Aug 11, 2023
The Grinnell College Department of Biology is seeking to hire a colleague with research and teaching expertise in bioinformatics or computational biology.
Biology News
Jun 23, 2023
Grinnell College Professors Leslie Gregg-Jolly (Biology) and Katya Gibel Mevorach (Anthropology and American studies), along with Phoebe Lostroh ’94 (Associate Professor, Molecular Biology) from Colorado College, have been awarded a prestigious workshop grant of $20,000 from the Alliance to Advance Liberal Arts Colleges (AALAC).
Jun 12, 2023
As Iowa struggled to access COVID-19 PCR tests, Chilcoat ’93 and his team at Corteva Agriscience stepped up to play a pivotal role.
May 25, 2023
Tag along with biology students as they identify spring ephemeral wildflowers at the College’s Conard Environmental Research Area.
Mar 23, 2023
Anika Jane Beamer ’22, science writing fellow, sets out to get to know the turkey vultures that call Grinnell College home.
Feb 10, 2023
Shannon Hinsa-Leasure, professor of biology, on the evolution of science academia, motherhood, and her role as a mentor to scientists of all ages and stages.
Jan 19, 2023
Anika Jane Beamer ’22 embarks on an investigation to answer her own steaming questions and to demystify manure, its origins, and most especially: its smell.
Jan 18, 2023
During her research sabbatical, Charvann Bailey joined forces with Doug Spitz ’78 at the University of Iowa. Together, the two biologists are uncovering a molecule to treat aggressive lung cancer.
Dec 13, 2022
Elizabeth (Liz) Queathem’s short bio on the Grinnell website lists her as a lecturer in biology and American studies. While true, this is a ridiculously modest assessment of her responsibilities, talents, and interests
Nov 28, 2022
A Grinnell graduate and biochemist solves the structure of elusive proteins while re-imagining the culture of scientific research.
Biology Stories
Where the sciences are headed with research is exactly what’s embedded into classes at Grinnell. It starts from the very beginning with Intro to Biology, and continues as two or three authentic research projects for every class after that.
Vince Eckhart, Waldo S. Walker Professor of Biology
The best work that we can do for the environment, for nature and wildlife, and for each other, is get involved with the local communities because that is where the impact of our work can be seen.
It’s a physician’s role to look beyond the analytics and think ‘What does this feel like to the patient and family? What does a longer wait time mean for future care?’
If you have taken a class with Professor Lafontant, you may have picked up on a sense of what he calls wonderment. Wonderment is a word that reflects his belief that the whole world of science is fascinating.
My work allows me to better see the connection between the research realm and the more human part of the world. In my current position, I am able to work towards making science more relevant for policy and decision making, and I find those goals to be a lot more tangible.
The experience of learning how to think scientifically can help develop a person's critical thinking skills. Scientific inquiry helps people differentiate between things that are real and things that are not real.
I really appreciate that I went to school in a time when I learned to relate to the patient, professionally, socially, and personally.
You never know where your life is going to take you. So be open to possibilities that might open up.
Conservation work needs individuals who can foster a mindset of interconnectedness.
What is One Health? It’s “recognizing the interconnected relationships between human, animal, and environmental health and working together across those disciplines and sectors," says Griffith.
Our social environment affects how we study other organisms. We often use the animal world as justification or examples for how humans should be, which is dangerous.