Biology
Major and minor offered (also see Biolchemistry and Neuroscience)

The nature of the biology department reflects both the diversity of modern approaches to dealing with living organisms and the commitment of the University to a liberal education. The course offerings are, for a small department, unusually rich and varied and -offer great -opportunity for the construction of unique yet broad-based programs of study. The basic objectives of the department are to provide insight into the rules and relationships governing living systems as learned through our specialty majors or through a student-tailored program in the basic biology major.
The biology academic program has the following learning goals for students:

1) To learn fundamental concepts in three major areas: cell and molecular biology, organismal biology, and ecology and evolution.
2) To use modern laboratory and field research -techniques to conduct research.
3) To integrate content, skills and critical thinking to -design feasible independent research projects -employing the scientific method.
4) To critique and contextualize the published works of others in the scientific community, including the ability to critically analyze experimental design and data interpretation.
5) To demonstrate quantitative literacy, including the application of statistical methods to analyze and interpret data.
6) To develop scientific writing skills through the writing of papers using scientific conventions of format, succinctness, objectivity and accuracy.
7) To develop oral communication skills within the context of scientific conventions of -format, succinctness, objectivity and accuracy through the presentation of papers and posters.

Graduate work is necessary for those wishing to pursue many careers in the biological sciences, although some majors do obtain positions without further formal training. Biology majors continue studies in graduate school in such diverse areas as ecology, evolution, molecular biology, entomology, marine biology, physiology, microbiology and genetics. Other majors use their biological training in industry, environmental science, academia and health care professions.

Many biology majors go on to health professional schools in veterinary medicine, medicine, dentistry or physical therapy. Students interested in a health career should consult a member of the Health Careers Committee early in their college career.

The department’s facilities, located in Johnson Hall of Science, include 30 teaching and research laboratories with appropriate preparation rooms and equipment, a greenhouse and collections of invertebrates, vertebrates and plants. Many courses focus on fieldwork in the varied habitats near the University, in the Adirondacks, and in other parts of the U.S. as well as international locations such as the Caribbean, Kenya, Malaysia, Peru and others. Students have access to a range of high- and low-tech equipment for research, including insect nets, plant presses, live-traps, binoculars, GPS units, radio tracking collars, GIS labs, underwater camera, PCR Machines, spectrophotometers, gel units, physiographs, a transmission electron microscope, a scanning electron microscope and a confocal microscope. All laboratories are equipped with computers for data analysis and information retrieval from the Internet and the science library on-line database services.

Opportunities exist for student employment as laboratory assistants, teaching assistants or field assistants, or in some -combination of these roles. Completion of -particular courses is often a prerequisite to -specific employment.

Courses for the Non-major

Biology 101,102 and 121, are open to all students and fulfill the natural science with lab distribution. 101 and 102 also serve as the year of general biology required by many professional schools.

Advanced Placement Exams

Students scoring a 4 or 5 on the AP biology test should enroll in the first semester of Biology 101 (General Biology) for which they will receive the normal 1.25 units of credit toward the major. Students who do well in this course will be permitted to bypass the spring general biology course (Biology 102) and they will be given advanced standing as well as the Biology 102 1.25 units of credit toward the major. The approval of this option will be determined by the general biology course instructors. Athough AP scores of 4 or 5 automatically nominate students for this bypass option, students may voluntarily choose to stay in the General Biology course sequence and enroll in Biology 102.

Major Requirements

Students entering St. Lawrence with an interest in biology should enroll in General Biology (101 and 102) during their first year. They should also seek early advisement by a biology faculty member.
The minimum requirements for the biology major are two semesters of Biology 101-102 (1.25 units each) plus an additional six units of -biology courses. At least two units of these courses must be at the 300 or 400 level. Half-unit biology offerings may also be used to fulfill this requirement. Certain courses have no lab or field component (or other limiting condition) and are designated as “major credit restricted,” or MCR. Only one such course can count toward the minimum six units of biology electives (courses beyond 101, 102). Examples include 261, the non-lab sections of 360 and 380, and certain 400-level courses (see below). In addition to the biology course units described above, the major also requires courses in chemistry (103 and 104) and math (113 or two semesters of calculus – 135 and 136).

Biology comprises many subdisciplines directed toward the study of particular groups of organisms or processes. In addition, the biological -sciences interface with many other fields to yield interdisciplinary areas such as biochemistry, environmental sciences, ethnobiology and paleontology. Because of this diversity, biology majors are not required to take a set list of required courses (specialized majors such as biochemistry, neurobiology and conservation biology do have required courses), but are strongly encouraged to select courses that provide both breadth and depth in the field. Just as students obtain a liberal education, biology majors are also advised to obtain a broad preparation in biology.

Below are courses grouped according to their primary level of biological organization. Although majors may wish to concentrate in one area, students are expected to take courses from each of the following areas and from as many departmental faculty members as possible. (See the appropriate Catalog sections for Biochemistry, Conservation Biology, Neuroscience, Biology-Environmental Studies and Biology-Physics.)

Cell/Molecular biology
231. Microbiology.
245,246. Genetics.
250. Introduction to Cell biology.
270. Endocrinology.
288. Introductory Neuroscience.
309. Biochemistry.
320. Reproductive Physiology.
326. Animal Physiology.
386. Advanced Animal Physiology.
389. Advanced Neuroscience.
390. Research Methods in Transmission Electron Microscopy.
391. Research Methods in Scanning Electron Microscopy.
392. Research Methods in Confocal Microscopy.
393. Microscopy Project.
394. Research Methods in biolchemistry.
395. Research Methods in Molecular biology.

Ecology and Evolutionary biology
215. Invertebrate biology.
221. General Ecology.
227. Mammalogy.
258. Ethnobotany.
319. Plant Systematics.
330. Limnology.
340. Conservation biology.
357. Behavioral Ecology.
360. Marine Ecology.
380. Tropical Ecology.*

Organismal biology
209. Vertebrate Natural History.
215. Invertebrate biology.
224. Biology of Vascular Plants.
227. Mammalogy.
231. Microbiology.
232.  Laboratory Animals
240. Human Anatomy.
258. Ethnobotany
325. Mycology.
328. Biology of Non-Vascular Plants.
360. Marine Ecology.

*Major credit restricted.

Research Projects and The Senior Year Experience

Biology 468 and 469 (SYE: Tutorial Research Project) and Biology 489 and 490 (SYE: Experimental Research Project) are open to any senior student who majors or minors in biology or its related majors. Before deciding on a particular topic, students are encouraged to discuss possible projects with members of the biology faculty and to have received appropriate lab training in the chosen area of research by the end of the junior year. This may be accomplished through customized research methods courses (Biology 381 and 382) or by volunteering in a faculty-related research program. The faculty member who agrees to sponsor the research will become the project -advisor and will direct all aspects of the independent research; he or she will also be responsible for evaluating student performance. Students are encouraged to seek input from other departmental faculty as appropriate to the research topic. Projects may be one semester in length (earning 1 unit of credit) or they may span the entire year. Depending on the scope, year-long pro-jects may earn .5 or 1 unit per -semester (1 to 2 units for a year-long project). Only one such unit may count toward the minimum major requirements and toward the two units at the 300 or 400 level. However, these units cannot count toward the minimum requirements for the biology minor.

The biology department has formally adopted a Research Integrity Policy modeled on the federal Public Health Service policy of the Office of Research Integrity (see ori.dhhs.gov/policies/ori_policies.shtml). All faculty and students are expected to adhere to this policy while engaged in their research. Any concerns or questions should be brought to a biology department co-chair.

Honors

To graduate with honors in biology, a student must have a minimum 3.50 GPA in all biology courses at the time of graduation and must satisfactorily complete a year-long honors research project. A student wishing to be considered for honors in biology should enroll in Biology 469 or 489 (SYE Research) during the first semester of research (usually, but not limited to, the fall semester of the senior year) for .5 or 1 unit of credit. The student, in consultation with the project advisor, should choose a project committee comprised of the project advisor and two other faculty members appropriate to the topic (one of these two may be from another department). This committee should be formed as soon as possible in the first semester of research. At the end of the first semester, the honors project advisor, in consultation with the other members of the advisory committee, evaluates a formal research proposal and progress toward the completion of the project. If the project is deemed worthy of honors in biology, the student is nominated as a candidate for honors. The student can then enroll in Biology 499 (SYE: Honors Research) for the spring semester. This course may carry either one-half or one unit of credit.

Although most decisions about the requirements for the honors research are determined by the project advisor, all honors students must meet certain minimum project standards, which can be obtained from the department. Criteria for determining the awarding of honors and associated grades are also available from the department.

Honors in the Environmental Studies/Biology Combined Major
To graduate with honors in the environmental studies-biology combined major, students must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher in all biology and environmental studies courses and complete an honors research project having an environmental component or emphasis. The timetable and guidelines are the same as for honors in biology, except that the project must be guided by a project committee comprised of at least one faculty member from both environmental studies and biology. Also, the student is nominated for honors to both the environmental studies and biology faculty.

Research Support

Most student research is supported by the department. To receive departmental support, students must submit a proposal in which they describe their research and include a budget of estimated costs. Students may also obtain a University fellowship that provides support for a summer research experience of eight to 10 weeks. Guidelines for fellowship applications are available in the office of the dean of academic affairs in Vilas Hall. In addition, the Crowell Summer Award in Field Biology is given for summer study at a biological field station, normally to junior majors who show promise in natural history. Other opportunities for student research are posted on the department’s Web page.

Minor Requirements

The minimum course requirements for a minor in biology are the two semesters of Biology 101-102plus three additional units of biology courses. At least one unit of these courses must be at the 300 level. The minimum course requirements cannot include units of 381/2 or 400-level SYE courses, but may include one “major credit restricted” course. The department does not require specific courses, but does strongly recommend that minors select courses that -provide breadth. Advanced placement for the minor is the same as for the major.

Suggested Courses Outside the Department

Because biology is interdisciplinary in nature, -selected support courses outside the department should include a year of organic chemistry in addition to the required year of general chemistry, introductory physics and mathematics (in addition to the required statistics), and may include other courses chosen to strengthen individual objectives. To gain a greater appreciation of material in advanced biology courses, to meet requirements of graduate and professional schools and to use the junior and senior years most effectively, students should take electives outside the department as early as possible.

The biology department encourages and gives major credit for off-campus study, especially in St. Lawrence’s Kenya, Australia and Denmark programs (see the International and Intercultural Studies -chapter of this Catalog).

Certification to Teach biology

Students seeking initial certification as a 7-12 -biology teacher in New York must major in -biology and also complete the certification minor in education. Biology majors intending to complete student teaching after graduation in the University’s Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification Program must complete the biology major and the educational studies minor in education (or its equivalent) as undergraduates. Consult the Education section of this Catalog and/or speak to the coordinator of the teacher education program in the education department as early as possible.

Awards

The biology department annually makes the -following awards:

The Beta Beta Beta Outstanding Senior Award is given to a graduating biology major who has shown outstanding achievement in academics, research and departmental service. Along with the recognition, the award provides a one-year membership in the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The Edward N. Warner Award is given to a   junior major to help defray the cost of applying to health professional schools during his or her -senior year. This award is based on superior academic achievement and all recipients must show some financial need.

Faculty

Thomas Wayne Budd, A.A., North Dakota School of Forestry; B.S., Ph.D., North Dakota State
Professor of Biology

David Eugene Hornung, B.S., Geneva; M.A., Kent State; Ph.D., SUNY (Upstate Medical Center) Syracuse
Charles A. Dana Professor of Biology

Bradley S. Baldwin, B.S., Southern Illinois; Ph.D., Maryland
Associate Professor of Biology and Co-Chair of Department

Erika Liese Barthelmess, B.A., Earlham; Ph.D., Kansas
Fippinger Associate Professor of Biology

Joseph S. Erlichman, B.S., M.S., Colorado; Ph.D., Dartmouth
Associate Professor of Biology

Karl B. McKnight, B.S., M.S., Brigham Young; Ph.D., Michigan
Associate Professor of Biology

Michael Temkin, B.S., M.S., American; Ph.D., Southern California
Associate Professor of Biology and Co-Chair of Department

Emily Humphrey Dixon, Ph.D., Harvard University
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry

Ana Y. Estevez, B.S., Binghamton; Ph.D., Wayne State
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience

Lorraine Olendzenski, B.A., Boston; M.S., Massachusetts; Ph.D., Connecticut
Assistant Professor of Biology

Aswini Pai, B.S., Mahatma Gandhi University; M.S., Wildlife Institute of India; Ph.D., Ohio
Assistant Professor of Biology

Susan K. Willson, B.A., Skidmore; Ph.D., University of Missouri
Assistant Professor of Biology