Dear students:
Let me welcome you to the Department of Biological Sciences on behalf
of the entire faculty and staff. We want to share our enthusiasm in learning
state-of-the art research techniques, experimental design and applied problem
solving in a growing and thriving academic environment we are building
together. We are excited that you are
here and want you to become an important part of our department.
Throughout history, major discoveries essential to biological or
medical breakthroughs were made by studies committed to answering basic
questions that in many cases were unrelated to the scientific and medical
miracles that later emerged. Basic biological research generates a body of
knowledge that can be applied to treat human disease or environmental problems
that afflict humankind. All intricate
mechanisms that sustain life and those leading to disease were discovered
through basic research thereby leading to virtually every major medical and
environmental discovery known to man.
The Department of Biological Sciences at UTB/TSC has recently undergone
a major transformation by acquiring a vision that includes excellence in all
three areas of academic endeavor: teaching, service, and research. One of our
major objectives is to serve students and the community by imparting knowledge
in the classroom but also by offering valuable hands-on opportunities in our
extramurally funded, nationally recognized research laboratories. The
Department of Biological Sciences includes faculty members with research
expertise in neuroscience, infectious diseases, nutrition, cancer, marine
biology, and in matters of student advising. Our research faculty has joined
the Department from some of the most prestigious institutions across the nation
and has obtained national and international recognition for excellence in their
research programs and. Our research programs are dedicated to: (a) identify and
develop innovative therapeutic strategies to combat diseases that affect our
underserved community and (b) to increase appreciation for and learn to manage
the environment that surround us. I invite everyone interested in science to
approach our faculty, to inquire about their research programs, become a member
of one of our research teams, joining us in our exciting quests for discovery.
For students it is important to realize that you are an integral part
of the Biological Sciences Department and that our faculty team has the best
interest in your success. In other words, your success will be our
success. Our mission is to assist you in
any way possible to accomplish your academic and professional goals and to
prepare you for a productive future.
However, we recognize that you will remain the determining factor in
achieving success in your life. We expect hard work and motivation from you
only because this is what we expect from ourselves. Together we can succeed in making a
difference in our community.
Sincerely,
Professor and Chair
Department of Biological Sciences