Correspondence Directory

Majors and Courses of InstructionBiological SciencesBotany andMicrobiologyZoologyProfessors Anderson, Goldstein, JohnsonAssociate Professor WolvertonAdjunct Professors Ichida, Murray, RobertsContinuing Part-time Professor Tuhela-ReuningProfessors Burtt, Downing, GatzAssociate Professors Carreno, HamillAssistant Professors Hankison, Markwardt, PanhuisContinuing Part-time Professor Tuhela-ReuningAdjunct Professor WaterhouseOhio Wesleyan offers an uncommonly wide range of options for the study of biology, because it isone of few small colleges with two closely integrated life science departments: Botany/Microbiologyand Zoology. This structure allows our program to offer a larger diversity of specialty courses in subdisciplinesacross the biological sciences than many other small schools.Accordingly, the twin departments offer six different versions, or ‘sequences’, of biology majors.Most sequences begin with a common set of core courses, but each has unique features that makeit most appropriate for the many different fields that our students wish to pursue. Some studentsare especially interested in particular groups of organisms, like microbes, plants, or animals andhumans. These students may best be served by majors in Microbiology, Botany, or General Zoologyrespectively. However, other students are attracted to the study of biological processes, and they willbe better served by combining courses from both departments. The study of genetics, molecularbiology, physiology, evolution, or ecology, for example, cuts across all groups of organisms. Forstudents interested in the process-oriented approach, the Genetics sequence or Biology sequencemay be found more appropriate after the student has consulted with an academic advisor.All members of the Biological Sciences Departments are academic advisors and are availableto help majors or potential majors in curriculum planning. Advisors will help students chooseamong courses that have diverse emphases: molecular to whole-organism, laboratory and field,practical and theoretical. Students in both departments have access to state-of-the-art equipmentand facilities such as digital imaging equipment, a fluorescence microscopy laboratory, a scanningelectron microscope laboratory, and molecular biology laboratories. In addition, there is aZoology museum and a Botanical herbarium in the science center. The Kraus and Bohannannature preserves, 80 and 50 acres respectively, are close to campus. Several other nearby facilitieswithin easy driving range provide apprenticeship opportunities, including the U.S. Departmentof Agriculture Laboratories, nearby hospitals, Stratford Ecological Center, Ohio Wildlife Center,veterinary clinics, and the Columbus Zoo.Majors are encouraged to exceed minimum requirements and to seek out distinctive learning andresearch experiences. These often take the form of independent study in the junior or senior year,summer research at Ohio Wesleyan or other institutions, or summer courses at a biological fieldstation. Some of these summer experiences may count toward major requirements.Numerous awards are available to biological sciences majors. The Burns-Shirling Award recognizesacademic excellence or service to the Botany and Microbiology Department. The Edwin G.Conklin Award recognizes excellence in independent studies by a senior zoology major. The Ralph59