Major Information
Native Samoan graduate student studies genetic disease in her homelands
Family relationships are the fabric of the Polynesian culture. Grandparents help take care of the young, and in turn, children and grandchildren take care of the elderly. Having grown up in Samoa and Hawaii, graduate biology student Justina Tavana ('23) understands the value of looking out for aging community members, even as the ravaging effects of dementia steal away their close connections and identity.
Work to be done before people feel ready for COVID-19 vaccine, BYU study finds
A new BYU study, published in the journal Vaccines, shows that 68% of respondents are supportive of being vaccinated for COVID-19, but concerns remain about side effects, sufficient vaccine testing and vaccine effectiveness.
Tiny 'ghost creatures' from Antarctica give insight into past, current climate change
Researchers, led in part by BYU’s Byron Adams, are using the history of tiny little microscopic Antarctic animals to solidify exactly how ice sheet dynamics played out over time and how they impacted historical ecosystems.
Study: Women’s in-class participation, performance increase with more female peers, instructors
Because 60% of biology undergraduates nationwide are female, the life sciences have long been thought to enjoy more gender equity than other STEM fields. But a new BYU study challenges the notion that all is well for gender parity in biology classrooms.
Student Resources
Meet Our Biologists
Alumni Spotlight: Raya Esplin
Raya recently graduated with a major in bioinformatics and a minor in computer science. She is from Provo, UT and loved the versatility of her major. Students can use it for pre-med, computer science, research prep, or going right into the industry. Raya shared, "you can really tailor the major to your career aspirations." She got a job working full time as a software engineer for a tech company in Provo called Smarty, but is planning on applying to grad schools in the fall for a PhD in evolutionary biology! Her favorite class at BYU was BIO 250 with Byron Adams. To quote her, "I've never felt more intellectually or spiritually enlightened in any other class."
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