Department of Biological Sciences
Honors College Student Studies Abandoned Mines in Cuyahoga Valley
Michael Back is a graduating senior Honors College student, majoring in biology with a concentration in organismal biology and a minor in Spanish. Originally from Sharon Center, Ohio, Michael has been interested in ecological restoration since he was in high school. Now in the final semester of his Senior Honors Thesis, Michael used his thesis to delve deeper into his ecological interests. His thesis analyzes a new restoration technique for abandoned surface mines in Cuyahoga Valley, examining “soil bulk density and soil chemistry.”
Honors Thesis Student Explores Climate Change’s Effect on Bird Migration
Nora Honkomp is a senior Honors College student from Cincinnati, Ohio, majoring in zoology. She says, “Birds have always been my thing,” and her love of birds drove Nora not only to attend Kent State for its zoology program, but it also led her to complete a Senior Honors Thesis. Nora hopes to atten…
Honors Thesis Student Explores Ethics in Organ Procurement Programs
Sarag Gogineni is a junior Honors College student from Roseville, California, majoring in biology pre-med and minoring in healthcare ethics. Sarag discovered his passion for ethics during his time at Kent State and has decided to complete a Senior Honors Thesis as a way to combine his interest in et…
Zoology Student Works on Honors Thesis About Scent and Predation
Alexandra Euwema is a third-year honors student from Springfield, Virginia, majoring in zoology. From early in her college career, Alexandra has wanted to earn a master’s degree in wildlife conservation, and this goal was a major inspiration for her Senior Honors Thesis topic. Alexandra is in her fi…
Kent State Researchers Challenge the Growing Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Problem With New Compound
“The pessimistic estimate is that by 2050, antibiotics could be obsolete,'' said Songping Huang, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences. Huang and his Kent State team, including Min-Ho Kim, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, are working on closing that chasm with the development of new antimicrobials.
Undergraduates look online to advance their environmental research
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.
Kent State Biologist Secures NIH Support to Expand Study into Muscle Thermogenesis
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…NSF Grant Supports Kent State Researchers' Plan to Help Students Improve Study Habits
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 State Un…
Kent State Biological Sciences Researchers to Lead Study on the Effects of the Spreading Eastern Red Cedars
The National Science Foundation has awarded a three-year, $914,000 grant to Kent State University to lead a collaborative research project to study how and at what rate the geographically most widespread native conifer in the eastern United States, the Eastern Red Cedar tree species (Juniperus virginiana), spreads across the landscape.
From Comfort Zone to Rain Forest: Studying Ecology in Costa Rica
Emmaleigh Given recently spent three summers and two winters in a remote biological reserve in the middle of the rainforest in the Alajuela Province of Costa Rica, where she has and will spend several months conducting research on community ecology, and she has one more trip planned. Being hunted by unseen predators isn’t the way most researchers conduct their work. But for some, it’s just part of the day.