Faculty & Staff

An Excellent Education From Renowned Professors

The Department of Biological Sciences at Humboldt State University is dedicated to providing an outstanding educational experience to students at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Our faculty is comprised of internationally recognized scientists who share a commitment to quality instruction and research.

 

Full-time faculty

Name: Research interests: Email Address: Phone (707): Teaching areas:
Michael A. Camann Effects of land use and land management on insect community structure and on regional ecosystem processes, especially nutrient dynamics. mac24@humboldt.edu 826-3676 Zoology
Sean F. Craig Population dynamics, ecology and life-history strategies of colonial marine organisms. sfc4@humboldt.edu 826-3656 Zoology
P. Dawn Goley Behavioral ecology of marine mammals. pdg1@humboldt.edu 826-4168 Zoology
Terry W. Henkel Ecology and systematics of neotropical macromycetes and the role of mycorrhizae in structuring forest communities. twh5@humboldt.edu 826-4841 Botany
W. Bryan Jennings Molecular phylogenetics, population genetics, and biogeography especially of birds and lizards. wbj@humboldt.edu 826-4167 Molecular phylogenetics
Erik S. Jules Spread of invasive organisms, the effects of habitat fragmentation on plant populations and community interactions, and environmental history. esj4@humboldt.edu 826-3346 Ecology
Casey R. Lu Chair Heavy metal stress in plants as related to phytoremediation, gravitropism, and science education. crl2@humboldt.edu 826-3246 Botany
Sharyn Marks Herpetology, conservation biology, and evolutionary developmental biology. sbm1@humboldt.edu 826-5560 Zoology
Michael R. Mesler Pollination biology and reproductive biology of pteridophytes (ferns). mrm1@humboldt.edu 826-3674 Botany
Edward C. Metz Species-specificity of fertilization among marine invertebrates as a model for the molecular evolution of reproductive recognition processes. ecm10@humboldt.edu 826-3240 Zoology
Bruce A. O'Gara

Effects of copper toxicity on the nervous system and behavior.

 bao3@humboldt.edu 826-3178 Zoology
John O. Reiss

Evolution and morphology of amphibian metamorphosis.  Evolutionary theory.  History and philosophy of biology.

 jor1@humboldt.edu 826-4156 Zoology
Frank J. Shaughnessy Vice Chair Population and community ecology of seaweeds and seagrasses, with an emphasis on pursuing studies relevant to marine resource managers. fjs3@humboldt.edu 826-4133 Botany
Patricia L. Siering Microbial ecology and physiology especially pertaining to biogeochemistry and life in extreme environments. pls13@humboldt.edu 826-3120 Microbiology
Joe Szewczak Comparative physiology and physiological ecology, especially of bats. joe@humboldt.edu 826-4132 Zoology
Mihai Tomescu Plant anatomy and development; morphology and phylogeny; paleobotany; the colonization of land by eukaryotes; early land plants; taphonomy mihai@humboldt.edu 826-3229 Botany

Jacob P. Varkey F08/Sp09 Sabbatical

 Genetics of sperm development in the free-living nematode, C. elegans; campus advisor for the Alliance for Minority Participation program. jpv1@humboldt.edu 826-4164 Genetics
Jeffrey W. White Biogeography and evolution of rare plants using GIS applications and phylogeny reconstruction. Ecological studies and monitoring of rare plants are also underway. jww12@humboldt.edu 826-5551 Botany
Mark S. Wilson Using molecular genetics to address environmental questions, particularly questions concerning microbial ecology and diversity. msw13@humboldt.edu 826-5557 Microbiology
Jianmin Zhong Detection of tick-borne pathogens and control of tick-borne diseases. jz15@humboldt.edu 826-5554 Microbiology

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Faculty Early Retirement Program (teaching half time)

Name: Research interests: Email Address: Phone (707): Teaching areas:

Milton J. Boyd      Fall only

Community ecology of salt marshes, coastal bays, intertidal rocky and sand beach environments, and nearshore benthos. mjb3@humboldt.edu 826-4924 Biology

Part-time faculty

Name: Research interests: Email Address: Phone (707): Teaching areas:
Robin Bencie Herbarium Manager mrb1@humboldt.edu
826-4801
 Botany
Jennifer Chambers   jjc10@humboldt.edu 826-3677 Botany
Thorvald Holmes Vert. Museum Collection Manager th32@humboldt.edu 826- 5559 Zoology
Michael King mgk2@humboldt.edu 826-3677 Zoology
Courtney Otto   cmo4@humboldt.edu 826-5559 Botany
Amy E. Sprowles   aes54@humboldt.edu 826-4180 Genetics
Leslie J. VanderMolen   ljv1@humboldt.edu
826-3233
General Biology

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Adjunct, Affiliated & Emeritus faculty

Name: Research interests: Email Address: Phone (707): Teaching areas:
Bill Allen Emeritus
Biotechnology, immunology, physiology. wva1@humboldt.edu
826-4169
N/A
J. Michael Bowes Emeritus
Genetics and DNA replication of bacterial viruses, and the biology of the ammoniphilic bacterium Bacillus pasteurii. jmb5@humboldt.edu N/A N/A
Bill Brueske Emeritus
N/A N/A N/A
General Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, Science Education jdd2@humboldt.edu
826-4104
N/A
Dick Gilchrist Emeritus
N/A rdg1@humboldt.edu N/A N/A

James H. Howard Dean, CNRS

Conservation biology, evolution, herpetology, and population and conservation genetics. howard@humboldt.edu
826-3256
N/A
Manuel C. Kaster Emeritus
 N/A mck2@humboldt.edu N/A N/A
Ken Lang Emeritus
N/A kll1@humboldt.edu N/A N/A
David Largent Emeritus
 N/A dll2@humboldt.edu N/A N/A
Tim Lawlor Emeritus
Evolution, ecology, and biogeography of mammals, with an emphasis on relationships and distributions of insular populations. tel1@humboldt.edu
826-4109
 N/A
Sue Lee Emeritus
N/A syl1@humboldt.edu
826-5553
N/A
Bill Lester Emeritus
N/A wll2@humboldt.edu N/A N/A
Jim Lovelace Emeritus
N/A cjl2@humboldt.edu N/A N/A
Robert Rasmussen Emeritus
 N/A rasink@suddenlink.net N/A N/A
Karen Reiss Adjunct
 Systematics and biogeography of chipmunks; mammalian morphological evolution kzr1@humboldt.edu
826-4156
 Zoology

Rollin C. Richmond HSU President

Evolutionary genetics of Drosophila rollinr@humboldt.edu
826-3311
N/A
John Sawyer Emeritus
Classification of the terrestrial vegetation of California. Ecology of forests, coastal scrub, and sand dunes of northwest California. The taxonomy and plant geography of California's woody flora. jos2@humboldt.edu
826-3327
N/A
James P. Smith, Jr. Emeritus
Systematics of grasses, biology of poisonous plants, and occult botany. jps2@humboldt.edu
826-4802
N/A
Steven A. Smith Associate Dean, CNRS
Chromosomal evolution in mammals, marine mammal ecology and evolution ss7006@humboldt.edu
826-5475
 N/A
Plant tissue differentiation with emphasis on ontogeny of xylem and phloem, and ultrastructure of primitive vascular plants. dkw1@humboldt.edu N/A N/A
Jim Waters Emeritus
N/A jvwaters@suddenlink.net N/A N/A
Jack Yarnall Emeritus
N/A jly1@humboldt.edu N/A N/A

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Biological Sciences Staff
Name: Job Title Email Address: Phone (707): Teaching areas:
Anthony Baker Stockroom Manager biostock@humboldt.edu 826-3232 Molecular Biology Technique
Robin Bencie Herbarium Manager mrb1@humboldt.edu 826-4801 Botany

Thorvald Holmes

Vert. Museum Collection Manager th32@humboldt.edu 826-4872/4871 Zoology
Christine House Animal Caretaker ch7002@humboldt.edu 826-3121 N/A
Terry Jones Microbiology Supervisor tpj1@humboldt.edu 826-3248 Microbiology
Lewis McCrigler Equipment Technician lmm7001@humboldt.edu 826-3376 N/A
Marty Reed Equipment Technician mmr7001@humboldt.edu 826-3234 N/A
Cheryl Satter Adminstrative Analyst satter@humboldt.edu 826-4166 N/A
Elizabeth Weaver Administrative Support Coordinator eaw4@humboldt.edu 826-3245 N/A
Deborah Weigle Greenhouse Manager dtw7@humboldt.edu 826-3678 N/A
Terry Wingenbach Algae Culturist tlw7001@humboldt.edu 826-4178 N/A

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