UNB Department of Biology

UNB’s climate change research is gaining national recognition, with the university ranked fourth among Canadian comprehensive universities for climate change research share and publication growth.

The Department of Biology is part of that work through the interdisciplinary climate change teaching and outreach of Dr. Dion Durnford

Read more in the article by Hilary Creamer below:

Faculty of Science at UNB

Agility, collaboration key drivers of UNB climate change research Canada’s Top 50 Research Universities ranked the University of New Brunswick fourth in Canada among comprehensive universities for climate change research share and publication growth.

Dr. Katy Hind recently presented her award-winning teaching initiative, “Microsketch: Exploring Biology Through Art and Observation,” at the 2026 Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) conference in Hamilton, Ontario. The initiative earned Katy the 2025 UNB Teaching Innovation Award in recognition of her innovative contributions to student learning. She also ran a pre-conference workshop on teaching-assistant training through her role with the Teaching Assistant and Graduate Student Advancement (TAGSA) group.

The “Microsketch” initiative draws on established research and teaching practices that use drawing to support scientific learning and observation. Katy adapted these approaches for her large-enrollment, first-year Biology lab sections by combining instruction in techniques such as contour drawing and illustration with weekly biological drawing activities, including the drawing of specimens viewed through microscopes.

By encouraging students to slow down, carefully illustrate what they observe, and focus on fine detail, the initiative encourages them to spend more time examining specimens. This can strengthen students’ attention to detail and help them notice behaviours they had not previously observed. Student feedback and in-lab surveys have indicated a positive impact on student learning.

Katy plans to develop a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) study to assess whether “Microsketch” enhances student learning outcomes, including test scores. This work reflects her broader commitment as an Associate Teaching Professor to evidence-based course design, hands-on active learning, and research-informed teaching in first-year and large-enrollment biology courses.

Congratulations, Dr. Hind, on this well-deserved recognition and on your continued contributions to teaching and learning at UNB and beyond!

The Department of Biology congratulates Dr. Mark Sherrard on being granted tenure!

Mark is an Associate Teaching Professor whose current teaching includes Biological Diversity, Plant Physiology and Development, Independent Studies, and Lab courses in Ecology and in Biological Diversity. In 2025, he received the Dr. Allan P. Stuart Memorial Award for Excellence in Teaching. Mark’s approach encourages critical thinking and curiosity about the natural world while combining academic rigour with compassion and flexibility.

Mark has enhanced his courses and developed illustrated study guides to support students in his biological diversity lab course. His teaching incorporates case studies, equipment demonstrations, computer software, and a flipped-classroom approach where students review foundational material before class and use class time for discussion, problem-solving, and hands-on application.

Mark’s service to the Department includes acting as one of the Biology program’s undergraduate academic advisors. This role supports students as they navigate program requirements and make decisions about their studies. He also serves on the Biology Curriculum Committee and has served as an examiner for more than 25 student theses and examinations, contributing his time and expertise in support of students from across the academic community.

Tenure is an important career milestone recognizing demonstrated competence in teaching and academic service, as well as sustained contributions to curriculum development and student support.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Sherrard on this well-deserved achievement!

The Department of Biology is delighted to congratulate three faculty members on their recent promotions!

Dr. Janice Lawrence and Dr. Amy Parachnowitsch have both been promoted to Full Professor, and Dr. René Malenfant has been promoted to Full Teaching Professor.

Alongside Dr. Lawrence's longstanding role as Associate Dean of Science, Janice conducts research on toxin-producing cyanobacteria, examining the biological interactions that regulate these organisms. Her work also encompasses aquatic microbial ecology and virus–host interactions, and she currently supervises two graduate students.

Amy serves as the Biology Department’s representative on the Science Faculty Committee. Her research focuses on the evolutionary ecology of flowers and plant–pollinator interactions, examining how and why floral traits evolve through pollinator behaviour, floral chemical ecology and climate change. She also continues to supervise honours and graduate students.

René teaches scientific writing at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, helping students develop the skills needed to communicate biological research clearly and effectively. He has also served as an academic advisor and has contributed to the work of the department through service on various departmental committees. His teaching additionally spans evolution, practical computing for biologists, phylogenetics, and experimental design and data analysis.

We are proud to recognize Janice, Amy and René as they reach these important career milestones. Please join us in congratulating them on their well-deserved promotions!

The countdown is on to submit your photos for the UNB Biology Student Photo Contest!

The contest is open to undergraduate and graduate students affiliated with the Department of Biology at UNB Fredericton or the Department of Biological Sciences at UNB Saint John. This includes any student taking an in person biology course on either campus.

We’re looking for photographs celebrating the living world in all its forms, Homo sapiens excluded!

Submissions can feature living landscapes, animals, plants, seaweed, microorganisms, cells, scanning electron microscopy images, fluorescence microscopy images, or biology-related field and laboratory work.

Preference will be given to photographs taken in New Brunswick.

Winning images will be:

- Featured on the cover of the 2026/2027 BIOL 1006 or BIOL 1017 lab manuals, used by more than 600 students

- Displayed in the Bailey Hall front foyer, both digitally and in print throughout the 2026/2027 academic year

- Shared on the Department of Biology’s social media accounts, including Instagram, Facebook, & LinkedIn

Students can submit up to three images.

Email low-resolution submissions to [email protected] by 11:59 PM on Wednesday, July 22, 2026.

Please include your full name and preferred pronouns, photograph title(s), preferred contact email, program/course affiliation, and permission for the Department of Biology to share your images on their social media accounts, and in their departmental newsletter.

We look forward to seeing life from your perspective!

Dr. Katy Hind & 

Christopher Tregilges

Less than 48 hours left to enter the Biology Student Photo Contest!

The contest is open to undergraduate and graduate students affiliated with the Department of Biology at UNB Fredericton or the Department of Biological Sciences at UNB Saint John.

We’re looking for photographs celebrating the living world in all its forms, excluding humans!

Submissions can feature living landscapes, animals, plants, seaweeds, microorganisms, cells, scanning electron microscopy images, fluorescence microscopy images, or biology-related field and laboratory work.

Preference will be given to photographs taken in New Brunswick.

Winning images will be:

- Featured on the cover of the 2026/2027 BIOL 1006 or BIOL 1017 lab manuals, used by more than 600 students

- Displayed in the Bailey Hall front foyer, both digitally and in print, throughout the 2026/2027 academic year

- Shared on the Department of Biology’s social media accounts, including Instagram, Facebook, & LinkedIn

Students can submit up to three images.

Email low-resolution submissions to [email protected] by 11:59 PM on July 22, 2026.

Please include your full name and preferred pronouns, photograph title(s), preferred contact email, and permission for the Department of Biology to share your images on their social media accounts.

We look forward to seeing what has caught your eye this year!

Dr. Katy Hind & 

Christopher Tregilges

Have a science story to tell?
Write for Currents Magazine! 🌊

The Currents editorial team is now accepting article pitches for Issue #2 through mid-fall.

Whether you're passionate about research, science communication, photography, or sharing your own experience in STEM, Currents welcomes pitches from all UNB undergraduate and graduate students—including students outside of STEM.

Accepted contributors may also be eligible to receive up to 3CH in Science Outreach courses for their contribution.

Visit the link in the bio on the Currents Magazine Instagram's page to submit your pitch. Swipe through to learn more!

Research

As the Fredericton Pride Festival (2026) continues, we recognize the life and legacy of Hal Hinds, a botanist, educator, naturalist, author, and tireless advocate for Fredericton’s gay and le***an communities.

Hal contributed greatly to New Brunswickers’ knowledge of the province’s wild plants. At UNB, he served as an instructor of botany and curator of the Connell Memorial Herbarium. He also authored several publications on New Brunswick’s plants and trees, including "Flora of New Brunswick."

His contributions to conservation were equally significant. Hal was a founding member of the Nature Trust of New Brunswick, the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, the New Brunswick Federation of Naturalists, the New Brunswick Protected Areas Coalition, and the Fredericton Botanic Garden Association.

Beyond his work in botany and conservation, Hal played a central role in building community and advancing gay and le***an rights in Fredericton. He was a tireless advocate for Fredericton’s gay and le***an communities throughout the 1970s and until his passing in 2001.

In 1979, he spearheaded the formation of Fredericton Le****ns and G**s (FLAG) and served as its first president. FLAG provided an important social space for Fredericton’s gay and le***an communities and continued operating into the early 2000s. Hal also ran the FLAGline from his home, offering help and support to people coming out.

His advocacy continued with his co-founding of AIDS New Brunswick in 1986, as well as the New Brunswick Coalition of Human Rights Reform, which worked from 1988 to 1992 to secure legal protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Hal’s legacy continues through his lasting contributions to botany, conservation, and human rights, and through his leadership as a gay man who helped build and advocate for Fredericton’s gay and le***an communities. This work remains an important part of the city’s broader 2SLGBTQIA+ history.

Calling all budding biology photographers!

The annual Biology Student Summer Photo Contest is now open to undergraduate and graduate students associated with the UNB Department of Biology in Fredericton and the Department of Biological Sciences on the UNB Saint John campus.

Submit photos celebrating the living world, (excluding humans i.e., Homo sapiens). We welcome landscapes, animals, plants, seaweeds, microorganisms, cells, scanning electron microscopy images, fluorescence microscopy images, and more.

Winning images will be featured on the 2026/2027 BIOL 1006 and BIOL 1017 lab manual covers and displayed in Bailey Hall.

Submit up to three low-resolution photos by Wednesday, July 22, 2026, to [email protected].

Please include your name, preferred pronouns, photo title(s), preferred contact email, and an acknowledgement that your photo(s) may be shared on the Department of Biology's social media accounts.

Preference will be given to photos taken in New Brunswick.