Biology
Stephen W. Arch
Regulatory biology, neurochemistry.
Steven D. Black
Developmental biology.
David A. Dalton
Plant physiology and ecophysiology, biological nitrogen fixation.
Robert H. Kaplan
Ecology, animal evolution, population biology.
Keith Karoly
Plant evolution, evolution of plant mating systems.
Maryanne C. McClellan
Cellular biology, reproductive biology, hormone action.
Jay Mellies
Bacterial pathogenesis, gene regulation. On sabbatical and leave 2005-06.
Peter J. Russell
Molecular genetics, RNA virus replication in yeast.
Janis Shampay
Molecular biology, chromosome structure and function.
Reed students may broaden their research experience by arrangement
with the faculties of the Oregon Health and Science University, the
Oregon Graduate Institute of Science and Engineering, and the
Oregon Regional Primate Research Center.
This atmosphere provides students with an unusual opportunity to
develop an understanding of themselves as well as a firm background
in the field, regardless of what their goals might be. Information
on the subsequent history of biology graduates shows that about 60
percent enter teaching, research, or practice in biology and the
medical sciences. This is a remarkable record, largely due to a
synergism between the interests and motivation of Reed students and
the nature of the program offered.
The Lewis Kleinholz Biological Laboratories are equipped with
modern instruments and materials, permitting a variety of teaching
and research approaches. The faculty is intensively engaged in
research and in teaching research methodology to students.
Upper-division courses typically include independent research
components to foster the development of hypothesis generation,
experimental design, and results analysis and interpretation
skills. Some support is available for student independent research
during the summer. Some courses have field components, and the
department supports independent fieldwork. In addition, Reed has
formal relationships with the Malheur Field Station in Oregon’s
Great Basin, the Organization for Tropical Studies, the University
of Costa Rica, and the Sea Education Association. Students may take
courses for credit through these programs or at other field or
marine stations.
Through the alternate biology program (described below) the biology
department provides students with the flexibility of combining
biology with other areas of inquiry, including economics,
psychology, political science, and anthropology. Faculty advisers
can help fashion programs suited to the individual student’s
motivations and interests. Alternate and ad hoc joint degree
programs can be arranged between the biology department and most
other Reed departments.
Requirements for the Major
1. Biology 101/102, 470.
2. Three semester lecture-laboratory courses in biology, one from
each of three “clusters” emphasizing levels of biological
organization: (1) Molecular—Genetics, Genetics and Gene Regulation;
(2) Cellular—Animal Physiology, Cellular Biology, Developmental
Biology, Microbiology, Plant Physiology; (3)
Organismal/population—Animal Behavior and Behavioral Ecology,
Population Biology: Ecology and Evolution, Vascular Plant
Diversity.
3. Two additional units in biology, at least one of which must be a
full lecture-laboratory course; the other may be an additional full
lecture-laboratory course or two half-course combinations,
consisting of various combinations. For example, a seminar course
(Biology 431) can be combined with any lecture-only course. No more
than one seminar course and one 200-level course may be used to
meet the fifth unit requirement. Advanced courses may be taken in
any sequence as long as course prerequisites have been met.
4. Mathematics 111 and either 112, 121, or 141.
5. Chemistry 101/102 and 201/202.
Physics is recommended.
The Alternate Program in Biology
The alternate program in biology is offered to the student whose
future interests lie in interfacing biology with diverse areas
other than science. For example, problems of over-population,
pollution, and poverty are intrinsically biological problems
because they involve the relationships of organisms to their
environments. Developing solutions to these problems requires that
professionals—lawyers, economists, political scientists,
teachers—as well as socially committed citizens have more than a
superficial awareness of the fundamental biological properties that
are affected by these problems or indeed generate them. Within the
alternate program, students can achieve both a comprehensive
grounding in biological science and a broad understanding of one or
more social sciences. Alternate majors may also develop programs
that include literature, language, and the arts as their secondary
focus.
Working with their advisers, students can tailor their educational
program to prepare them for careers or for graduate and
professional programs in environmental studies and conservation,
public health, urban planning, environmental law, government,
social work, pre-college teaching, medical illustration, science
journalism, and other fields. The primary academic adviser will be
a member of the biology staff, and the student will choose a
consulting adviser from the appropriate field. Departmental
approval is required for alternate majors, who must declare a
program and submit a rationale for their course of study by the end
of the sophomore year.
Requirements for the Alternate Biology Major
1. Biology 101/102, 470.
2. Three semester lecture-laboratory courses in biology, one from
each cluster as described for the biology major.
3. One additional full lecture-laboratory course from the above
clusters.
4. Chemistry 101/102.
5. Mathematics 111 taken with either 112, 121, or 141.
6. Six to eight semester courses in the non-science concentration,
for example, history, political science, economics, sociology,
anthropology, or psychology.
Physics and organic chemistry are recommended.
