Welcome

The Department of Biological Sciences provides the biological component of the liberal arts education at Central Washington University. We promote student understanding of biological concepts relevant to the individual and to society, and foster an appreciation of scientific inquiry.

Evolution is the unifying theme of our curriculum. Our students obtain a broad education covering a wide variety of biological disciplines. Our teaching philosophy and facilities support a rich education experience with small class sizes, hands-on experience, regular interaction with expert faculty, and opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate research.

We offer a full complement of competitive pre-professional programs, strong programs in regional field biology, and a high-quality program for secondary biology educators.  

Biology Office Contact Information

Biology Main Office
Science Building, Room 338
400 E. University Way
Ellensburg, WA 98926-7537
Phone: (509) 963-2731
Email: biology@cwu.edu

Biology Chair
Dr. Holly Pinkart
(509) 963-2710
email: pinkarth@cwu.edu

Announcements

Winter Quarter 2023 Course Offerings 

Course Flyers:

BIOL 352 Parasitology
Learn about: Biological relations of animal parasite and host; structure, classification, and methods of diagnosis of parasitic protozoa, worms, and arthropods.
5 credits. Biological Diversity Group.  Prerequisite: BIOL 183
Lecture WF 10:00-10:50AM.  Lab WF 2:00-4:50 PM

Questions?  Please contact Dr. Gabrielle Stryker at StrykerG@cwu.edu / Office SCIE 236G

BIOL 441 Plant Physiology
Learn about: Plant Metabolism and Water Balance, Photosynthesis, Plant Responses to Light, Nutrients and Water, Plant Responses to Pathogens and Herbivores and more.
5 credits. Structure/Function and Molecular Cell Group.  Prerequisites: BIOL 183, BIOL213, CHEM 361
Lecture MWF 9:00-9:50AM. Lab T 1:00-4:50 PM

Questions?  Please contact Dr. Mary Poulson at Mary.Poulson@cwu.edu / Office SCIE 236K

GEOL / BIOL 377 and 377LAB Regional Natural History Field Course
5 credit elective for Biology & Geology (also fulfills field requirement for Environmental Studies).
This is a hybrid field course, taught by Dr. Lisa Ely, CWU Geology (ely@cwu.edu) with guest presentations from the Biology, Geography and Anthropology Departments. 
Held Wednesdays 3-6pm with additional online content and field research projects.

Questions? Please contact Dr. Ely at ely@cwu.edu

Good News

• CWU Geology staff member, Nick Zentner, featured Biology Master's student Adrian Slade recently on his popular YouTube channel.  The interview discusses Adrian's research and her promotion and love of rattlesnakes.

• CWU Biological Sciences faculty member, Dr. Paul James and Joe Blodgett (Biology B.S. 1997), participated in podcast series “THE WILD” hosted by Chris Morgan. 

Listen to the episode: "Make it like it was: Clean, cold and flowing Gold Creek of Snoqualmie Pass" 

Chris is the host and co-creator of 'THE WILD with Chris Morgan’ , a podcast that transports people back to nature through exquisite storytelling about wildlife, conservation, and the wonders of our wild planet. Within its first year, the podcast hit the top 1% of all podcasts and has become a hub for Chris’s storytelling through audio and film; all part of his mission to reconnect people with nature, so they fall in love with it, and want to protect it.
Listen to Episodes | Chris MorganWildlife 
www.chrismorganwildlife.org 
 

• Crystal Davidson (Biology alumnus) joined the Palouse Rock Lake Conservation District staff recently as their Resource Technician Lead. 
   

• Graduate Student Jenna Chapman presented her thesis research on bat activity along I-90 at the International Bat Research Conference in Austin, Texas in August, 2022.

• Jordan Ryckman (Biology B.S. 2018, Biology M.S. 2020) and Dr. Kris Ernest (CWU Biological Sciences faculty member) recently co-published in Western Wildlife.  Ryckman contributed a portion of her Master's thesis to the article Genetic Analysis Leads to Range Extension of the Olympic Shrew (Sorex rohweri) to the Eastern Slopes of the Cascade Range in Washington State (9:17–23 • 2022).
   

•  Dr. Anna Pidgeon (Biology M.S. 1995) is a professor with expertise in Avian ecology and landscape ecology within the Forest and Wildlife Ecology Department in the College of Agricultural & Life Sciences at University of Wisconsin-Madison. 
   

• Sam Nueffer completed a PhD in Molecular Biosciences from WSU and published thesis work entitled “AP-3 complex subunit delta gene, ap3d1, regulates melanogenesis and melanophore survival via autophagy in zebrafish (Danio rerio)” https://doi.org/10.1111/pcmr.13055.  Nueffer also recently started working as a research scientist at Bloodworks Northwest Research Institute in Seattle. 

• Dr. Jenny Dechaine named new Associate Dean / Director of the School of Education of the College of Education and Professional Studies [CEPS]

• And Related:  CWU Teach STEM Receives National Science Foundation Grant to Enrich Teachers

• CWU Biology Professor, Dr. Blaise Dondji, in the News for his Humanitarian Efforts

• News Article on CWU's role in the WSDOT I-90 Snoqualmie Pass Project

See Also:

• News Article on Craft Brewing Program

Alumni Video Spotlight 

Connor Parrish (CWU Biology Masters alum) discusses a multi-agency project he is working on to rescue stranded bull trout.

Helen Lau, CWU Biology Masters alum, is featured in The Nature Conservancy video "WA Women and Climate Action".

CWU Biology alums, Anjanette Wilson, Brian Hiatt, Bud Taylor, and Shelley Lankford assist the State Department of Health, working to combat the COVID-19 outbreak.

Full Story

CWU Biology alums, William Meyer and Helen Lau, discuss an upcoming wetlands restoration partnership project of the Gold Creek Valley near Snoqualmie Pass.