EXPLORE LIFE, INSPIRE CURIOSITY, DISCOVER YOUR PURPOSE
The Department of Biology at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point immerses students in the study of living things including how life develops, functions and changes. Our students and faculty put a high priority on collaborating in research and discovery to establish a deeper understanding of life and its natural processes.
Students choose us because our flexible program helps them shape their studies around their interests and aspirations.
VITAL, CAREER-READY EXPERIENCES
FACULTY-MENTORED RESEARCH
Learning in biology is not confined to coursework. One of the hallmarks of the UW-Stevens Point Department of Biology is our commitment to faculty-mentored undergraduate research. A number of students participate in laboratory and field research projects with Biology faculty mentors.
STUDENT EMPLOYMENT
Student workers gain valuable experience working with faculty and staff in laboratories, the stockroom, plant or animal care, and many other activities. Build on your foundational knowledge by working for a host of organizations, on and off campus.
FIELD STUDY
UWSP provides students access to tracts of land for study outside of campus, in addition to our Schmeeckle Reserve. Interested students may apply for field study exploring the forest ecology, native fauna (especially birds), and marine biology of the Hawai’i Island.
PRE-MED PRECEPTORSHIP
This rewarding program for undergraduates interested in the medical field allows them to take their understanding of human physiology and anatomical structures and connect more deeply with experiential learning in a medical setting.
STUDENT CENTERED RESEARCH AND RESOURCES
ADVANCED IMAGING TECHNOLOGY
The UW-Stevens Point Department of Biology has state-of-the-art scanning and transmission electron microscopes used by faculty and students for teaching and research. The Electron Microscope Facility on the Haeni Chemistry Biology Building third floor features two different types of microscope.
DEPARTMENT SCHOLARSHIPS
Scholarships for Department Biology students are based on academic excellence, leadership or excellence in research. Awards are presented at the annual Biology Awards Banquet each spring.
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM
Our student research includes projects in the humanities, natural sciences, math, computing, and the social and behavioral sciences. Students showcase their research through poster and oral presentations during the annual event as a culmination of their research experience.
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Student-run organizations at UW-Stevens Point offer a number of opportunities to get involved with fellow students, professors, and the community in topics of interest to majors.
NATURAL SCIENCE COLLECTIONS
TROPICAL CONSERVATORY
The UWSP Tropical Conservatory is home to species and cultivars found around the world! This impressive living classroom opened in 2019 is maintained by student workers. Visitors and students can enjoy a wide array of trees, edible plants, vines and aquatic plants.
OLSON MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
Our Museum of Natural History has a new permanent home in the Science Building. Work continues to showcase the vast UWSP natural science museum collection, thousands of specimens used in research, coursework and for scientific study. The museum’s annual open house each spring open to the public is the Collection Crawl.
FRECKMANN HERBARIUM
UWSP students come from throughout the state and have the unique opportunity to participate in our statewide plant inventory. Other research emphases are aquatic vascular plants, grasses, bryophytes, and lichens. Over 200,000 specimens are archived in the Freckmann Herbarium inside the Chemistry Biology Building.
PROGRAMS OF STUDY
You will be prepared for advanced studies and exciting careers, studying in our top-notch facilities. UW-Stevens Point readies more students for graduate work than nearly any other UW System institution. Our advisers will assist as you plan your preferred course of study in the Department of Biology!
In the News
MEET CURRENT MAJORS
Who better to share their advice for having a successful Pointer journey than current students from the Department of Biology!
MEET YOUR BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT FACULTY
Our department is continually adding new, cutting-edge courses across the entire biology curriculum. Courses and labs are led by our dedicated faculty with expertise in the field. Faculty offices are located in both the Haeni Chemistry Biology Building and Trainer Natural Resources Building.
View All Faculty
Sarah Jane Alger
- Associate Professor
- Chair, Department of Biology
Sarah Orlofske
- Associate Professor
- Curator of Animal Parasites
