BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON 98225-9160
GRADUATE PROGRAM IN BIOLOGY
www.fire.biol.wwu.edu/grad/
The graduate program leading to a thesis-based Master of Science degree in biology is designed to provide the student with a broad knowledge in advanced biology and the opportunity to conduct creative and independent research. Each student develops a flexible course of study individually arranged to meet his or her specific needs and objectives. The major professor and two other faculty members comprise the thesis committee, and they serve to direct and advise the graduate student in research and writing the results of the thesis topic. Faculty in related departments such as Environmental Sciences, Chemistry, and Math may serve on thesis committees, enabling graduate students to pursue interdisciplinary research.
Two to three academic years are usually needed for completion of the program of study. Each student must complete 45 credit hours and submit a thesis based on original research. Included in the 45 credit hours are 33 hours in courses at the graduate level (including up to 10 credits at the 400 level) and 12 hours of credit in thesis research (Biology 690).Thesis research ranges over a broad spectrum of topics reflecting the strengths and interests of the 15-member Biology Graduate Faculty (listed below). Faculty interests span four program areas:
1) Cell and Molecular Biology, 2) Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 3) Marine Biology, and 4) Organismal Biology.
| Alejandro Acevedo-Gutierrez | Marine mammal and seabird ecology and behavior |
| Roger Anderson | Behavioral and physiological ecology of vertebrates |
| Herbert Brown | Vertebrate zoology; herpetology and ornithology |
| Deborah Donovan | Marine biology; invertebrate physiological ecology |
| David Hooper | Ecosystem ecology and plant community ecology |
| David Leaf | Cell and developmental biology |
| Craig Moyer | Microbial evolution and molecular phylogeny |
| Giséle Muller-Parker | Marine biology; algal physiology; symbiosis |
| Joann Otto | Cell motility and cytoskeleton |
| Merrill Peterson | Insect ecology and evolutionary biology |
| Anu Singh-Cundy | Plant growth & development; plant physiology |
| Stephen Sulkin | Invertebrate larval biology |
| Carol Trent | Molecular and developmental genetics |
| Don Williams | Biochemistry and cell physiology |
| Jeff Young | Plant genetics and functional genomics |
A more detailed description of faculty research interests can be found on individual faculty websites, located within the Biology Dept. website (www.fire.biol.wwu.edu).
In addition to the Biology M.S. degree, a Marine and Estuarine Science M.S. degree option is available within the Biology M.S. Program (www.ac.wwu.edu/~mesp/). This cooperative program draws upon faculty expertise from various academic units including the Biology Department, Huxley College of the Environment, and the Shannon Point Marine Center. Students graduating from this program have an understanding of coastal marine and estuarine environments, biota and topical management issues, and fundamental biological, chemical and physical oceanographic processes.
Reflecting the diversity of graduate student interests, recent thesis titles include the following:
“The terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay and its use in determining bacterial community succession at hydrothermal vents.”
“The molecular evolution of two strains of Helicobacter pylori.”
“The role of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) as a microzooplankton grazing deterrent in northern Puget Sound and the coastal Gulf of Alaska.”
“An early phase of pollination-induced ethylene promotes pollen tube growth in Petunia inflata and other species with bicellular pollen.”
“The energetics of crawling and swimming in the hooded nudibranch, Melibe leonina.”
“The thermal and reproductive biology of the northern alligator lizard, Elgaria coerulea principes.”
“How do temperate and tropical zooxanthellae respond to temperature? Experiments with homologous and heterologous zooxanthellae infected into sea anemone hosts.”
“Sponge epibionts protect the scallop Chlamys hastata from barnacle encrustation and sea star predation.”
“Benefits of polyandry in the blue milkweed beetle, Chrysochus cobaltinus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).”
“Effects of habitat variation on Florida scrub lizard (Sceloporus woodi) populations during post-logging site recovery.”
“Mutualism in a community context: the positive feedback between an ant-aphid mutualism and a gall-making midge.”
“Groundwater nitrogen and carbon dynamics under riparian reed canary grass and red alder.”
“Pools and soil fluxes of carbon in marshes of Padilla Bay.”
The Biology Graduate Faculty offers numerous graduate courses, in topics ranging from developmental biology to biological oceanography. The core graduate curriculum features courses that provide training in teaching, giving scientific presentations, and developing research projects. Other courses may be taken from the Huxley College of Environmental Studies, the Department of Chemistry, and other supporting disciplines. See the WWU Catalog (download a PDF version available from the Graduate School website (www.wwu.edu/depts/gradschool/) for a complete listing of regularly-scheduled graduate courses.
The Biology Department is situated in a recently-built 82,000 square-foot building, which houses the department's programs in cell and molecular biology, ecology, marine biology and organismal biology. State-of-the-art equipment includes fluorescence and video microscopes, image analysis systems, diode array spectrophotometers, automated DNA sequencing and PCR equipment, O2 and CO 2 respirometry systems, photosynthesis meter, and hydrolabs for examining water quality. A greenhouse supports research in botany, and an extensive collection of plants and insects provides specimens for research studies in ecology, biosystematics and evolution.
The University's Scientific Technical Services Center provides additional instrumentation to the entire University, including GC, GC/MS, LC/MS, and electron microscopy. In addition, the Institute for Watershed Studies provides analytical and training services for faculty and graduate students, and many graduate students benefit from the logistical support of the electronics and machine/wood shops.
Many marine biological studies are conducted at the Shannon Point Marine Center (www.ac.wwu.edu/~spmc/), located in Anacortes, WA, about 45 miles south of the main campus. Shannon Point is located in an 87-acre tract of Puget lowland forest and a nature preserve that includes a mature Douglas fir forest, a freshwater pond, and 2,900 feet of cobble and boulder shoreline. The Marine Center has sea water-supplied wet labs, teaching laboratories and many research labs with facilities for larval rearing, radioisotope research and instrumental analyses. A 31-foot research vessel (RV ANOVA) equipped for sampling with heavy gear, as well as four 17-19 foot outboard motorboats are available for field collecting. Housing for about 20 students is available at
the Marine Center at reasonable rates. A vibrant group of resident staff, faculty, and postdocs enliven the research atmosphere at Shannon Point.
Western Washington University is located in Bellingham, a city of 71,000 in the northwestern corner of the state near the Canadian border. WWU has an enrollment of about 12,500 students and is organized into six undergraduate Colleges, a College of Education and a Graduate School.
The hilltop campus of 180 acres combines a stunning blend of art and nature with views of the San Juan Islands and the Cascade Mountains. The backdrop for the campus is a beautiful nature preserve in Sehome Hill Arboretum, featuring a 135-acre coniferous forest. The natural setting of the campus and its award-winning architecture make Western Washington University a stimulating and enjoyable place for work and study. Within the region are three national parks (North Cascades, Mt. Rainier, and Olympic), three national forests, and hundreds of miles of marine shoreline within Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands. Three freshwater lakes are in close proximity to campus. The Upper Sonoran sagebrush desert and grasslands of Central Washington are easily accessible via three scenic mountain passes. Excellent recreational facilities are available at nearby scenic state parks: Birch Bay, Larrabee, and Deception Pass, as well as at the Mt. Baker ski area.
The city of Bellingham features a stimulating cultural environment, including annual music and art festivals. For a small city, it boasts a multitude of parks and a diverse array of restaurants and a ready supply of fresh organic produce at a cooperative grocery, as well as two farmers markets. In addition, the large metropolitan cities of the Pacific Northwest, Seattle (WA) and Vancouver (British Columbia, Canada), each about 90 minutes from Bellingham, offer extraordinary cultural activities and shopping opportunities.
A limited number of teaching assistantships are available to the most promising applicants. Stipends are currently $3291 per quarter and are renewable for up to six quarters of support, depending on satisfactory performance as a laboratory instructor. In addition, Biology graduate students have been supported by faculty research grants, summer teaching assistantships, and through a GK-12 fellowship grant from the National Science Foundation (www.gk12.wwu.edu). A detailed description of graduate assistantships is attached to the enclosed application form. For further information on other sources of financial aid, refer to grad school website, (www.wwu.edu/depts/gradschool/). This website also has information on funding for graduate research and travel.
There are no rigid prerequisites for admission, and the program will accept graduate students with previous specialization in biology (zoology or botany), as well as other disciplines. However, students entering the program will usually have a minimum of one year of chemistry (including organic chemistry), one year of physics, a course in calculus, as well as selected background in the biological sciences to include cell biology, botany, zoology, physiology, genetics, ecology, and biometrics. Incoming graduate students are expected to have the course preparation that is equivalent to the basic B.S. degree in biology as described in Western's General Catalog. Deficiencies in these areas may be remedied by coursework. Applicants must submit undergraduate transcripts, test scores from the Graduate Record Exam (General test), three letters of reference, and a letter of intent describing research interests and identifying potential faculty advisors. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact potential advisors before applying.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Application, Transcripts, Graduate Record Exam scores, three letters of recommendation, the letter of intent, and application for teaching assistantships should be addressed to: Dean of the Graduate School, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9037. Complete applications must be received by February 1 to guarantee consideration for a teaching assistantship. For application forms and information regarding the application procedure, visit the Graduate School website (www.wwu.edu/depts/gradschool/).
For further information about the graduate programs described in this brochure, please visit (http://fire.biol.wwu.edu/grad/) or contact: Dr. Merrill Peterson, Graduate Program Advisor, Department of Biology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9160, peterson@biol.wwu.edu.