Biology is the study of life. Biologists analyze organism functions at the cellular and molecular levels using genetics, biochemistry, and microscopy. They also study interactions between organisms and with the environment by examining behavior, morphology, physiology, and genetics. Students can take a broad curriculum within Biological Sciences or focus on specific areas, such as ecology, evolution and behavior, cell and molecular biology, or microbiology.

Studies in Biological Sciences have applications across many areas including agriculture, medicine, and the environment. Biological Sciences is a popular choice for students preparing for careers in healthcare, agriculture, natural resources and environmental sciences, food management, bioremediation, as well as the biomedical and biotechnology fields. A degree in Biological Sciences also prepares students for professional careers in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary science, and education, and graduate studies in the life sciences.

Field Stations

Pigeon Lake Field Station is a natural laboratory sponsored by the 14 campuses of the University of Wisconsin System, located in the Chequamegon National Forest, 30 miles from Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin's Bayfield County. Pigeon Lake Field Station offers summer programs in a variety of disciplines, including biology. Work completed at Pigeon Lake is credited as resident study by UWM. For additional information, contact the Biological Sciences Department office.

The UWM Field Station is an area of almost 2,500 acres devoted to the study of natural history and biology. Located about 25 miles north of campus on the Cedarburg Bog in the Town of Saukville, the station includes a wide variety of natural areas ranging from old-growth forest to acid bog and several lakes. Many biological sciences courses use the Field Station for instruction and to provide hands-on research opportunities. The Field Station provides internship and independent study opportunities for biology students; it also offers short courses for credit through the department. For additional information, contact the Biological Sciences Department office.

Programs

Biological Sciences Courses

Neuroscience Courses

NameRankDegreeSchoolGraduate FacultyEmeritus Faculty
Filipe Alberto Associate Professor PhD University of Algarve, Portugal Yes No
Sonia Bardy Associate Professor PhD Queen's University, Ontario Yes No
John Berges Professor PhD University of British Columbia Yes No
Gerald Bergtrom Professor PhD No Yes
Martin Boraas Associate Professor PhD No Yes
Arthur S. Brooks Professor PhD No Yes
John Buntin Professor PhD No Yes
James R. Coggins Associate Professor PhD No Yes
Mary Lynne Perille Collins Professor PhD Rutgers University No Yes
Claire de la Cova Assistant Professor PhD Columbia University Yes No
Madhusudan Dey Associate Professor PhD Jawaharlal Nehru University, India Yes No
Peter Dunn Distinguished Professor PhD University of Alberta Yes No
Timothy Ehlinger Associate Professor PhD Michigan State University Yes No
Millicent S. Ficken Professor PhD No Yes
Steven Forst Professor PhD New York University Yes No
Ralph Grunewald Associate Professor PhD No Yes
Jennifer Gutzman Associate Professor PhD University of Wisconsin-Madison Yes No
R. David Heathcote Professor PhD University of California, Berkeley No Yes
Gerlinde Hoebel Associate Professor DNS, PhD University of Ulm, Germany Yes No
Sara B. Hoot Professor PhD No Yes
Reinhold Hutz Professor PhD Michigan State University No Yes
Jeffrey Karron Associate Professor PhD University of Colorado Yes No
Geoffrey S. Kennedy Associate Professor No Yes
Sergei Kuchin Associate Professor PhD Institute of Genetics, Moscow Yes No
Emily Latch Associate Professor PhD Purdue University Yes No
Jakob R. Loewenberg Professor PhD No Yes
Mark McBride Distinguished Professor PhD University of Wisconsin-Madison Yes No
Gretchen A. Meyer Adjunct Senior Scientist PhD Cornell University Yes No
James R. Moyer Jr. Associate Professor, Psychology PhD Northwestern University No No
Julie A. Oliver Associate Professor PhD University of Wisconsin-Madison Yes No
Marianna Orlova Instrument Innovator PhD Institute of Genetics and Selection of Industrial Microorganisms, Moscow No No
Heather A. Owen Senior Scientist PhD Miami University Yes No
Andrew Petto Senior Lecturer PhD University of Massachusetts, Amherst No Yes
Ruth B. Phillips Professor PhD No Yes
Gyaneshwar Prasad Associate Professor PhD Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, India Yes No
Christopher C. Quinn Associate Professor PhD Yale University Yes No
Valerica Raicu Professor, Physics PhD University of Bucharest, Romania No No
James A. Reinartz Adjunct Senior Scientist PhD Duke University Yes No
Charles C. Remsen Professor PhD No Yes
Rafael Rodríguez Associate Professor PhD University of Kansas Yes No
Daad A. Saffarini Professor PhD University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Yes No
Colin Scanes Professor PhD, DSc No Yes
Marius Schmidt Professor PhD Technical University of Munich No No
Dianne Seale Associate Professor PhD No Yes
Cynthia V. Sommer Associate Professor PhD No Yes
Douglas Steeber Associate Professor, Chair PhD University of Wisconsin-Madison Yes No
J. Rudi Strickler Shaw Distinguished Professor PhD Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Yes No
Ava Udvadia Associate Professor PhD Duke University Yes No
Donna Van Wynsberghe Professor PhD No Yes
Eldon D. Warner Professor PhD No Yes
Roslyn P. Warren Professor PhD No Yes
Peter J. Wejksnora Associate Professor PhD Brandeis University No Yes
Linda A. Whittingham Professor PhD Queens University, Ontario No Yes
Charles F. Wimpee Associate Professor PhD University of California, Los Angeles Yes Yes
Jane Witten Associate Professor PhD University of Chicago No Yes
Ching-Hong Yang Professor PhD University of California, Riverside Yes No
Erica Young Associate Professor PhD Monash University (Melbourne, Australia) Yes No
Dazhong (Dave) Zhao Professor PhD The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China Yes No