Facilities
The Biology Department is excited to be housed in the new Sinegal Center that opened in Fall 2021! The laboratories are illuminated by natural light through glass walls and a central atrium. The facility is state-of-the-art in all aspects, including safety. Departmental spaces include the following:
- Introductory biology labs that are taught by our faculty
- Teaching labs are connected to research labs
- Students work with faculty in their research spaces
- Study rooms throughout the Sinegal Center
- Microbiology lab
- Cellular and molecular biology lab
- Ecology and field biology lab
- Biotechnology and biochemistry lab
- Organismal biology lab
- Anatomy and physiology labs
- Tissue culture room
- Microscopy room
- Specimens room
- Walk-in environmental chamber
- Walk-in marine environment
- Walk-in cold room
- Electron microscope lab complex, including dark room
- Greenhouse
Equipment
The Biology Department has a collection of up-to-date equipment to complement our labs, thanks to faculty-obtained NSF grants, funding from the M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust in the forms of individual faculty grants and a large grant for the purchase of microscopes, private donations, and support from our Dean and Administration with annual equipment budgets.
Some of the high visibility equipment:
- Research grade compound microscopes for use in upper division classes with bright field, phase, dark field, fluorescence, video, and digital analysis capabilities
- Zeiss EM 900 electron microscope
- Laminar flow biological safety hoods
- Molecular biology equipment, including thermocyclers, centrifuges, electrophoresis supplies
- Real-time PCR machines
- Solomat digital meters and data loggers for field work
- Weatherpak radio telemetry weather station
