Biology

Biology is the study of life, from the molecular level to the whole organism to the global biosphere. Biologists explore all aspects of living systems, and biological discoveries continue to improve human health, food production, and environmental sustainability.

About the Major

This Biology major provides a foundation in biological principles with the largest range of flexibility in electives to explore a variety of biological topics. As a Biology major you learn to identify, alter or manage biological processes from single cells to whole organisms.

Other majors in the Biological Sciences:

Botany Microbiology Genetics
Zoology Pre-Professional Zoology Neuroscience
Environment & Sustainability Health & Human Kinetics Biochemistry

Related Minors

Think Big

Every Biology major is encouraged to seek distinctive learning, research, and field experiences. These often take the form of independent study, summer research at OWU or other institutions, summer classes at a biological field station, and internships at hospitals and ecological or agricultural centers.

The OWU Connection Research & Independent Study Summer Science Research

Ecosystem Health in Costa Rica

Working with Dr. David Johnson, Kyle Davis ’19 conducted avian censuses in Costa Rica, comparing the biodiversity in two different locations in order to assess the overall ecosystem health. He presented his research at the annual Student Symposium.

Saving Honey Bees

Peyton Hardesty '20 served as an apprentice for beekeeper Dave Noble at Stratford Ecological Center. They observed and assisted in the healthy, sustainable management of over fifty hives. As the honey bee population dwindles, such practices become paramount.

Turmeric as Anti-Viral

Jemil Ahmed ('17) studied how turmeric, a common spice in Asian cusine, affects genes that combat virus infections.

Go Global

Travel-Learning Courses provide a unique way to go from theory into practice—and to journey to a distant land and interact with people from other cultures. OWU offers dozens of these courses each year (usually during spring break or at the end of classes in May), and the University covers a substantial portion of the travel costs, lodging, meals, and on-site transportation.

Travel-Learning Courses

Costa Rican Basilisk

As a freshman, Serena George '19 turned a Travel-Learning Class on tropical biology in Costa Rica into a research project on the Costa Rican Basilisk.

Watch the Video

Tent-Making Bats

During a Travel-Learning Course in Costa Rica, Francesca Socki ’17 studied tent-making bats and the structure and leaf characteristics of the tents that they create.

Brazil

In a class taught by Professor Laurie Anderson, students examined three Brazilian ecosystems as case studies: Manaus, a city on the Amazon River; the Chapada savanna region; and an ecotourism lodge in the Pantanal, a wetlands area.

Highlights

Field Sites & Greenhouse

Ohio Wesleyan maintains multiple "living labs." At OWU, you'll find a campus arboretum, an herbarium with 16,000 specimens, the Moore Greenhouse with almost 500 specimens from around the world, and two forested nature preserves.

Schimmel/Conrades Science Center

OWU's 150,000-square-foot science center features an array of sophisticated equipment for hands-on use by OWU students. Examples of the technology include digital imaging equipment, 3D printer, fluorescence microscope, scanning transmission electron microscope, and state-of-the-art equipment for molecular biology studies.

More Information

Summer Research

Students have the opportunity to engage full-time in cutting-edge research with faculty mentors at OWU, with free on-campus housing and a generous stipend for 10 weeks in the summer. Students present their findings at an all-college scientific symposium and often at national and international conferences.

Graduate Outcomes

Chloe Hamrick Williams '11

Chloe presented her undergraduate research at the American Society for Microbiology Annual meeting in New Orleans. After graduating from OWU, she worked at Neogen Corp. and went on to study medicine at Michigan State University.

Graduate Study

Recent biological science grads are attending graduate programs at the following universities: Auburn, Case Western Reserve, Cornell, George Washington, Michigan State, Penn State, Purdue, Ohio State, Vanderbilt, and Bren Fellow, Rio de Janeiro.

Diverse Careers

OWU biological science graduates are working around the globe in highly varied fields. Examples of employment include: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Chemical Abstracts Service, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Mayo Clinic, Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, Ohio Seed Improvement Association, and Tiger Optics.

Headlines

Events

A Look at Biology

Field Class— Students organizing soil and biological samples collected from a local stream.

Field Class

Students organizing soil and biological samples collected from a local stream.

Kraus Wilderness Preserve— A Saddleback caterpillar at the OWU Kraus Wilderness Preserve.

Kraus Wilderness Preserve

A Saddleback caterpillar at the OWU Kraus Wilderness Preserve.
I³ Lecture by Dr. Laurie Anderson— Rainforests, cloud fountains, and the flying river of Brazil

I³ Lecture by Dr. Laurie Anderson

Rainforests, cloud fountains, and the flying river of Brazil

Department Contact Info

Location

Schimmel/Conrades Science Center
Ohio Wesleyan University
Delaware, OH 43015
P 740-368-3907
F 740-368-3999
E jaarlington@owu.edu

Department Contact

Chair: Chris Wolverton
Professor of Biological Sciences
Schimmel/Conrades Science Center 339
740-368-3503
scwolver@owu.edu

Academic Assistant: Judy Arlington
Schimmel/Conrades Science Center 201
740-368-3907
jaarlington@owu.edu