Biology program at DSU is student-centered and flexible

November 21, 2024

The biology program at DSU is student-centered and flexible, preparing students for a variety of career paths.

“Students can come here with desires to become a park ranger, a medical doctor, or a researcher, and they can all be served by the biology program,” said Dr. Andrew Sathoff, assistant professor of biology. He is also the science coordinator and undergraduate research coordinator.

“One of my undergraduate researchers is now in law school, so the skills you develop will still help you later down the line if your plans change.”

There are two biology tracks in the program. Integrated biology is traditional biology for those interested in natural resource work, pre-service majors, and research. Biology education is a biology teaching degree for students who want to teach high school biology. The program also aligns well with the chemistry and physics minors.

Additionally, the program has a close partnership with exercise science, enabling students to double major in biology and exercise science and earn their degree in four years with 116 credits.

Beyond the alignment with other programs and collaborations, the biology program at DSU is dedicated to teaching students through active learning strategies using innovative technology.

“The technology in our lab is comparable to what you would find in a graduate lab,” Sathoff said.

Students use a variety of technology from autoclaves to laminar flow hoods, centrifuges, a microplate reader, gel electrophoresis equipment, and a qPCR machine that measures and amplifies DNA samples to study gene expression, genetic variation, genotyping, biomarker discovery, and detecting bacteria and viruses.

“This equipment allows students to learn at low-stakes levels as undergraduates,” Sathoff said. “We’ll set you up with the lab skills to make you successful.”

In addition to the equipment, students receive individualized attention from faculty with opportunities for one-on-one mentored research. DSU undergraduate biology students regularly complete graduate-level research, presenting at professional conferences and publishing in professional publications.

“The mentorship we receive from our professors allows you to flourish,” said Braxton Lacher, senior integrated biology major. “Our professors aren’t just teachers, but they’re also experts in the field. They know how to take your research project to the next level.”

Dr. Kristel Bakker, biology professor and avian ecologist, teaches courses that specialize in ecology, natural resource management, and conservation, all of which involve a lot of field trips.

“We go out in the field and collect data using the latest technology or scientific instrumentation,” Bakker said.

Most of Bakker’s research is focused on grassland birds, their habitat requirements, and conservation methods for the species.

“We recently tested avian eggshells that we found in the wild for pesticides, which hadn’t been completed on shells from the wild before,” Bakker said. That research project was student-assisted.

Bakker enjoys introducing students to research and watching their growth throughout projects.

“It’s exciting to see students present data and realize they’re now the expert in the room,” she said.