Department of Biology

Department of Biology

The Department of Biology offers students the opportunity to study the living world, from biomolecules to ecosystems. Knowledge of biology is critical for addressing current medical, environmental, and social issues in our rapidly changing world.

Major & MinorCourses

Upcoming Courses: Spring 2024

Assistant Professor of Biology
Now hiring. Click here for job ad.
Students standing in semi-circle formation in desert setting

Undergraduate Research

Biology students have the unique opportunity to conduct mentored, self-directed research projects by working with biology faculty
Biology Seminar Series

Biology Seminar Series

Fall 2023 Biology Seminar Series

The fall series has concluded and new speakers will be featured starting in January 2024.

You can listen to a recording of our last speaker (Click here):

Naomi Fraga, California Botanic Garden

Title: Plant Conservation in Action: Utilizing research, collections, and advocacy to address the plant extinction crisis

Urban Ecology Research

Rats have lived alongside us in cities for centuries. We don’t like them, and they’re not good for us — but we don’t know what to do about them. UR’s urban ecologist and biology professor, and his students are on the case.

2023 Biology Photo Contest

Biology Photo & Art Contest

The Biology department invited members of the community to submit photos and artwork for its second annual photo contest to highlight biologists in action. We received nearly 30 submissions and thank everyone for their submitted photography and artwork. We recently announced the winners of our second annual Biology Photo/Art Contest.

2023 Winners:

First Place: Emily Lekas, Starfish
Honorable Mention: Joshua Pandian, Frond
Honorable Mention: Lauren Yim, Leopard

Congratulations to our winners and everyone who submitted their photos and artwork.

Congrats 2023 Award Winners!

  • Willie M. Reams Award in Biology: Narmeen Rashid
  • Clarence Denoon Award: Chris Rawson
  • Cole Memorial Scholarship Award: Olivia Beatty
  • John Neasmith Dickinson Memorial Research Award: Chris Rawson
  • Robert F. Smart Award in Biology: Yagmur Bingul, Elizabeth Forrey, Sophia Jackson, Maddie Olvey, Dominique Pham, Nina Price, Wesley Tsai, Elena Zerkin

 

 

  • Department of Biology Service Award: Dominique Pham
  • Department of Biology Teaching Assistant Award: Sophia Jackson
  • Department of Biology Teaching Assistant Award: Becca Walsh
  • Department of Biology Sophomore Research Award: Jerry He
  • Department of Biology Junior Research Award: Kharma Hall
  • Department of Biology Senior Research Award: Maddie Olvey
  • Department of Biology Junior Achievement Award: Ian Shogren
  • Department of Biology Senior Achievement Award: Dominique Pham
students in Gottwald; two holding flags

TriBeta Biology Honor Society Induction Ceremony

The newly revived UR chapter of the TriBeta Biology Honor Society is excited to induct its first members since 2019!  (left to right, top row): Shermin Uzair, Jillian Yates, Nicky Ramirez Veliz, Katie Zerwekh, Dominique Pham, Lindsey Stevens, Lex Misoka. (left to right, bottom row): Annika Wells, Allison Nguyen, Mikayla Quinn, Tess Keppel, Kayla Lambert.

TriBeta strives to recognize achievement in Biology, provide professional development opportunities and promote a safe and productive community.

We will be recruiting new members in fall 2023!  For more information or to join, please contact our current president, Dominique Pham at dominique.pham@richmond.edu

Faculty Highlights

Dr. Carrie Wu
Wu and Undergraduate Published

Carrie Wu, associate professor of biology, and Dominique Pham, '22, published "Seed Longevity and Germination of the Emerging Invasive Species Wavyleaf Basketgrass (Oplismenus undulatifolius) Under Varied Light Regimes" in Invasive Plant Science and Management.    

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Dr. Linda M. Boland
Boland Published

Linda Boland, professor of biology and associate provost for faculty, co-authored the article “Harnessing the Power of the Sabbatical: Providing Strategic Guidance to Faculty Developers” published in the Journal of Faculty Development.

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Dr. Omar Quintero-Carmona
Quintero-Carmona Published

Omar A. Quintero-Carmona, associate professor of biology, published the article "Building the Next Generation of Virtual Cells to Understand Cellular Biology" in Biophysical Journal. This work is a multi-institutional collaboration with other scientists and researchers from the University of Washington, Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden), Stanford University, the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, and the Allen Institute for Cell Science.

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Dr. Omar Quintero-Carmona
Quintero-Carmona & Undergraduate Published

Omar A. Quintero-Carmona, associate professor of biology, published the article "Myo19 Tethers Mitochondria to Endoplasmic Reticulum-Associated Actin to Promote Mitochondrial Fission" in the Journal of Cell Science with Joseph Rhodenhiser, '22. Rhodenhiser's work was completed at UR and at UPenn and funded by an Arts & Sciences summer research fellowship.

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Upcoming Events

Contact Us

Biology Department, Gottwald Science Center B-100
138 UR Drive
University of Richmond, VA 23173

Phone: (804) 289-8871
Fax: (804) 289-8233

Department Chair: Peter Smallwood
Academic Administrative Specialist: Emily Phaup
Pre-Health and Integrative Science: Emily Phaup