Department Vision
The Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology has a rich tradition of blending basic and applied research. We promote scientific discovery and scientific literacy through teaching and public outreach. We strive for leadership in our scholarly disciplines combined with excellence in the classroom. To those ends, our service to the University and the community is built on a strong, collegial workplace and the free flow of ideas.
Department Mission
The mission of the Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology is to provide high quality, comprehensive programs in undergraduate and graduate instruction, to generate and disseminate knowledge gained through original research, and to provide service to the University and professional and public sectors. As a department in the College of Arts and Sciences, the Department contributes to the mission of the College in the areas of teaching, research and service in evolutionary biology, organismal biology, and ecology. The department is committed to the University’s mission.
As necessary components of this mission, the Department is committed to continuous improvement through regular scrutiny of the undergraduate and graduate curricula; the hiring of tenure-track faculty and other personnel who enhance or have the strong potential to enhance the Department’s quality in the areas of teaching, research, and service; the recruitment and retention of a workforce and student body committed to the creation of a welcoming climate; and the development and maintenance of a physical and intellectual environment that fosters those activities.
Formal classroom courses and original research focus on a broad spectrum of topics. The Department is particularly focused on understanding basic processes that affect the evolution, physiology, behavior, and population biology of organisms, as well as species interactions and ecosystem function. The faculty, staff, and students focus on fundamental concepts and theory at levels of organization ranging from molecular to global.