Department of Biology

Faculty: Chris Barton (Chair), Rebecca Adams, Tom Beckermann, Amy Bell, Logan Bowling, Jonathan Crider, Andrea Florian, Matthew Heard, Chase Kinsey, Steve Murphree, John Niedzwiecki, Darlene Panvini, Elizabeth Schoenfeld, Erick Spears, Felicity Sterling, Jennifer Thomas, Vera Todd, Ronald Barrett (Professor Emeritus), Robert Grammer (Professor Emeritus), David Hill (Professor Emeritus).

Mission and Vision:

Belmont University’s Biology Department is a student-centered, collegial, supportive, and inclusive community where we uphold undergraduate liberal arts education and experiential learning as models for teaching and mentoring. We aim to develop skilled, discerning, persistent, creative, and thoughtful graduates who value discovery, challenge, and integrity in making an impact in the world.

Departmental Values:

Student-centered undergraduate liberal arts education.
The mentoring relationship between faculty and students.
A collegial and supportive community where diverse people and perspectives are respected and valued among students, faculty, and staff.
An environment that celebrates the joys of knowledge, challenge, and discovery, as well as personal initiative, creativity, and integrity.
Varied experiences for students to develop and mature as scientists and communicators of science for the good of communities beyond Belmont.

Departmental Goals:

To be reflective and collaborative faculty that actively creates and seeks opportunities to improve as educators in the classroom and laboratory.
To increase the recruitment and retention of a diverse student body and to support all students through graduation.
To cultivate scientific research that engages undergraduate students in the laboratory, seeking out opportunities to disseminate findings through peer-reviewed publications and/or state, regional, or national meetings.
To actively create and seek opportunities that develop and/or strengthen relationships amongst our faculty, staff, and students.
To foster and value outreach opportunities that engage our local community through science.

Not all courses are offered in any one year. Certain advanced courses alternate to meet demands.