Department of Zoology and Physiology

114 Aven Nelson
(307) 766-4207
Web site: www.uwyo.edu/Zoology
Department Head: Robert S. Seville

Professors:

MERAV BEN-DAVID, B.S. Tel Aviv University 1984; M.S. 1988; Ph.D. University of Alaska 1996; Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2010, 2000.

CRAIG W. BENKMAN, B.A. University of California at Berkeley 1978; M.S. Northern Arizona Sate University 1981; Ph.D. State University of New York at Albany 1985; Robert Berry Professor of Ecology, Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2004.

JACOB R. GOHEEN, B.S. Kansas State University 1998; M.S. Purdue University 2002; Ph.D. University of New Mexico 2006; Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2020, 2010.

CARLOS MARTINEZ del RIO, B.Sc. Universidad Nacional de Mexico 1984; Ph.D. University of Florida 1990; Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2004, 2000.

DAVID B. MCDONALD, A.B. Harvard College 1973; Ph.D. University of Arizona 1987; Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2010, 1996.

JONATHAN F. PRATHER, B.S. University of Virginia 1995; Ph.D. Emory University 2001; Associate Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2021, 2009.

FRANK J. RAHEL, B.A. Kenyon College 1974; M.S. University of Wisconsin 1977; Ph.D. 1982; Professor of Zoology and Physiology 1998, 1985.

ROBERT S. SEVILLE, B.S. San Diego State University 1981; M.S. University of Wyoming 1987; Ph.D. 1992; Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2011, 1995.

QIAN-QUAN SUN, B.Sc. Shandong Normal University 1990; M.S. 1993; Ph.D. St. Andrews University 1998; Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2016, 2004.

Associate Professors:

MATTHEW D. CARLING, B.S. University of Michigan 1997; M.S. University of Idaho 2002; Ph.D. Louisiana State University 2008; Associate Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2017, 2011.

ANNA D. CHALFOUN, B.A. Smith College 1995; M.S. University of MissouriColumbia 2000; Ph.D. University of MontanaMissoula 2006; Associate Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2016, 2011.

BRIAN D. CHERRINGTON, B.A. Washington University 1996; M.S. Colorado State University 2001; Ph.D. 2005; Associate Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2017, 2011.

MICHAEL E. DILLON, B.S. University of Texas, Austin 1998; Ph.D. University of Washington 2005; Associate Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2015, 2009.

MATTHEW J. KAUFFMAN, B.A. University of Oregon 1992; Ph.D. University of California, Santa Cruz 2003; Associate Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2014, 2006.

AMY C. KRIST, B.A. State University of New York at Potsdam 1991; Ph.D. Indiana University 1998; Associate Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2017, 2004.

AMY M. NAVRATIL, B.S. Colorado State University 1999; Ph.D. 2005; Associate Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2019, 2011.

KARA PRATT, B.A.S. University of Delaware 1989; Ph.D. Brandeis University 2004; Associate Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2017, 2011.

ANNIKA W. WALTERS, B.A. Princeton University 2002; M.S. Yale University 2006; Ph.D. 2009; Associate Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2019, 2011.

Assistant Professors:

NICOLE L. BEDFORD, B.S. University of British Columbia 2010; Ph.D Harvard University 2019; Assistant Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2021.

RILEY FEHR BERNARD, B.Sc. Linfield College 2007; M.Sc. University of Hawaii Hilo 2011; Ph.D. University of Tennessee 2015; Assistant Professor of Zoology and Physiology, 2020.

SARAH M. COLLINS, B.A. Lewis & Clark College 2007; Ph.D. Cornell University 2015; Assistant Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2018.

FETZER, WILLIAM WARREN, B.S. University of Wisconsin-Madison 2005; M.S. Cornell University 2009; Ph.D. 2013. Assistant Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2020.

YUN LI, B.S. University of Science and Technology of Chine 1996; M.S. 1998; Ph.D. University of Texas Health Center at San Antonio 2003; Assistant Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2018.

JEROD A. MERKLE, B.S. University of Arizona 2006; M.S. University of Montana 2011; Ph.D. Univesité Laval 2014; Assistant Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2018.

ADAM C. NELSON, B.S. University of Montana 2001; Ph.D. University of Utah 2011; Assistant Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2021.

COREY E. TARWATER, B.S. University of California, Davis 1999; M.S. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign 2006; Ph.D. 2010; Assistant Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2015.

W.D. (TREY) TODD, B.S. Baylor University 2005; M.A. University of Iowa 2009; Ph.D. 2012; Assistant Professor of Zoology and Physiology 2019.

Assistant Professor of Practice:

BETHANN G. MERKLE, B.A. University of Montana 2007; M.F.A. University of Wyoming 2017; Assistant Professor of Practice 2021.

Senior Academic Professional Research Scientist:

ZHAOJIE ZHANG, B.S. Shandong University 1985; M.S. 1988; Ph.D. University of Oklahoma 1999; Director, Microscopy Core Facility, University of Wyoming 2001; Senior Research Scientist in Zoology and Physiology 2012.

Assistant Academic Professional Research Scientist:

JONATHAN PATRICK KELLEY, A.B. Harvard 2001; Ph.D. University of California, Davis 2012; Assistant Research Scientist in Zoology and Physiology 2018.

Professors Emeritus:

Harold L. Bergman, Steven W. Buskirk, Francis W. Flynn, Zoltan M. Fuzessery, Robert P. George, William A. Gern, Robert O. Hall, Henry J. Harlow, Wayne A. Hubert, Robert M. Kitchin, J.A. Lillegraven, Frederick G. Lindzey, James R. Lovvorn, Graham Mitchell, James D. Rose, Joan Smith-Sonneborn

Academic Professional Lecturer Emeritus:

Jane Beiswenger

Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Unit:

Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Unit Leader: Matthew W. Kauffman
Assistant Unit Leader for Fisheries: Annika W. Walters
Assistant Unit Leader for Wildlife: Anna D. Chalfoun

Department of Zoology and Physiology

The Department of Zoology and Physiology offers a variety of courses in the biological sciences that encompass many aspects of animal form, function, and biology. Whether you are interested in the intricacies of cell biology or the complexities of ecosystem functioning and whether you want to become a wildlife biologist or a physician, we offer a major that will suit your needs.

Undergraduate Degrees:

Students can choose from three undergraduate degrees: physiology, wildlife and fisheries biology and management, or zoology.

Learning Outcomes for Undergraduates

The learning outcomes that direct the teaching of the department’s degrees and which we expect our graduates to have acquired are:

Competence in basic sciences;
Competence in the content of the specific courses that constitute the principal knowledge of the degree;
Ability to comprehend, analyze, and interpret biological data where appropriate; and
Ability to synthesize information from the biological literature, and communicate it effectively in writing or orally.

Undergraduate Minors:

Minors in human and animal physiology, wildlife fisheries biology management, neuroscience, and zoology are offered.

Graduate Study

The Department of Zoology and Physiology offers programs leading to the master of science and the doctor of philosophy in zoology and physiology. We also participate in graduate programs through the Neuroscience Program and the Program in Ecology.

Program Specific Admission Requirements

Admission is open to all students who meet the minimum requirements set forth in the admissions section of this Catalog.

Research and teaching assistantships are available for graduate students working toward the M.S. or Ph.D. degrees. Applicants can apply for this financial assistance at the time they apply for admission to graduate standing. Applications must be completed by February 15 in order to be considered for the following academic year.

Information on how to apply to the graduate program in the Department of Zoology and Physiology is detailed on our web site. Begin by identifying a faculty member in our department whose research interests are similar to yours. We will only consider an application if a faculty member has indicated a willingness to serve as the student’s adviser. After finding a potential adviser, e-mail a completed departmental application form, a copy of your curriculum vitae, copies of college transcripts, and recommendation letters to him or her. Our graduate admissions committee will review all applications and make decisions on admission based on the availability of funding and a commitment from a faculty member to serve as the adviser. Students recommended for admission will then be asked to fill out an application to the University of Wyoming and pay a non-refundable application fee.

Consult the website, www.uwyo.edu/zoology, to find out about faculty research.

Learning Outcomes for M.S. Students

Comprehend and synthesize advanced knowledge in a specific area of biology.
College and analyze data to address a research question.
Summarize research findings and communicate them effectively in writing and orally.

Learning Outcomes for Doctoral Students

Comprehend and synthesize advanced knowledge in a specific area of biology.
Develop a research project which constitutes a substantial and original contribution to the field of study.
Summarize research findings and communicate them effectively in writing and orally.

Programs

Major

Minor

Graduate

Department of Zoology and Physiology

Professors:

Associate Professors:

Assistant Professors:

Assistant Professor of Practice:

Senior Academic Professional Research Scientist:

Assistant Academic Professional Research Scientist:

Professors Emeritus:

Academic Professional Lecturer Emeritus:

Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Unit:

Department of Zoology and Physiology

Undergraduate Degrees:

Learning Outcomes for Undergraduates

Undergraduate Minors:

Graduate Study

Program Specific Admission Requirements

Learning Outcomes for M.S. Students

Learning Outcomes for Doctoral Students

Programs

Courses