The Department of Biology at Appalachian State University is a community of 44 faculty who are active in teaching and research, along with a support staff of 6 technicians and 3 administrators. We strive to maintain a faculty with diverse research interests, ranging from molecules to organisms to landscapes. The department currently has over 1000 undergraduate Biology majors and 44 graduate students. The department provides instruction in biology through classroom and laboratory interactions, undergraduate and graduate research experiences, seminars, professional development programs, and career advising through courses and faculty interactions.
The institution and department have facilities to support cutting-edge cellular and molecular research. The Rankin Science Building is home to the William and Ruth Dewel Microscopy Facility, which provides infrastructure for epifluorescence, confocal, scanning electron, and transmission electron microscopy, as well as sample preparation. The Department of Biology also provides access to a shared research space and instrumentation core, including infrastructure for flow cytometry, gel imaging, cell culture, and Illumina sequencing. The department also manages and provides access to a research greenhouse, an on-campus 67-acre nature preserve, and an off-campus 250-acre field site. The department and university support new faculty through a comprehensive Faculty Mentoring Program and Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Student Success. The mechanisms include peer writing circles, pedagogical workshops, and faculty mentoring.
Appalachian State University, in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The transformational Appalachian experience fosters a spirit that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, and to act with passion and determination. As one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina system, Appalachian State enrolls over 21,000 students, and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.
