Biology

Biologists are fascinated by the world of life. They seek to understand the diversity and ecological and evolutionary relationships of organisms, as well as how those organisms behave, grow, reproduce, develop, and function at the molecular and cellular levels. Lewis & Clark’s distinctive biology program not only teaches what is currently understood about the living world, it also gives students the tools to make new discoveries in the discipline and to communicate those discoveries effectively.

From the outset, biology students at Lewis & Clark combine the study of what is known with a quest for what has yet to be learned. The program’s three core courses go beyond the typical surveys to explore in depth the fields of ecology and environmental science, genetics and evolutionary biology, and cellular and molecular biology—fields chosen because they lie at the heart of modern biology. These courses are titled “Investigations in …” because of their emphasis on gaining new knowledge. Students in these courses work in teams as they are guided through the process of asking and answering their own scientific questions. In successive courses students build on this foundation, continuing to pose real questions and devising experiments to answer those questions.

Most of the department’s courses include an integral laboratory or field component. These lab sections—all taught by faculty–usually feature student-designed research projects. Upper-level students investigate in depth problems of their own choosing through research internships, independent study projects, or a senior thesis. All of the department’s research equipment and facilities are available for student use.

Students and faculty work together closely. Our biology courses are small enough for a great deal of individual attention. The core courses enroll up to 96 students but are broken into lab sections capped at 21. Upperclass courses are capped at 24 students. At Lewis & Clark, undergraduate students work directly with faculty—an opportunity afforded only graduate students at many other institutions.

All of our biology faculty are active scientists—many with funding from agencies such as the National Science Foundation or the National Institutes of Health—and invite students into their research programs as assistants and collaborators. During the academic year, students might choose to work for 5 to 10 hours a week on a practicum or independent study guided by a faculty member. During the summer, faculty members sponsor 10-week full-time paid research internships. These collaborations often culminate in jointly authored publications in scientific journals or presentations at scientific meetings. Students may also choose to gain additional research experience by working during the summer as volunteers or as paid interns at other research institutes, laboratories, or field stations throughout the country.

Our program is distinctive in yet another way: It stresses the importance of developing excellent communication skills. In nearly all our courses, class discussion is of central importance. Biology students learn how to give effective verbal presentations and become clear writers through sustained practice and feedback.

Lewis & Clark’s program includes broad coverage of biological subfields. Our approach helps students prepare for future work transcending and redefining the boundaries between traditional subdisciplines of biology.

Upperclass students choose from a wide range of courses, most often electing to study multiple subdisciplines. Students may also study biology within an interdisciplinary major in biochemistry or in environmental studies. Students with other interdisciplinary interests may design their own majors, or pursue a double major.

Our curriculum is structured to allow students to combine a semester overseas with a major in biology. The Lewis & Clark overseas programs in Australia, East Africa, and Ecuador are especially popular with biology majors. In addition, biology faculty sometimes offer overseas programs specifically designed for biology majors.

With skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, and clear and effective communication, our biology majors go on to a wide variety of careers. Graduates pursuing careers in areas such as biotechnology, conservation, environmental advocacy, food science, pharmaceuticals, water quality control, agriculture, or horticulture find work in the private sector, with educational and nonprofit organizations, and with federal, state, or local governments. Many of our students pursue advanced degrees in graduate programs or professional schools to prepare for careers in research, education, human or veterinary medicine, journalism, law, public policy, business, or environmental planning and management. Students who combine their biology coursework with appropriate courses in Lewis & Clark’s graduate-level teacher education program may become licensed to teach.

We recommend that students considering a major in biology take at least three years of high school science courses, including chemistry and physics, and four years of mathematics courses, preferably including calculus.

Examples of student research internships

• Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory
• Oregon Health & Science University
• Miami University
• Baylor University
• Pacific Northwest National Laboratories

Examples of subjects of student-faculty research collaborations

• Molecular genetic analysis of organelle biogenesis in nematodes
• Molecular evolution of spider venom toxins
• Genes that regulate cell division in yeast
• Strategies for managing the endangered Oregon silverspot butterfly
• Cell biology of a secreted protein that regulates development in the vertebrate nervous system
• Ecology of coral reefs
• Integration of biology and physics to study how geckoes climb walls
• Morphological and developmental determinants of reproductive biology in a native species of evening primrose

Examples of positions held by recent biology graduates

• Graduate student in veterinary medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Graduate student in animal behavior, Cornell University
• Research assistant, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama
• Graduate student, Washington University Medical School
• Biology teacher, Cleveland High School, Portland
• Graduate student in urban planning, University of Oregon
• Conservation assistant, Nature Conservancy
• Wildlife monitoring coordinator, Metro Parks and Greenspaces, Portland
• Research technician, Massachusetts Institute of Technology