WCU Biology Department

08/24/2026

Join us as we kick off the new semester with our first speaker in the Paul Burton Seminar Series! Dr. Ryan Stephens from ETSU will be talking about truffles from multiple perspectives, at 12:20 in AP 201. We hope to see you there!

Also, here is the tentative lineup of speakers for Fall 2026:

August 28 – Ryan Stephens, PhD, East Tenn State University, Truffle dispersal: from volatiles to carnivores

September 4 – Matthew Koski, PhD, Clemson University; Evolution of flowering plants

September 11- Alex Hopke, PhD; East Tennessee State University; Fungal infections and immunology

September 18 – Luis Lowe, MS, MPH; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

September 25 – Melinda Grosser, PhD; UNC Asheville, Microbiology

October 2 – Angela Duartus, WCU, Forensic Anthropology

October 9 – Jeremy Morris, Wofford University, Sexual selection in mammals

October 23 – Dave Gammon; Elon University; Mimicry in birds

October 30 – Andy Bellemer; App State; Neuroscience

November 6 – Sarah Stellwagen; UNC-Charlotte; Evolution of spider webs

November 13 – Sabrina Chin; UT Knoxville; Plant root molecular biology

November 20 & December 4 – Graduate Student Presentations

07/22/2026

Progress is being made on the new entryway to Hunter Library. We can’t wait until the entire quad area is open and access to all buildings will be so much simpler.

06/16/2026

After a long wait, it appears access to the former Judaculla Garden and the area where Natural Science Building stood will be open! Note the fencing is now pushed back toward Hunter Library to allow for construction of new stairs down into the courtyard. Exciting to see progress being made!

06/10/2026

As plans unfold to reopen the quad between Stillwell, Apodaca, and Hunter Library, this family of groundhogs has the run of the place in the corner of the “L” of Stillwell. There is one adult and perhaps three young present. Happy Summer!

05/12/2026

Some good news to start us off for the summer! Jessica Blackburn has been awarded a Tomm & Bruce Shinn Grant from the NC Native Plant Society for "Phytoremediation Capabilities of Oenothera biennis and Impatiens capensis in Copper (Cu) Contaminated Soils.” Well done, Jessica! Best wishes in your field work and research endeavors!

05/01/2026

Congratulations to Jake Thompson, a student in our Master’s program, for obtaining funding from Highlands Biological Foundation to study a rare aquatic plant this summer. Jake is working with Dr. Kathy Mathews. Nice going, Jake!

Hidden beneath the water’s surface, Kral’s water plantain leads a quiet and elusive life. Rarely seen and little understood, this threatened aquatic plant remains one of the many mysteries of the natural world.

In this month’s spotlight, we’re featuring 2026 Grant-in-Aid recipient Jake Thompson, whose research is helping bring this species out of the shadows. By studying how Kral’s water plantain grows, flowers, and persists, Jake is working to better understand its ecology and support its conservation.

Even the most hidden life forms have a story to tell: https://highlandsbiological.org/a-plant-that-rarely-reveals-itself/

This research is made possible with support from the Highlands Biological Foundation, whose commitment to field-based science helps advance research, education, and conservation in the Southern Appalachians and beyond.

05/01/2026

Dr. O’Connell’s brewing class had a great behind-the-scenes tour at Sierra Nevada Brewing Company yesterday. They learned about sustainable business practices that are used along with producing world-class beers. Maybe the most impressive part of the tour was getting to hang out in the hop room!

04/30/2026

Plan to join us tomorrow as we celebrate the end of another great year with two more talks by our students at the Paul Burton Seminar followed by even more research highlighted in our Biology Research Celebration! Following Kaela and Aster’s talks, there will be numerous student presentations, pizza and raffle prizes, and visits from alumni until 3pm. We look forward to capping off the 2025-2026 school year with y’all tomorrow! Be there on the top floor of Apodaca!

04/23/2026

Busy day on the social media feed... Congrats to Dr. Jim Costa on his new book!

A landmark work, newly illuminated. 📚

We’re thrilled to celebrate the newest book from our very own Executive Director, Dr. Jim Costa, co-editor of The Descent of Man: An Annotated Edition of Darwin’s Classic Work with Elizabeth E. Yale.

This new annotated edition revisits the book that shocked the Victorian world and continues to spark conversation today, offering fresh insight into one of Charles Darwin’s most influential and controversial works.

A major contribution for readers of science, history, and the enduring legacy of evolutionary thought — and a proud moment for all of us at Highlands Biological Station and WCU.

https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691194042/the-descent-of-man?srsltid=AfmBOooB45AM1SvINqN1ClpMmUWLqyC88iaA81Tm1Y04PBp6wNbrxE8P

04/23/2026

Love to see students and faculty in the field!