News & Events

Fall 2025 Seminar Series

The Biological Sciences Seminar Series is hosted during the fall semester on Fridays at 12:30PM in UNIV 101.

• September 12

  Seminar Title: Sequencing sewage: There’s something in the water… 

  Dr. Jason Rothman, UC Riverside

     

• October 3

  Seminar Title: Drying without dying; using yeast as a model organism to study desiccation tolerance.

  Dr. Hugo Tapia, CSU Channel Islands

     

• October 17

  Seminar Title: The Link Between Disease and Climate Change: Risks to Ocean and Human Health.

  Dr. Emily Kunselman, Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute

  

• October 31

  Seminar Title: Environmental and systemic regulation of invertebrate epithelial septate junctions.

  Dr. Sima Jonusaite, University of Tulsa

  

• November 14

  Seminar Title: A novel role for antimicrobial peptides, bacterial DNA, and Toll-like receptors in microbially-triggered animal metamorphosis.

  Dr. Catherine Schrankel, San Diego State University

  

2025 Biological Sciences Student Awards

Since 2021, the Biological Sciences Department has honored graduating seniors and Master’s students for exceptional achievements in the life sciences. Students are nominated by faculty in the Biological Sciences Department and winners are selected by anonymous vote of the Biology faculty. The names of award winners are engraved on plaques which are prominently displayed in Science Hall 1 and Science Hall 2.

• Outstanding Ecology Student: Dani Gaspar

  Faculty Nominator: Dr. George Vourlitis

   

• Outstanding Molecular Cell Biology Student: Jorge Robles

  Faculty Nominators: Drs. Matt Escobar & Denise Garcia

   

• Outstanding Physiology Student: Callie Steppat

  Faculty Nominators: Drs. Denise Garcia & Dennis Kolosov

   

• Outstanding General Biology Student: Jake Coast

  Faculty Nominator: Dr. Julie Jameson

• Outstanding Biotechnology Student: Audrey Street

  Faculty Nominator: Dr. Moorthy Palanki

   

• Outstanding Biology Graduate Student: Anissa Garcia Vasquez

  Faculty Nominator: Dr. Mallory Rice

   

• Teaching Impact Award: Itzel Delgado

  Faculty Nominators: Drs. George Brusch & Mallory Rice

• Leadership and Advocacy Award: Yetunde Adebayo

  Faculty Nominator: Drs. Denise Garcia & Mallory Rice

• Outstanding Contributions to Biology: Josue Navarette

  Faculty Nominators: Dsr. Elinne Becket & Denise Garcia