OVERVIEW: General Introduction to the Department

It is now widely recognized that the Life Sciences are growing more in the 21st century than other sciences. Whether it's deciphering genomes, dealing with ecological crises, investigating life from the deepsea to rainforests, analyzing adaptations of organisms, or making medical advances, the efforts of biologists are in the news every day, widening our understanding of the natural world and human interactions and survival in that world.

09class
Whitman Biology students (Class of '09) and faculty , May 2009


To prepare our graduates for all careers in the Life Sciences, the Biology major at Whitman College offers a well-rounded degree with coursework covering all the major areas of biology, from the molecular to the ecological. All courses are integrated with modern molecular and evolutionary concepts. The senior year requires a research thesis and comprehensive exams (click Policies and Requirements link here or above). Our students leave Whitman fully prepared to go into any biologically related graduate program, medicine and other health fields, laboratory and administrative positions at biotechnology companies, business and law school, and teaching. And they are prepared to enter the world in any other field as scientifically literate thinkers.
In addition to our comprehensive Biology degree, we also offer combined degrees in other Life Science areas: SEE Policies and Requirement section for major requirements.

2009-2010 NEWS:

We are joined by three visiting professors: Amy Groth, Jennifer Gee, and Hilary Lease

The 2009-10 REMPEL LECTURE will be on Feb. 8, 2010, by Sean Carroll, a well-known evolutionary and developmental biologist and a specialist on Darwin, author of several best-selling books on these subjects.

Faculty and Staff -- Whitman College Biology Department.
Current Chair = GINGER WITHERS

NOTE: to reduce spam email, *AT* has been inserted into email addresses below. REPLACE THIS with the @ symbol for emailing
  • Heidi E. M. Dobson, Ph.D.; Associate Professor; botany and plant/animal interactions:   dobsonhe*AT*whitman.edu;
  • Kendra Golden, Ph.D., Associate Professor; microbiology, cell biology, nutrition: golden*AT*whitman.edu
  • Martha Holt, B.A., Department Technician / Lab Coordinator: holtma*AT*whitman.edu
  • Jennifer Gee, Ph.D., Visiting Assistant Professor;
  • Amy Groth, Ph.D., Visiting Assistant Professor; molecular biology
  • Delbert Hutchison, Ph.D., Associate Professor; population genetics, conservation biology, evolution: hutchidw*AT*whitman.ed. ON LEAVE 2009- 2010
  • Kate Jackson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor; introductory biology, vertebrate zoology, herpetology: jacksok*AT*whitman.edu. ON LEAVE FALL 2009
  • Leena Knight, Ph.D., ; cell communication, pathophysiology: knightls*AT*whitman.edu
  • Thomas Knight, Ph.D., Assistant Professor; introductory biology, biostatistics, animal behavior: knightt*AT*whitman.edu
  • Hilary Lease, Ph.D.,Visiting Assistant Professor; physiology
  • Tim Parker, Ph.D., Assistant Professor; Ecology, natural history, avian ecology: parkerth*AT*whitman.edu
  • Michelle Shafer, M.S.; Lab and Imaging Coordinator for Cell and Molecular Biology: shafermr*AT*whitman.edu
  • Daniel M. Vernon, Ph.D., Associate Professor; molecular biology, plant developmental genetics, and genomics: vernondm*AT*whitman.edu. ON LEAVE 2009-2010
  • Christopher Wallace, Ph.D., Associate Professor; introductory biology; neurobiology, developmental biology: wallaccs*AT*whitman.edu
  • Ginger Withers, Ph.D., Associate Professor; neurobiology, developmental biology: withergs*AT*whitman.edu; DEPARTMENT CHAIR
  • C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D., Research Associate; phytoplankton ecology; educational/resource initiatives in aquatic and climate research: weilercs*AT*whitman.edu ON LEAVE STARTING 2009
  • Paul H. Yancey, Ph.D., Professor; Animal physiology, marine biology, bioethics; human anatomy and physiology: yancey*AT*whitman.edu. ON LEAVE STARTING SUMMER 2009

Biology faculty with Jared Diamond, Feb. 2002. L to R: Charles Drabek, Delbert Hutchison, Ginger Withers, Kendra Golden, Jared Diamond (visiting speaker from UCLA), Heidi Dobson, Paul Yancey, Dan Vernon, Chris Wallace. Dr Diamond gave a talk on his award-winning book Guns, Germs and Steel, which all Whitman entering students read during the summer of 2002.
Photo by Chris Bishop

 


Department Research Facilities

A new wing was added in 2001-02 to the Science Building, and the old wing was renovated in 2003-04. Biology gained a new greenhouse, new teaching rooms, new stockroom, and new student-faculty research rooms.


Above: The 1981 wing of the Hall of Science with Biology on the 2nd and 3rd floors.
Right: the atrium of the 2002 wing, with classrooms, displays and lounges used by all departments

Department Policy Statements

What Do Our Graduates Do?

Whitman Biology graduates go on into numerous endeavors around the world. Here are recent examples of the most common careers (NOT a complete list):


Student Research in the Biology Department
Many students conduct their required research via paid INTERNSHIPS.
An example: the American Physiological Society national internships program.
See our INTERNSHIPS PAGE for more examples! Examples of student research projects and publications:

Oct. 2001: 3 Whitman students present their work at the 2nd Internat'l Hydrothermal Vent Symposium, Brest, FRANCE (see Fiess et al., below)
Examples of PUBLICATIONS (*=undergraduates)
  • G. G. Parker, M. M. Davis*, S. M. Chapotin (2002). Canopy light transmittance in Douglas-fir western hemlock stands. Tree Physiology 22:147-157
  • Cushing DA*, Forsthoefel NR, Gestaut DR*, & Vernon DM (2005). Arabidopsis emb 175 and other ppr knockout mutants reveal essential roles for PPR proteins in plant embryogenesis. Planta, 221: 424-436.
  • Rosenberg*, N.K., R.W. Lee, P.H. Yancey (2006). High contents of hypotaurine and thiotaurine in hydrothermal-vent gastropods without thiotrophic endosymbionts. J. Exp. Zool. 305A: 655-662.
  • Brand*, G.L., R.V. Horak*, N. LeBris, S.K. Goffredi, S.L. Carney, B. Govenar, P.H. Yancey (2007). Hypotaurine and thiotaurine as indicators of sulfide exposure in bivalves and vestimentiferans from hydrothermal vents and cold seeps. Mar. Ecol. 28: 208-218.
  • Samerotte*, A.L., J.C. Drazen, G.L. Brand*, B.A. Seibel, P.H. Yancey (2007). Contents of trimethylamine oxide correlate with depth within as well as among species of teleost fish: an analysis of causation. Phys. Zool. Biochem. 80: 197-208

Oct. 2006: Ray Andrell spends 6 weeks at sea on the Atlantis, diving in the Alvin sub to collect specimens for his thesis

Calendar of Events


Biology Courses Online Information
Careers in Biology

What do you do with a biology degree after college? I trust that you have talked with the following:

On campus we also have a fine resource in the Career Center. Check them out as they have lots of material and people to talk to. Also, check out their Employment in Science site.

Here are some other Web resources that may be of use.


Internet Resources of Biological Interest

Below we list some interesting Web sites you may wish to visit. If you go to the Home Pages for the various Biology web courses you will find many more resources.


Professor Paul Yancey maintains this page (originally designed by Prof. Earl Fleck).

Last update 5-Jun-2009