A Very Happy New Year from the Biology Department at WashU!

We had a wonderful 2024. As always, our students continue to shine and make us proud. Last year’s student departmental award winners were: Hannah Davis (Ralph S. Quatrano Prize for creativity in thesis design and research); Shelei Pan (Marion Smith Spector Prize for academic excellence and research); Braxton Sizemore (Garland Allen Prize for significant efforts in diversity, equity and inclusion); and Shan Wang (Harrison D. Stalker Award for combining scientific scholarship with significant contributions in the arts and humanities).

Dr. Tony Smith, who serves as Coordinator of the Biology Undergraduate Research Experience, helped create the Biology Research Ambassador Program (BRAP), where seven ambassadors serve as near-peer mentors, increase awareness and access, and assist with student-focused outreach. Our state-of-the-art teaching labs in Jolley Hall are humming with activity. Students are enjoying the collaborative spaces and access to cutting edge equipment like the Anatomage Table for virtual 3D visualization and dissection of vertebrate anatomy.

Our amazing faculty lead the way in both research and education in Arts & Sciences. Dr. David Queller was elected to the National Academy of Sciences for his world-leading theoretical research in evolutionary biology. Dr. Mitch Kundel was awarded the First-Year Programs Teaching Award in recognition of his highly successful first-year course Molecular Biology of Genetic Disease.

I am saddened to inform you that Dr. Stan Braude passed away on June 1, 2024. A consummate teacher and curator of the WashU Arboretum, Stan’s passion for hands-on inquiry has left a lasting impact on many generations of students. The arboretum, home to 6,500 trees, recently received Level III accreditation by the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program, which was one of Stan’s goals. 

We look forward to welcoming Dr. Toby Pennington as the inaugural David and Dorothy Kemper Professor in Fall 2025. Dr. Pennington is a world-renowned researcher in tropical plant biogeography, phylogenetics, and conservation, currently holding joint positions at the University of Exeter and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

Best Wishes,

Ram