Department of Biology
O’Neil and Swords Halls
508-793-2656
Chair: Julia Paxson
Office Coordinator: Linda Walsh
The Department’s Home
The Department of Biology is housed in O'Neil and Swords Halls, part of the College's Integrated Science Complex which was completed in 2010. In addition to state-of-the-art campus facilities — which include confocal and scanning electron microscopes, anaerobic growth chamber, and multiple thermocyclers for Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) techniques — the department also makes extensive use of nearby sites for field studies that are central to ecological and evolutionary biology.
Research Opportunities
A major educational goal of the biology department is to introduce undergraduates to the excitement and methods of scientific research. All students are exposed to modern research techniques in course labs, and have additional opportunities to do significant semi-independent research under the supervision of a faculty member, often for academic credit.
The College also maintains a summer research program through the Office of the Science Coordinator where students work with an individual faculty member on a multi-week summer research project, often resulting in publication in a research journal.
Learn more about research opportunities.