Department of Biological Sciences
Antibiotics are becoming obsolete. A recent United Nations report on drug resistance predicted that antibiotics could be useless within 30 years. If so, 10 million people could die each year due to simple bacterial infections. But researchers at Kent State University have entered the arena to combat this imminent crisis, and their weapon is...
What was even more of a departure than taking classes remotely? Many summer research experiences were moved online this year as well. Fortunately, with creativity and an open mind, there are lots of opportunities to do important scientific research using online tools and data. In summer 2020, the Environmental Science and Design Research...
Researchers from the Lake Erie and Aquatic Research Network (LEARN) have been enlisted by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) to form the H2Ohio Wetland Monitoring Program, to assess the effectiveness of wetland projects associated with Governor Mike DeWine’s H2Ohio Initiative, a comprehensive, data-driven approach to improving...
Research to protect our water supply continues at Kent State University in the laboratory of Dr. Xiaozhen Mou, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences. Cleaning Up Toxins from Algal Blooms Along with Dr. Teresa Cutright (Professor, University of Akron), Dr. Mou recently received new funding from Ohio Sea Grant to study removal of toxins during...
Scientists have long recognized that biodiverse ecosystems are more stable and productive. What makes ecosystems diverse is having many species living together in the same place. But what factors allow for the success of the species in diverse communities? Are there some species that just can’t live together while others can? A pair of Kent State...
Two Kent State University students, in the College of Arts and Sciences, were among 62 students from 50 different U.S. universities recently selected for funding by the Department of Energy’s Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) Program. Chelsea E. Smith and Jordyn T. Stoll, both pursuing a Ph.D. in Ecology from the Department...
Scientists have long since established that the effects of stress on our bodies are largely negative. But understanding stress as a trigger for using calories and burning fat also could lead us to better mechanisms for healthier behaviors. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently funded a Kent State University researcher to continue her...
The “C” in “college” might as well stand for “cramming.” Studies show students are notoriously bad at adopting and adhering consistently to high-impact study habits that help them retain knowledge long-term. Researchers and faculty at Kent...
Andrea Case sits at a table in Kent State’s Center for the Visual Arts, carefully contemplating the silhouettes of leaves printed in bold contrasting colors on the paper in front of her. “As a non-artist, I still feel comfortable having an opinion about this art, and trying to figure out what it means, and if I like it,” she said. “But I...
What is the role of BioDesign in addressing environmental issues we face locally and globally? What does it mean to "design with life?" Kent State University researchers have some ideas on these matters and will soon put them on full display at one of the institution's top-tier research forums: the Seventh Annual Environmental Science and Design...