Department of Biology

John Rushin Teaching and Research Prairie Dedication

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 21:10:48 +0000

Please join us Saturday, October 31 at 10:00 a.m. for the dedication of the John Rushin Teaching and Research Prairie. The prairie is located on the east side of campus near 5oth and Messanie.

Geography Club Paints Two Maps for North Nodaway Elementary

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 16:48:51 +0000

On Saturday October 12, 2020, the MWSU Geography Club, with the help of volunteers from Lowes of St. Joseph and parents, teachers, and students from North Nodaway Elementary School, painted a US and a world map on the elementary school playground in Pickering, MO.

This is the fourth US map that Geography Club has installed and the first world map. Additionally, in the past year, three more US maps were installed at elementary schools in Andrew County by the staff of the Andrew County Health Department and one other US map was installed at Stewartsville Elementary school by their PTA through a loan of the stencils by Geography Club.

The MWSU Geography Club is grateful to the Student Government Association for supporting the purchase of the stencils and for Lowes of St. Joseph donating the materials for the project at North Nodaway Elementary School.

If you would like more information about MWSU Geography Club, or the Playground Map Project, please contact Dawn Drake, advisor at ddrake4@missouriwestern.edu or 816-271-4161 or Brian Salsberry, Geography Club President at bsalsberry1@missouriwestern.edu.

Dr. Roy Publishes Two Articles – One Featuring The Leo A. Galloway Herbarium

crisler — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 13:45:53 +0000

Dr. Tilottama Roy, assistant professor of biology, recently published two scientific articles. One of them is an article featuring the Leo A. Galloway Herbarium housed in the Department of Biology. This article has been published in the summer issue of “The Vasculum”, the newsletter for the Society of Herbarium curators.

Dr. Roy is also a coauthor in a review article titled, “Radioprotective natural products as probable alternatives to orthodox cancer radiotherapy”, with international collaborators, which has recently been accepted for publication in the journal BLACPMA (Boletin latinoamericano y del caribe de plantas medicinales y aromaticas), the Latin American and Caribbean Bulletin of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants. Dr. Roy played a crucial role in this project, and is also the corresponding author.

Dr. Barta Receives Primarily Undergraduate Institutions Award of the American Society of Plant Biologists

crisler — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 13:35:53 +0000

Dr. Csengele Barta, associate professor of biology was awarded the Primarily Undergraduate Institutions Award of the American Society of Plant Biologists. This prestigious award recognizes excellence and achievements in plant science research, undergraduate student research mentorship and contributions to plant science education, of faculty at primarily undergraduate serving institutions. The award also provides funding to facilitate the research presentation of Dr. Barta and her undergraduate research team at the international Plant Biology Meeting of the American Society of Plant Biologists. Congratulations!

Bailee Romaker Receives Association of Missouri Interpreters Scholarship for 2020

crisler — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 16:34:59 +0000

Congratulations to Bailee Romaker who is the recipient of the Association of Missouri Interpreters Scholarship for 2020. This scholarship is a highly competitive, state-wide scholarship for students in natural resource degree programs who have demonstrated an interest in outreach and education and naturalist interpretation professional development!

Well done, Bailee

Dr. Roy and Research Students Present at the Virtual Botany Conference

crisler — Tue, 04 Aug 2020 19:42:56 +0000

Biology assistant professor, Dr. Tilottama Roy and her research students Shawn Boss and Esther Par, both Biology majors, presented their work through virtual posters and an online platform which was held July 27-31 during the Evolution meetings in Cleveland, OH and the Botany conference, in Anchorage Alaska. Due to COVID-19 the in-person meetings were shifted to a virtual realm and the students presented on the endangered False Foxgloves plants and the Lamioid Mint plants.

In addition to his presentation, Shawn did an audio introduction for his poster, which was praised very highly by other conference attendees and participants from all across the globe. His twitter feed on his audio was retweeted by the Botanical Society of America and received 1.7k views within the first 15 hours. Dr. Roy also presented a talk and looks forward to many more such accolades coming their way in future.

Dr. Roy Elected to Society of Herbarium Curators

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 16:49:44 +0000

Biology assistant professor, Dr. Tilottama Roy, has been elected to the executive board of the early career section of the international scientific society – Society of Herbarium Curators.

In this prestigious voluntary position, Dr. Roy will serve as the secretary for two years.

One of her missions as the secretary is to increase funding for advancement of herbaria in primarily undergraduate institutions like Missouri Western, and making them more accessible to students and community members.

Dr. Roy’s research at Missouri Western with undergraduate students also includes dried preserved herbarium plant specimens. She is also working with biology major Esther Par at curating the Leo A. Galloway herbarium at Missouri Western.

MWSU Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society recognized as North-Central Student Chapter of the Year 2021

crisler — Tue, 07 Jul 2020 18:04:22 +0000

The MWSU student chapter of The Wildlife Society has been recognized as the North Central Section Student Chapter of the Year for 2021. This is the highest award given at the section level.

The North-Central section of The Wildlife Society is one of eight sections in North America (including Canada and Mexico, but also Guam and Puerto Rico). The North-Central section includes eight states each of which has a state chapter of TWS. Within each state, there are one or more student chapters of TWS (indicated in parentheses with each state): Illinois (3), Indiana (2), Iowa (1), Michigan (4), Minnesota (4), Missouri (6), Ohio (2), and Wisconsin (2).

The MWSU student chapter of TWS competed against a total of 23 student chapters in the North-Central section, including student chapters at some of the most prestigious, largest, and oldest wildlife schools in the world (such as University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point where the first wildlife program was founded).

MWSU’s student chapter of TWS has been recognized as the North-Central Section Student Chapter of the Year eight times, and the International Student Chapter of the Year three times since the chapter was created in 2002.

COMING FALL 2020: NEW Earth and Environmental Science minor

michend — Mon, 11 May 2020 18:30:12 +0000

The new Earth and Environmental Science (EaES) minor provides a solid foundation in basic earth and environmental science to support a student who wishes to supplement or focus on a more environmental- or sustainability-focused aspect of their career. Interest in environmental science and sustainability are growing in popularity across the country, in line with the needs of workforce development in multiple career fields. Some of the earth and environmental science careers that continue to grow faster than US average job growth include environmental scientists, soil scientists, meteorologists, agronomists, and hydrologists. The EaES minor will make graduates more marketable in areas such as business, population health, biology and wildlife conservation, engineering tech, and many others. For more information, contact the Biology Department at biology1@missouriwestern.edu or 816-271-4379.

Wildlife Society distributes record number of meals

Fri, 14 Feb 2020 18:54:48 +0000

The Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) state-wide “Share the Harvest Program” provides healthy animal protein through venison donated by sport hunters each year.

When a hunter donates a harvested deer to a designated meat processor, the deer is processed just like beef. The meat is then given to charitable organizations to distribute to the needy directly and through meal outlets.

The Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society is designated by MDC to pick up loads of readied venison from the meat processors and deliver the meat to Second Harvest the region’s main charitable distribution center.

From 2010-2014, the Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society distributed an average of 1800 lbs. of venison annually. This enabled the serving of an average of 14,400 meals annually over this time period (based upon current USDA recommendations of 2 oz. meat protein/meal; USDA Food and Nutrition Service website: ).

In 2019, The Student Chapter of TWS distributed 3366 lbs. of venison to Second Harvest Food Bank, thereby enabling the delivery of a record 26,928 meals to the needy in the St. Joseph and surrounding area.