News & Events

The Department of Biology wishes to acknowledge a heartfelt congratulations to the graduating class of 2023! You have completed one of the stepping stones on your life journey. Now, on to the next stone.

Watch and listen to this marvelous biological environment that surrounds you, that is you, and continue to learn from it. Now is the time to use your education and the skills you've learned here at the University of Puget Sound to push the boundaries of the known, explore the unknown, and make the discoveries that will help our planet become a better place. 

We have been a family and a community these last four years. And although our bittersweet parting will be replaced with cherished memories, we are excited to share all that you will accomplish in the future. So please stay in contact with us. 

Gordon D. Alcorn Award

This award is given to the student considered to be the outstanding senior in biology based on a combination of scholarship, research, and service to the department & community.

Winners:

• Megan Mooney - "Our first awardee is an exceptional scholar and proficient researcher who enthusiastically contributed to the university community. We look forward to hearing about Megan Mooney's future accomplishments as an environmental lawyer."
• Natalie Yates (not pictured) - "Our second awardee was described as a natural leader, role model, & driver of community in the sciences, both in the classroom and in the lab. Natalie Yates is an exceptional student and talented researcher who wrestles with scientific problems at a level well beyond her years."

Beverly Pierson Research Engagement Award

This award is given to the graduating student who has demonstrated exceptional research dedication and engagement.

Winners:

• Alexi Ebersole - "Alexi has worked in his mentor's lab since his first summer at Puget Sound--that covid-filled summer of 2020. They helped their research mentor establish an entirely new study system here in Washington State. Alexi Ebersole used this new system to conduct research on the ecomorphology and diet of lizards across multiple study sites and was a collaborative team member on many other projects--always with a smile and a desire to support the entire research team. He is graduating with more data than can fit in 2 thesis chapters, a submitted manuscript, multiple professional conference presentations, and a number of awards (Wallerich Scholar, Murdock best poster, and a national student travel award from AEHS), now including the Pierson Award."
• Olivia Fross - "Olivia contacted her mentor about research opportunities prior to even arriving on campus and has also been an active research student since her first year. She has conducted university-supported research all three summers, with a particular focus on the conservation status and population dynamics of the Endangered Tufted Puffin in Washington State. Olivia Fross has been a highly collaborative member of the Hodum research group, contributing to their long-term ecological studies of other seabirds, including Rhinoceros Auklets and Marbled Murrelets. Her enthusiasm for and curiosity about the natural world are both inspiring and infectious."

DeMarais Outstanding Service Award

This award is given to the graduate who has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to service to the Biology Department and the broader community during their time at the University of Puget Sound. 

Winner:

• Joshiery Torres - "Josheiry has served the department and broader campus community in multiple leadership positions. She has been an active member of the Phi Sigma Biological Sciences Honor Society since her sophomore year, serving as Secretary durning her Junior year and Vice President during her Senior year. In addition, Josheiry Torres has been Vice President of the Latinx Student Union, which has included leading fundraising activities and the recent Latinx Festival, the proceeds of which go to the Latin American Heritage Scholarship. Josheiry has served in the spirit of Professor DeMarais, with kindness, thoughtfulness and generosity."

Outstanding Symposium Presentation

This award is given in recognition of an outstanding oral presentation describing excellent biological research at the Phi Sigma Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Winner:

• Kelci Hooker - "Kelci's thesis work has examined the interrelationships between gut microbiota and the immune system in striped plateau lizards. In her talk, Kelci clearly walked us through her study questions and their motivation, and some complicated analyses of microbial diversity. Not only does Kelci receive this award, but she also won a Best Oral Presentation award at the West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference in Los Angeles in April. Congratulations Kelci." 
• Honorable Mentions are given to: Johnsy Cabrera and Henry Norton

Outstanding IA Award

Given to the students who have demonstrated outstanding dedication and talent for helping other students to learn and appreciate the science of biology during their service as an Instructor Assistant.

Winners:

• Stella Dahms-May – “Stella is very generous with her time and knowledge. Her teaching philosophy--that 'learning should be fun'--is evident in how she supports and challenges students to have a good time while putting in the hard work to learn the lab material, not just get through enough of it to leave. She is described as being a brilliant scientist and pedagogue, and great at helping students make connections and modeling interdisciplinary learning. This all makes Stella Dahms-May a joy to work with.”
• Maël Bradley – Maël is the kind of IA that all faculty hope to have - always prepared, extremely proactive, and very good at anticipating needs. He seems naturally gifted at guiding and motivating students in the lab, and he's also generous with his time. Maël Bradley shows students why it's cool to be excited about science."

University Academic Honors-Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Summa Cum Laude

Awarded by the university to degree candidates who have exhibited academic excellence and breadth of scholarly achievement and who have a GPA of 3.7 or higher.

Winners:

• Seth Ack
• Lane Andolsek
• McKenna Boulet
• Beatrice Bugos
• Dillon Conner
• Anna Dupont
• Alexi Ebersole
• Ben Fox
• Olivia Fross
• Fay Fujimoto 
• Sasha Greeneschmitz
• Maddie Hider
• Brayden Hinrichs
• Kelci Hooker
• Capriana Jiang
• Dani Kaes
• Sophia Kasper
• Giselle Kawahara
• Maura Lake
• Emily LaRiviere
• Keira Malone
• Nicole Mannix
• Helen McDonald
• Megan Mooney
• Eme Morgan
• Christina Nguyen
• Henry Norton
• Marion Rogers
• Adam Schmidt
• Sammy Schwindt
• Colby  Smith
• Natalie Yates

Honors in Biology

These graduates are selected by the biology department based on their research, GPA, and contribution to the University. Only 10% of the graduating seniors can receive departmental honors. The award is noted on their transcripts and in the commencement program.

Winners:

• Maël Bradley
• Stella Dahms-May
• Sarah Dormer
• Luka Kitamura
• Max Merrill
• Misha Tasaka
• Elizabeth White

The fruit in the field and greenhouse are now ripening quickly all at once. We have dozens of different genotypes of new light receptor gene combinations that we have bred using Mendelian genetics and are isolating using molecular genotyping. After a 2-hour treatment with dilute hydrochloric acid to mimic passage through the stomach of a seed disperser the seeds are dried (photo on the right) before they are used for phenotypic experiments or for growing, crossing, and segregation in the next generation

This September, summer research students from all across campus gathered together for the Summer Quest Symposium where they presented their research to the campus community. It was inspiring to see so much incredible, student-driven research. Biology had 23 students presenting at the conference and they all did great