Ohio University faculty are committed to engaging students in academic discovery and intellectual growth via the core curriculum, major and minor baccalaureate curricula, and mastery in select research topics.
OUS Biology faculty participates in interdepartmental programs including Nursing, Applied Health Technologies and Psychology. Our mission is to engage students in scholarly pursuits that benefit their preparation for life-long learning and societal engagement.
We provide an environment where students may develop disciplinary competencies necessary for their chosen career fields. We offer opportunities for faculty-student mentoring and out-of-classroom learning and research opportunities.
You can reach the Biology Department at:
Ohio University Southern
253 Riffe Center
1804 Liberty Avenue
Ironton, OH 45638
The Biology Department is located at Ohio University Southern Campus in historic Southeastern Ohio Appalachia.
Faculty and Staff
Biology Associate Professor
Office: Riffe Center 157
Associate Professor of Biological Sciences
Office: Riffe Center 253
Biology Lab Technician
Office: Academic Center 123
- Water Quality Analysis Field Studies
- Medicinal Plant micropropagation
- Effects of large scale agricultural herbicide on amphibian sexual development and morphology
- Histopathological studies of laboratory grown tadpoles exposed to Atrazine
During this demonstration, students were exposed to the genetics of the apple tree and the procedures that are required to plant, cultivate and graft a frost-resistant tree. It is hoped that the zoology students will take this knowledge and appreciation of the apple and ultimately produce a stock of hardy resistance and adaptability to extreme climate shifts.
But this research will be a slow process. It takes about seven years from grafting a tree to seeing fruit develop on it. Students, however, will benefit by having the opportunity to observe and care for the tree’s development throughout their educational experience at OUS.
Ohio University Student Enhancement Award
The Biology Dept. also offers popular classes in field identification. For example, Medicinal Plants of Ohio is taught in cooperation with a sustainable organic farm, Equinox Botanicals. Students learn about their historical connection to the plants of the Appalachian Plateau. A ‘sense of place’ is instilled in the inhabitants of Southern Ohio while exploring the powerful properties of medicinal plants demonstrated with regional healing remedies and ethno botany through reenacting indigenous wild crafting traditions.
During the Freedom Festival, the biology department focuses on the route of slaves through the Underground Railroad in Appalachia and depicts the fauna used for food, clothing, and protection during this harsh journey towards freedom. Students learn of the important link that was provided by the settlers of the mountains deep within Appalachia.