Department of Biology | SUNY Potsdam

Biology at SUNY Potsdam is founded on the principle of providing a quality undergraduate education for students with diverse interests.

A broad general background in biology, as part of a liberal arts education, allows students to pursue a variety of careers or continue learning at the graduate level. The Department of Biology offers a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in biology, as well as a B.S. in Biomedical Sciences.

Undergraduate Research

The Department of Biology is always providing new course offerings and research projects. Faculty members' interests include a wide range of subjects in the fields of ecology and evolutionary biology, cell and molecular biology, and anatomy and physiology, all of which are reflected in the program.

Thinking about PreMed?

We have tailored the Bachelor of Science in Biology program to be one of the best preparations for medical school. And, our new Biomedical Science program provides another route to fully customize your academic experiences for medical school. Ask your advisor to help you choose the right combination of classes to help you succeed on your MCATs as you pursue a career as a doctor, physician assistant, ophthalmologist, or dentist.

"My educational experience at SUNY Potsdam has been vital to my journey toward medical school. As a future physician, I will now have the skills to digest complicated research and explain it to my patients in accessible ways."
Lucas Scalcione '25

Future in Focus

Ever since he was in middle school, Lucas Scalcione '25 knew that he wanted to pursue a career in medicine, specifically ophthalmology. Now he has completed the rigorous MCAT exam, is wrapping up his degree in biology at SUNY Potsdam, and will be entering medical school next fall.

Realizing His Dreams

When Wilber Parada ’20 arrived at SUNY Potsdam his freshman year, he already had a vision for his future. His plans to one day become a Doctor of Physical Therapy would involve years of hard work, completing undergraduate and graduate degrees, and passing the National Physical Therapy Examination. Seven years later he has made his dream a reality. Parada is now working at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC, one of the top-rated hospitals in the country, where he’s conducting research on exoskeletons and robotics, and helping to rehabilitate patients suffering from chronic illnesses.

Road Warrior

As wild animals travel from Canada’s Algonquin Park to the Adirondacks, their lives are in jeopardy at every intersecting road. That’s where Emily Yousey ’25 steps in. This summer she has been working on a road ecology research project to identify the locations where animals are losing their lives to passing cars. The study will inform decisions about where to create wildlife crossings, and lead to the creation of overpasses or underpasses to provide safe passage for the animals in the future.

Smile for the camera

Imagine a game camera with reading glasses. That’s one of the creative ways that four faculty members have been capturing photos of an unsuspecting assortment of small mammals through the modified lens of a wildlife camera. Funded by a grant through the Lougheed Center for Applied Learning, Dr. Glenn Johnson, Dr. Kate Cleary, Dr. Jessica Rogers, and Dr. Bridget Amulike launched a pilot project this summer to determine the most effective ways to collect data on a variety of critters ranging from deer mice and shrews to chipmunks and weasels—research that will inform future projects looking at tick abundance in the region.

The Tick Trackers

As Jada West ’24 drags a light-colored flannel sheet across the forest floor, she searches for microscopic creatures most of us hope to never encounter. Pulling the sheet over leaves, plants, and soil she captures Blacklegged ticks like a lint roller absorbing fuzz balls from a favorite sweater. Working with Dr. Kate Cleary, Dr. Glenn Johnson, Dr. Bridget Amulike, and Dr. Jessica Rogers, West and four other students were able to get hands-on experience through grant-funded research this summer, studying small mammals and examining tick abundance around Potsdam.

Looking for the Varroa Mite in Beehives

Experiential learning is the at the heart of a SUNY Potsdam education and that is no more clearly expressed than when four students ventured out to inspect local honey bee hives as they were looking for the presence of the Varroa Mite.

Protecting the Majestic Grey Crowned Crane

Taking flight like the endangered birds she studies, Bridget Amulike has launched an inspiring career as a conservation biologist, educator, and researcher. Born and raised in Tanzania, Amulike is now in the middle of a prestigious two-year SUNY PRODiG Fellowship at SUNY Potsdam, teaching her students about wildlife conservation with real world examples from her research in Africa on grey crowned cranes.

Protecting the Endangered

Traveling up and down the east coast, and through the Gulf of Mexico, Brogin Van Skoik ’11 puts his degree from SUNY Potsdam to the test. Working as an endangered species observer on a large dredging vessel, he carefully monitors the human impact on a precious assortment of turtles, fish, and whales—halting dredging operations at a moment’s notice if too many species are harmed by the shipping operations.

Biology Professor and Alumni Capture Spruce Grouse in Canada

To improve population numbers and genetic diversity of spruce grouse, SUNY Potsdam Biology Professor Glenn Johnson and alumni spent two weeks in Canada capturing and relocating the birds to the Adirondacks.