Faculty
BCES isn’t just a department, it’s a community, made up of faculty and staff committed to creating an educational and research environment where anyone with a genuine interest in science can thrive. Small classes and direct contact with faculty and staff allow us to get to know our students as people, tailoring our educational experiences to match their career goals and building a foundation of support and mentorship that extends well beyond graduation. Still not sure BCES is for you? Meet the faculty and staff and see what our students are saying about us.
When anyone asks about what I like about CNU, I rave about this department. The professors are passionate about their subject, have high expertise, and are devoted to the success of every student. To see a department act as a family in itself encourages students to talk to their professors and creates an inviting, safe space for learning.”
Clara Salazar ‘24
B.S. Cellular, Molecular, and Physiological Biology
Meet Our Faculty
Tarek Abdel-Fattah
Lawerence J. Sacks Endowed Professor of Chemistry
- Chemistry of Inorganic & Materials in Nanoscale
James Bogenpohl II
Associate Professor
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Genetics
- Immunohistochemistry
- Electron Microscopy
“Dr. Bogenpohl is a phenomenal professor with a contagious positive attitude and sense of humor. He really cares about his students and goes to great lengths to ensure we understand the material.”
Profile
Gwynne Brown
Master Lecturer; Director, Pre-Health Advising
- Immunology
“Dr. Brown taught my favorite class that I’ve taken in my CNU career thus far. Wonderful professor, fascinating subject matter.”
Profile
Russ Burke
Senior Lecturer
- Marine Ecology
“A very passionate professor who truly cares about the subject matter and encourages students to interact in class and put in the effort.”
Profile
Jessica Burket
Assistant Professor
- Biomedical Sciences
- Translational Neuroscience
- Neurobiology
- Neuropsychopharmacology
“Dr. Burket is one of the most passionate professors I've had during my time at CNU. Her constant enthusiasm, humor, and honesty when discussing subject matter, or just science in general, was what made me so sure that I wanted to pursue a graduate education.”
Profile
Jeffrey Carney
Associate Professor
- Organic Synthesis
- Natural Product Chemistry
“In a demanding course, Dr. Carney provides the resources to help students be successful. He balances drawings on the whiteboard, slides, and works problems in class–and all are really helpful, organized, and easy to follow.”
Profile
Tiffany Carney
Instructor, Pre-Health Advisor
- Organic Chemistry Lab
“Professor Carney made me feel comfortable and prepared me for each lab every week. Her willingness to give clarification or alternative routes for our experiment's mistakes made me feel like a more confident scientist in lab environments.”
Profile
Kathryn Cole
Associate Professor
- Biochemistry
- Structural Biology
“Dr. Cole is an amazing professor who loves what she teaches and cares deeply about her students. She is very knowledgeable and is great at answering questions. I would recommend her to any student.”
Profile
David Collar
Associate Professor
- Macroevolution
- Phylogenetic Methods
- Functional Morphology
“I had not taken any organismal biology courses, so I did not have much background knowledge coming into this course; however, Dr. Collar taught in a way that suited both newcomers and people with a lot more background.”
Profile
Jessica Cropley
Instructor
- General Chemistry
- Organic Chemistry Lab
“What was intimidating on paper, Professor Cropley made achievable. Had I not already chosen a different path, I would have seriously considered a major in Chemistry–that's how inspiring she is.”
Profile
Harold Grau
Associate Professor
- Human Anatomy & Physiology
- Disease Biology
- Animal Physiology
“Dr. Grau is a tough professor, but he challenges us in this course to prepare us for our future grad school plans. I have learned so much in this class and truly do think it will help me in the future.”
Profile
Margaret Gustafson
Assistant Professor
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
- Structural Biology
“Dr. Gustafson positions herself as more than just a professor who grades exams; she’s a mentor who wants to champion your individual success. She knows how to use academic struggle as a stepping stone towards academic achievement.”
Profile
Heather Harwell
Associate Professor, Associate Department Chair
- Genetics
- Neuroscience
- Neurobiology
- Molecular Biology
- Cellular Biology
Andrew Higgs
Lecturer
- General Chemistry
- Organic Chemistry
- Organometallic Chemistry
“Dr. Higgs made organic chemistry fun. He's always willing to help and listen, and I felt that he believed in my ability. I couldn't have asked for a better teacher.”
Profile
Jen Knies
Associate Professor
- Microbiology
- Computational Biology
“Dr. Knies is a very kind and personable professor who is always there to help you do your best. She provides great resources and makes time to answer any questions you have.”
Profile
David Knight
Senior Lecturer
- Autonomic Neuroscience
- Metabolism
- Neuroendocrinology
“I really appreciated the effort Professor Knight put into this course. I found the outlines, study guides, and previous students' letters very helpful.”
Profile
Matthew Lattanzio
Associate Professor; Graduate Program Director, Environmental Science
- Evolutionary Ecology
- Ecophysiology
- Herpetology
“Dr. Lattanzio’s personality and his true want for the betterment of our understanding in this world are truly admirable and inspiring. Lecture was incredibly informational and engaging, and our workload was more than reasonable.”
Profile
Zidong Li
Assistant Professor
- Exercise Physiology
“Dr. Li is a fantastic professor who really cares for the subject matter and his students. He provides time for students to reflect on how they are doing, and provides information on how to improve scores.”
Profile
Dmitry Liskin
Senior Lecturer
- Organic Chemistry
- Medicinal Chemistry
“Dr. Liskin made organic chemistry feel less intimidating than it was made out to be, making it much easier to learn and master content!”
Profile
Christopher Meighan
Associate Professor
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
“Dr. Meighan is an excellent professor. He explains difficult concepts in a way that makes it easy to understand. He is also great at preparing you with material for the workplace!”
Profile
Michael Meyer
Professor
- Entomology
- Herpetology
“Dr. Meyer’s course has been fun and engaging, and he has made it easy to do well as long as you pay attention and put in the work!”
Profile
Darlene Mitrano
Professor
- Neuroanatomy
- Neurobiology
- Cellular & Molecular Biology
“Dr. Mitrano is an expert in her field. She is highly personable and willing to go out of her way to accommodate student needs. Her style of teaching and assignments has provided the platform that I need to thrive in her class.”
Profile
Carla Murgia Ph.D.
Lecturer
- Human Gross Anatomy
- Qualitative & Quantitative Movement Analysis
- Movement Mechanics
“Dr. Murgia engages all of her students; she makes you think by asking challenging questions and helps you gain confidence. I feel that I am fully prepared for the human dissection experience in medical school.”
Profile
Alex Olmos
Assistant Professor
- Strength & Conditioning
- Neuromuscular Physiology
“Dr. Olmos is one of my favorite professors. He makes his lectures engaging, welcomes student feedback, and stresses the importance of the material. He cares about his students' success and wants them to achieve their potential.”
Profile
Joshua Patterson
Associate Professor
- Physical Chemistry
- Atmospheric/Environmental Chemistry
“Dr. Patterson is a phenomenal instructor. He's very patient, personable, and easy to talk to. He's willing to break down the material to accommodate various backgrounds and makes a lot of time for students.”
Profile
Edward Primka IV
Assistant Professor
- Plant Ecophysiology, Specific Focus: Roots & Plant Effects on Soil Carbon
“Dr. Primka was an excellent teacher and really engaged all students in his work. Provided multiple opportunities for students to understand the material further.”
Profile
Ronald Quinlan
Associate Professor, Department Chair
- Analytical & Instrumental Chemistry
“I appreciate the degree of thoroughness with which Dr. Quinlan wants to help students understand course materials. He is very good at engaging students–even students who are typically quiet speak more in class through his establishment of a safe environment.”
Profile
Anna Salazar
Assistant Professor
- Genetics
- Neuroscience
- Neurobiology
- Molecular Biology
- Cellular Biology
Janet Steven
Professor
- Plant Evolutionary Ecology
“Dr Steven is a compassionate teacher who cares deeply about her students' success and strives to make sure that no one is left behind. I go out of my way to take the classes that she teaches, as they always promise to be interesting and to provide us with new skills and knowledge that will be helpful as we leave school and enter the workforce.””
Profile
Jessica Thompson
Professor
- Fish Biology
- Salt Marsh Ecology
“Dr. Thompson is always willing to help her students if they don’t understand something. Her job is to teach, but Dr. Thompson goes the extra mile to make us feel capable and worthy of being biologists in any field we wish to pursue.”
Profile
Amanda Thorsen
Lecturer
- Chemistry Education
- Inorganic Chemistry
“Dr. Thorsen is a wonderful teacher. She cares greatly about her students and really wants them to succeed. Her teaching style made a complex subject very understandable.”
Profile
Denise Tombolato-Terzic
Senior Lecturer
- Molecular Biology
- PCR-Based Cloning
- Genomics & Bioinformatics
- Microbial Systems
“She genuinely cares about her students, even outside of the classroom. She makes sure to check on her students both mentally and academically.”
Profile
Meet Our Staff
