Welcome to Biology at SSU!
The Department of Biology offers a dynamic learning environment, exciting research and training opportunities and intensive mentoring of students at all levels. Our faculty are not only dedicated educators but also active scholars who engage in primary research to address diverse topics in the biological sciences.
The overall mission of our undergraduate and graduate programs is to educate the next generation of scholars, professionals and citizens so that they are prepared to meet the biological, environmental and technological challenges of the future.
Areas of educational and research activities include ecology, conservation and evolutionary biology, genetics, molecular and cell biology, and physiology.
Please feel free to contact any of the department faculty or staff if you have questions about our programs, or email biology@sonoma.edu.
California Sea Otters: Life on the Edge, featuring Dr. Brent Hughes
The Department of Biology is proud to announce Dr. Brent Hughes's research is featured in the PBS Documentary California Sea Otters: Life on the Edge! Read more from SSU News.
Congratulations, Dr. Hughes!
Announcements
Congratulations to former Grad Students Julieta Gomez and Rachael Karm! Their work was highlighted in this Dec 1 NYT article! See Student Highlights page for details.
Hey BIOL Students - Registration begins Monday, November 18! Contact your Biology faculty advisor if you need help.
Check out Biology Grad Students radio show Ecosphere, every Tues 4 - 5 pm on KSUN radio! For more info visit Ecosphere's Substack.
Congrats to Hua Lab members K. Chiddix, S. Sanchez Hurtado, & P. Swallow for being selected to represent SSU Biology at the 2024 COPLAC Conference! Watch their videos on our Student Highlights page!
Biology Department Highlights
Congratulations to former Biology Grad Students & Hughes Lab Members Julieta Gomez and Rachael Karm! Their hard work on bull kelp restoration was highlighted in this Dec 1st NYT article! We are so proud of you both! More info on Student Highlights page. Photo of Rachael Karm by Ian C. Bates for the NYT.
Listen to KSUN's Ecosphere on Tuesdays from 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm, hosted by Biology Grad student Randi Carter (Bentley Lab)! Each week, Ecosphere presents Biology-related lab research as well as research by Grad students in other Departments. For more info, check out Ecosphere's Substack: https://ssuecosphere.substack.com/
Congratulations to Hua Lab undergrads Kieran Chiddix, Sarah Sanchez Hurtado, and Patrick Swallow for representing SSU at the 2024 COPLAC conference! Read more and watch their YouTube videos on our Student Highlights Page!
Congratulations to Biology Graduate Student Aiyana Singh, who received a grant from the Sonoma County Fish and Wildlife Commission! See more on our Student Highlights page!
Biology Graduate Student Madison Stein was recently invited to speak at the South West Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Conference at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum and took 2nd place for the Best Student Presentation! Read more on our Student Highlights page...Congratulations, Madison!
The Biology Department is proud to announce that Dr. Lisa Hua and the Hua Lab have been awarded Sonoma State's first ever grant from the National Institutes of Health! The Hua Lab will use the funds to research chromosome organization and division. Congratulations to Dr. Hua and to the whole Hua Lab team!