The Department of Biology at the University of South Alabama is a flagship department
in the College of Arts and Sciences, with one of the highest student enrollments on
campus. The department offers a Bachelor of Science in Biology, and undergraduates
can pursue a concentration in Marine Biology or Environmental Sciences. Additionally,
South offers a Master of Science in Biology and students can choose to be mentored
by one of the department’s faculty members, which includes renowned experts in a range
of biology-related disciplines.
Courses are taught primarily by full-time faculty, and students are provided with
research opportunities each semester. Through mentorship, teaching and research, biology
faculty foster an environment for active learning where students acquire knowledge
in all areas of the field, including ecology, evolution, genetics, physiology, microbiology,
conservation and global change. South strives for excellence and provides students
with the analytical and technical skills necessary to work on microbes, marine mammals,
and everything in between. Students from this program graduate as well-rounded alumni
capable of pursuing professional, governmental and academic careers to tackle challenges
facing our planet.
Role of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion in Biology
The Department of Biology believes that diversity is crucial to our pursuit of academic
excellence and is deeply committed to creating a diverse and inclusive community.
A universal lesson in biology is that more diverse systems function better. The diverse
faces, experiences, and cultures each of us brings to the university and our department
improves the quality and creativity within our community. The Biology faculty will
continue to educate ourselves, to implement intentional, inclusive teaching practices,
and to foster a strong sense of belonging for ALL students in our program. ALL means
that no matter your race, gender expression and identity, who you love, background,
ability, beliefs, or country of origin, everyone is welcome in the Biology Department.
Public Outreach on the Upper Tensaw River
Tuesday - November 23, 2021
Joel Borden led a natural history tour of the Upper Tensaw River Nov 6th on the Blakeley Historic Park's Delta Explorer. The topics of discussion included biodiversity, the riverine environment, and ecosystem services.
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Upcoming bird outreach events featuring Joel Borden
Thursday - October 7, 2021
Upcoming bird outreach events featuring Biology faculty member Joel Borden. Joel will be participating in several events as part of Blakeley Historic Park, Continuing Education's Odyssey Program, and the Alabama Coastal Birdfest!
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Skyler Magnus Kerr, Masters Student, Successfully Defends Thesis
Friday - July 16, 2021
Skyler Magnus Kerr, a Masters student in Biology at the University of South Alabama, successfully defended his thesis entitled "The Distribution of The Ixodid Fauna of Medical Importance in Alabama". His project encompassed traveling through the entire state of Alabama to collect, catalog, and track where tick species occur in the state as well as pathogen screenings of samples collected.
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Department of Biology: 12-Month Continuing Instructor
The Department of Biology at the University of South Alabama seeks applications for
a full-time, twelve-month, non-tenure-track Instructor position, beginning August
15, 2022. Duties include lecturing, laboratory coordination, and laboratory instruction
for General Biology for Majors. The successful candidate will demonstrate an understanding
of the needs of a student population of great diversity – in age, cultural background,
ethnicity, primary language and academic preparation – through inclusive course materials
and teaching strategies. An earned M.S. or Ph.D. in Biology or related field is required,
and prior college teaching experience is preferred.
To apply: Send by email in a single PDF document including: (a) letter of interest,
(b) current curriculum vita, (c) teaching philosophy, (d) unofficial transcripts,
and (e) names of three references to Ms. Leigh Delaney-Tucker at leighdelaney@southalabama.edu.
All interviews will be conducted on site. Successful applicants will need to arrange
to have all official graduate and undergraduate transcripts sent directly by the Registrars
of all colleges attended to the following address:
Ms. Leigh Delaney-Tucker
Biology Department
5871 USA Dr. N. Room 124
The University of South Alabama
Mobile, AL 36688
Review of applications will begin June 13, 2022 and continue until the position is
filled.
The University of South Alabama is an EO/AA employer and does not discriminate on
the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation,
gender identity and gender expression), religion, age, genetic information, disability,
or protected veteran status.
The Great Alabama Tick Survey
Alabama has experienced an increased incidence of tick-borne diseases affecting humans
(ADPH 2017). Presently, the only state-wide tick surveillance program is based at
the University of South Alabama. Given the size of Alabama, limited resources, and
the potential importance of tick-borne diseases in the state, I am asking the public
for help. All it takes is to send in any ticks found on a person (or pets) while outside.
Sending is easy, just tape (Scotch tape is best) the tick(s) to a piece of paper,
put it in a sealed envelope and send it to Dr. John McCreadie at the University of
South Alabama (mailing address below). Submitted ticks will be identified to species
and this information passed along to the person submitting the specimen. The only
information needed about the tick is the location where the tick was found and date
when the tick was found. Please also include an email address to receive the information
about the identification of the species.
Thank you for your assistance!
Dr. John McCreadie, Entomologist
Department of Biology, 5871 USA Drive North
LSCB Room 124
University of South Alabama
Mobile AL 36688
(251) 460 6332
