ Scent and Predation

Alexandra Euwema is a third-year honors student from Springfield, Virginia, majoring in zoology. From early in her college career, Alexandra has wanted to earn a master’s degree in wildlife conservation, and this goal was a major inspiration for her Senior Honors Thesis topic. Alexandra is in her fi…

Tags: College of Honors and Global Education , Senior Honors Thesis/Project , Department of Biological Sciences

Honors Education

Close up view of a microscope

ӰƵ Researchers Challenge the Growing Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Problem With New Compound

“The pessimistic estimate is that by 2050, antibiotics could be obsolete,'' said Songping Huang, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences. Huang and his ӰƵ team, including Min-Ho Kim, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, are working on closing that chasm with the development of new antimicrobials. 

Tags: Research & Science , Brain Health Research Institute , Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute , Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , Department of Biological Sciences , College of Sciences and Humanities , Institutes and Initiatives

Division of Research & Economic Development

Undergraduates look online to advance their environmental research

What was even more of a departure than taking classes remotely? Many summer research experiences were moved online this year as well. Fortunately, with creativity and an open mind, there are lots of opportunities to do important scientific research using online tools and data.

Tags: Environmental Science and Design Research Institute , Department of Biological Sciences , Department of Earth Sciences , Research & Science

Environmental Science and Design Research Institute

Associate Professor of Biological Sciences Colleen Novak works in her lab.

ӰƵ Biologist Secures NIH Support to Expand Study into Muscle Thermogenesis

Scientists have long since established that the effects of stress on our bodies are largely negative. But understanding stress as a trigger for using calories and burning fat also could lead us to better mechanisms for healthier behaviors. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently funded a…

Tags: Department of Biological Sciences , College of Sciences and Humanities , Brain Health Research Institute , National Institutes of Health

Brain Health Research Institute

NSF Grant Supports ӰƵ Researchers' Plan to Help Students Improve Study Habits

      The “C” in “college” might as well stand for “cramming.”​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Studies show students are notoriously bad at adopting and adhering consistently to high-impact study habits that help them retain knowledge long-term. Researchers and faculty at ӰƵ Un…

Tags: Research & Science , Department of Psychological Sciences , Science of Learning & Education Center , National Science Foundation , College of Sciences and Humanities , Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , Department of Biological Sciences , Department of Physics , Brain Health Research Institute

Science of Learning & Education Center

Close up image of an Eastern Red Cedar branch with berries. (Photo by Sheila Brown, publicdomainpictures.net)

ӰƵ Biological Sciences Researchers to Lead Study on the Effects of the Spreading Eastern Red Cedars

The National Science Foundation has awarded a three-year, $914,000 grant to ӰƵ to lead a collaborative research project to study how and at what rate the geographically most widespread native conifer in the eastern United ӰƵs, the Eastern Red Cedar tree species (Juniperus virginiana), spreads across the landscape.

Tags: Research & Science , Department of Biological Sciences , College of Sciences and Humanities , National Science Foundation

Kent Campus