Department of Biology

BIOLOGY DEGREES AT UA

BIOLOGY DEGREE & CAREER PATHS

BIOLOGY CLUBS

STUDENT WORK OPPORTUNITIES

Why Akron for biology?

Dispatch from Tahiti

What can we learn by studying how snakes move?

UNDERGRADUATE BIOLOGY RESEARCH IN FACULTY LABS

The Miller Research lab explores the consequences of global change drivers, including climate change, species invasions, and land use change, on interacting components of ecosystems, primarily forests of eastern North America. Our work focuses on shifts in plant phenology and plant-insect interactions, including seed dispersal mutualisms, pollination, and herbivory. We employ diverse methods to conduct research, including traditional field vegetative and entomological surveys, controlled field and laboratory experiments, taxonomic identification of specimens in the lab, and computational modeling. Our work has been funded by large federal agencies like the National Science Foundation and small local organizations, including the Native Plant Society of Northeastern Ohio.

Dr. Chelsea Miller enlists the aid of a diverse set of community scientists across a network of botanical gardens and arboreta in the Midwest and southeastern U.S. to collect weekly data on plant phenology, mutualisms and antagonisms. These data will ultimately be leveraged to improve performance of traditional species distribution models (also known as ecological niche models), to incorporate information about biotic interactions and evolutionary capacity into future estimates of species range shifts under climate change. Graduate students in the Miller Lab currently focus on understanding the effects of the noxious invader Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) on population fitness of mustards native to northern Ohio. There are many opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate research that explore different aspects of environmental change on diverse components of plant life history, phenology, fitness, and the dynamics of plant-animal interactions. Students in the Miller Lab can expect to learn traditional field survey methods for plants and insects, as well as specimen identification and vouchering, microscopy techniques, chemical ecology, and statistical and computational modeling.  

Faculty Spotlight

GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT: Chathumadavi Ediriweera

Hi, I'm Chathumadavi Ediriweera, a 4th year Ph.D. candidate in the Integrated bioscience program at the University of Akron.

Growing up, I always loved biology and solving math problems. When I was about to choose a major for college, I was divided between biology and engineering, because I wanted to do both. At that time, I was thrilled to find out that there was an emerging field called "Bioinformatics" which is a hybrid of molecular biology and computer programming disciplines. So I choose to major in Bioinformatics so that I can solve biological problems using programming.

I learned that Dr. Weeks' lab was looking for a graduate student with bioinformatics skills to work on a bioinformatic project for sex chromosome evolution. I was really excited to be a part of this project as it would be a great opportunity for me to learn about sex chromosome evolution and gain new skills and experience in the bioinformatics domain. So I decided to enter the Integrated bioscience Ph.D. program at the University of Akron.

There are so many things I like about UA. If I have to choose one, it would be the autonomy I have when it comes to conducting research. The working environment is really pleasant and positive. And the faculty is really friendly and helpful.

My short-term goal is to successfully finish my Ph.D. and work on human disease-related projects. I want to learn about the underlying molecular basis of human diseases and how to cure those diseases. Since I'm a knowledge worker, my long-term goal would be really good at what I'm doing, become an entrepreneurial consultant and monetize my expertise.