The Department of Biology is responsible for research and teaching within the vast disciplines of the biological sciences, from molecular cell biology to ecology and evolutionary biology. Our faculty perform cutting-edge research in a wide array of biological sciences in the laboratory and in the field. Our graduate research programs prepare scientists for careers in academia, industry and government and enhance our understanding of the central role of biological systems in the global environment. Our undergraduate students gain a firm foundation in modern biological sciences to prepare them for a multitude of careers that depend on a solid understanding of biology.
Teaching
Graduate Education in Biology
Our Graduate Program in Biology offers a diverse range of integrative training opportunities for students seeking a Ph.D. degree in the biological sciences. We offer training in multiple disciplines within Biology, including Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Genetics, Genomics and Bioinformatics, Neurobiology and Behavior, Microbiology, Plant Biology, Biological Clocks, and Physiology and Systems Biology.
All students in our program receive rigorous academic training in biology and carry out their research in competitive, state-of-the-art research labs. Many faculty research programs span multiple research areas and levels of biological organization, creating a dynamic training environment for graduate students. Evolutionary theory sets the stage for many cross-disciplinary research collaborations among our diverse faculty. Our graduate students conduct creative, independent research and scholarship. Graduates of our programs prepare themselves for a wide range of career opportunities and gain positions in academic institutions, government agencies, and industry.
Dr. Heath Blackmon, Associate Department Head of Graduate Studies
hblackmon@bio.tamu.edu
For more information, come to virtual office hours Mondays 9-10 AM CST: Zoom link
Jennifer Bradford, Assistant Program Director
gradadvise@bio.tamu.edu
Butler Hall 102
Phone: 979-845-7755
Fax: 979-845-2891
Undergraduate Education in Biology
The Department of Biology is responsible for introducing biological principles to students in every Texas A&M University major. We provide modern and comprehensive B.S. and B.A. curricula in Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology, Microbiology and Zoology for more than 1500 undergraduate biology majors. These degrees prepare students for various life science careers and are an excellent entrée to the health care professions. If you are interested in pursuing a major in one of our disciplines, or if you are currently a student and would like information on courses or the program, we have excellent undergraduate advisors who will be happy to help you.
The Biology Lower Division Instruction Programs encompass a series of lab courses offered in the biological sciences. Many of these courses are open to students in any major to cover their science requirements.
Undergraduate Advisingadvising@bio.tamu.edu
Butler, Room 107
Phone: 979-845-3116
introbio@bio.tamu.edu
Heldenfels Hall, Room 315
Phone: 979-845-4651
Fax: 979-458-2030
Research
Basic biological research has evolved into a broad, fast-paced and dynamic profession that drives newly emerging industries and actively shapes many human endeavors. Both globally and locally, cutting-edge research at Texas A&M University strives to understand the fundamental processes driving life around us and to improve the ways people everywhere manage their health and the health of our planet.
The Department of Biology’s outreach committee is responsible for developing and maintaining outreach projects, such as STEM events at local schools, in the Bryan-College Station area. Over the last few years, the outreach committee has created a sustainable program by meeting with schools in the area to assess need, obtaining resources for experiments, and collaborating with other departments. For more information please visit out Biology Outreach page.
If you would like to join out listserv and get involved with future events, you can sign up by emailing listserv@listserv.tamu.edu, and in the body, you will write SUBSCRIBE biologyoutreach firstname lastname. Or, if you would like to contact us, please email us at Biology_outreach@bio.tamu.edu
Committees
Elected Committees
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Name Dates Joe Sorg Associate Head for Faculty Affairs and Appointed Chair Alan Pepper 01/01/2023-12/31/2025 Jim Smith 01/01/2023-12/31/2025 Andy Tag 01/01/2021-12/31/2024 Asha Rao 01/01/2023-12/31/2025 Debby Siegele 01/01/2021-12/31/2024 Mike Smotherman 01/01/2021-12/31/2024 Matthew Sachs 01/01/2022-12/31/2025
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Name Dates Kira Delmore 09/01/2022-08/31/2025 Christine Merlin 09/01/2022-08/31/2025 Courtney Fitzpatrick 09/01/2021-08/31/2024 Lamba Sangare 09/01/2021-08/31/2024 Aref Zarin 09/01/2021-08/31/2024 Bella Farhy 09/01/2023-08/31/2027 Heath Blackmon Associate Head fir Graduate Program and ex officio Jennifer Bradford Assistant Program Director Nopakorn Hansanant Graduate student representative
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Name Dates Courtney Fitzpatrick 09/01/2024-08/31/2027 Jeff Jones 09/01/2024-08/31/2027 Beiyan Nan 09/01/2024-08/31/2027 Rene Garcia 09/01/2023-08/31/2026 Rachel Moran 09/01/2023-08/31/2026 Angela Mitchell 09/01/2022-08/31/2025 Bella Farhy 09/01/2021-08/31/2024 Jerome Menet 09/01/2021-08/31/2024 Jim Smith 09/01/2021-08/31/2024 Heath Blackmon Associate Head for Graduate Program and ex officio Jennifer Bradford Assistant Program Director Michael Debrah Graduate Student Representative
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Name Dates Kathy Ryan Appointed Chair Angela Hawkins 09/01/2024-08/31/2027 Andy Tag 09/01/2024-08/31/2027 Alan Pepper 09/01/2024-08/31/2027 Rachel Wright 09/01/2024-08/31/2027 Samantha Fletcher 09/01/2023-08/31/2026 Beiyan Nan 09/01/2023-08/31/2026 Rene Garcia 09/01/2021-08/31/2024 Brigitte LeBoeuf 09/01/2021-08/31/2024 Tapasree Roy Sarkar 09/01/2021-08/31/2024 Jim Erickson Associate Head for Academic Affairs and ex officio Asha Rao Assistant Head for Undergraduate Curriculum and ex officio Vanessa Nordell Manager for Advising
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Name Dates Debarati Ghose 09/01/2024-08/31/2027 Rachel Wright 09/01/2024-08/31/2027 Ben Neuman 09/01/2024-08/31/2027 Ben Herman 09/01/2024-08/31/2027 Beiyan Nan 09/01/2024-08/31/2027 Angela Hawkins 09/01/2024-08/31/2027 Lathi Taylor 09/01/2024-08/31/2027 Samantha Fletcher 09/01/2024-08/31/2027 Ahmed El-Hashash 09/01/2024-08/31/2027
Appointed Committees
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Bruce Riley Barbara Earnest Lily Pena Mike Smotherman Mark Zoran
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Jason Oldham (chair) Joseph Sorg John Book Heath Blackmon
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Alan Pepper (chair) Susan Reed Wayne Versaw
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Aurelio Cadena (chair) Denise Valero
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Richard Gomer (chair) Bruce Riley Alan Pepper Angela Mitchell Kira Delmore Jennifer Dulin Courtney Fitzpatrick
Faculty Senate
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Name Jim Erickson Asha Rao Matthew Sachs Andy Tag
Policies
Department of Biology Policies
- Graduate Student Placement Policy
Department of Biology’s policy on the placement of graduate students. - Research Space Allocation Policy
Department of Biology’s policy on research space allocation. - Equitable Teaching Load Policy
Department of Biology’s policy for equitable teaching loads. - Temporary and Academic Professional Track Faculty
Department of Biology’s policies concerning the appointment of non-tenure-track faculty holding the titles of Laboratory Instructor, Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, and Visiting Faculty (Assistant, Associate and Full Professor). - Dean of Faculties Guidelines for Annual & Mid-Term Review
These guidelines on annual and mid-term performance reviews for faculty are based upon requirements and guidelines found in University Rule 12.01.99.M2 - Tenure and Promotion
Department of Biology’s policies concerning the tenure and promotion of faculty holding the titles of Assistant, Associate, Full and Distinguished Professor. - Guidelines for Parental Leave
College of Science guidelines for parental leave for the birth or adoption of a new child. - Annual Review
Guidelines for annual performance evaluations. - Post Tenure Review
Guidelines for post tenure review - Graduate Program Committee Duties
The policies and responsibilities of the Graduate Programs Committee. - Undergraduate Programs Committee Duties
The policies and responsibilities of the Undergraduate Programs Committee.
Texas A&M University Policies
- Guidelines for Parental Leave
TAMU guidelines for parental leave for the birth or adoption of a new child. - Outside Employment Requests
Applicable to both faculty and staff, this links to the university’s policies and required forms. - University Rules
Texas A&M’s searchable listing of rules and regulations. Should be reviewed in conjunction with the System Rules (see below). - Texas A&M University System Policies and Bylaws
Contains the system’s policies and regulations. - Scholastic Deficiency
Policies for dealing with the scholastic deficiency of a graduate student.
Finance & HR Services
Purchasing
HR & Payroll
- Bi-Weekly Time Sheet
- Student Worker Job Ad Form
- Visiting Scholar Approval Form
- Research Alternative Performance Evaluation Form
- Computing Request Form
Employment Opportunities
Tenure-track: Assistant Professor
Texas A&M University: COllege of Arts & Sciences: Biology
Location
College Station
Open Date
Sep 06, 2023
Description
The Department of Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences at Texas A&M University (TAMU) invites applications for two full-time, tenure-track assistant professor positions with 9-month academic appointments beginning August 1, 2024. We are interested in recruiting talented neurobiologists that complement the department’s existing strengths, including regeneration and repair, glial biology, plasticity, neurodegeneration, neurodevelopment, and resilience. Research groups in the department work in diverse animal models, including mice, fish, Drosophila, and C. elegans.
This search represents the continuation of a multi-year strategic hiring effort to move several cutting-edge research areas within the biological sciences at Texas A&M University to preeminence. Expectations for successful candidates are to develop an externally funded research program, teach undergraduate and/or graduate courses, and engage in activities outside the fields of teaching and research as part of the department’s service expectations. This is an exciting opportunity for new hires to be a part of a rapidly growing department focused on interdisciplinary problems in biology. The Department of Biology (www.bio.tamu.edu) provides many opportunities to recruit trainees through undergraduate research programs, PhD programs in Biology, as well as participation in exciting interdepartmental doctoral programs such as Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (eeb.tamu.edu), Genetics (genetics.tamu.edu), and Neuroscience (tamin.tamu.edu). The position includes competitive startup packages and modern laboratory space.
Bryan-College Station, home to Texas A&M University, is a vibrant, dynamic, and rapidly growing community that offers cultural diversity, arts and entertainment, job opportunities, and overall quality of life. Located in the heart of the Houston-Dallas-Austin triangle, the region offers the modern amenities of a big city with a warm, small-town charm, and the community’s low cost of living is advantageous to the student and general populations, making it an ideal place to live. Texas A&M University is committed to enriching the learning and working environment for all visitors, students, faculty, and staff.
Qualifications
We require all candidates to have a Ph.D. in biology, neurobiology, or a related field. We will consider candidates with research programs focused on neural regeneration, neural repair, and synaptic plasticity or related areas. The criteria for selection will be creativity and excellence in research and scholarship, the potential to establish and maintain an extramurally funded research program.
Application Instructions
For full consideration, applicants should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, personal statement to include philosophy and plans for teaching, research, and service (as applicable), and three confidential letters of recommendation by October 15th, 2023. Application materials must be submitted online at http://apply.interfolio.com/130001 .
If you have questions about this search, please direct e-mails to Dr. Jennifer Dulin, Chair of the search committee, at jdulin@bio.tamu.edu.
Application Process
This institution is using Interfolio’s Faculty Search to conduct this search. Applicants to this position receive a free Dossier account and can send all application materials, including confidential letters of recommendation, free of charge.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer committed to diversity.