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A letter from the Chair

Newsletter issue:
Autumn-2025
People:
Martha M.-Bosma

Dear Friends of Biology,

As the crisp autumn air returns to campus and the leaves begin to turn (and needed rains begin!), I’m delighted to welcome you all to a new academic year. To our new undergraduate and graduate students: welcome to the Department of Biology! We’re excited to have you join our vibrant and curious community. To our returning students, faculty, and staff – welcome back. Your continued dedication to learning, teaching, discovery, and support is what makes this department so special.

This year, we are navigating a complex and shifting landscape in higher education and research. Funding challenges are real, and they affect everything from lab resources to teaching capacity. But despite these headwinds, I remain deeply optimistic. Our community has always risen to meet challenges with creativity, collaboration, and a shared commitment to excellence, and I have no doubt we will continue to do so.

There is much to be excited about this fall. We are welcoming three outstanding new faculty members this autumn – Vivek Sridhar, Mo Turner, and Briana Gilbert – who bring fresh ideas and approaches to our teaching and research missions. Several of our faculty have received major grants to support groundbreaking research, featured here and here. Our amazing graduate students are conducting exciting research, presenting at international conferences, and leading outreach efforts that connect science with the broader public. Our undergraduate students are actively engaged in learning complex concepts in biology, teaching via peer facilitation of their colleagues, and performing research in mentor labs on cutting-edge projects. 

Here’s to a season of new beginnings, fresh ideas, and shared purpose. I look forward to all we will accomplish together this year.

Warmly,
Marti Bosma