Biology

Experts in their field, the Biology professors at UMA are first and foremost teachers focused on the student. Combine that with UMA’s small classes and labs, and you’re guaranteed to receive the attention and career guidance you need. 

 

Beyond course and lab work, the Biology department also offers the student opportunities to work directly with faculty on innovative scientific research projects, or intern at a collaborating institution such as the Maine Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory of the Department of Health and Human Resources, or volunteer in Haiti as part of a course in global health

 

UMA’s Biology majors graduate with a broad spectrum of career options. Many of our graduates have obtained positions in laboratory science in both the public and private sectors and in education, while others have pursued graduate study in the biological sciences, medical school, and in allied health programs leading to careers as a physician’s assistant or pharmacologist. Biotechnology, environmental monitoring, and research laboratories are other possibilities for the UMA Biology graduate.

 

Skills You'll Acquire

As a Biology major you will become a problem-solver who likes challenges. You will learn to be accurate, reliable, work well under pressure and finish a task once started. You will also communicate well, both verbally and in writing. Listed below are some representative skills and abilities that you will acquire.

Investigation	Communication
Understanding cause & effect Observing carefully Designing experiments Relating lab findings to common disease process Utilizing formulae	Using medical terminology Writing reports Educating others Training others  Working as a team member
Technical	Analysis
Using laboratory equipment Maintaining laboratory equipment Monitoring quality control Applying principles of safety Attending to detail	Collecting & processing specimens Perceiving patterns/structures Examining specimens Conducting tests Analyzing data

 

Careers You Can Seek

As a Biology graduate, you will be able to apply your skills in a variety of settings including health care, business and industry, government and research organizations. The following is a list of some of your career options.

Health Care	Government/Public Service
Laboratory Technician Clinical Toxicologist* Diagnostic Virologist* Physician Assistant*  Medical Doctor*	Water Quality Inspector Forensic Laboratory Assistant Food Technologist EPA Staff Member Science Teacher (HS, College)*
Research	Business/Industry
Cancer Researcher* Pharmaceutical Research Assistant  Epidemiologist* Genetics Researcher* Cytotechnologist* Chemist	Color Development Chemist Brewery Laboratory Analyst Paper Mill Lab Technician Pharmaceutical Sales Sales Representative for Biotechnical Instrumentation and Reagents

* Graduate level study is generally required for these occupations.

 

Biology Faculty

 

Susan O. Baker, MEd Science Coordinator	Sheila K. Bennett, PhD
Christopher Lage, PhD	Peter Milligan, PhD

 

Adjunct Biology Faculty

• Donna Gronros
• Christopher Montagna
• Hilary Grover
• Theodore Lane
• Elaine Katz
• Margaret Mueller Shore
• Gretchen Noyes-Hull
• James Guillimette