How Fire Protects UNCG’s Premium Greenspace
On a crisp winter afternoon, UNC Greensboro’s prairie went up in flames. But that was all part of the plan for Dr. Kevin Wilcox. He organized the controlled burn with the Forest Service on January 9, 2025.
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Student Accomplishments in 2024
Academic Year 2024 has been filled with many exciting accomplishment by both our undergraduate and graduate students. Here we share a sampling of their publications, awards, fellowships, field school work, and more!
Faculty Research Projects in 2024
Our faculty have highly respected research programs nationally and internationally. A sampling of the 2024 active programs, many of which are collaborative with other scientists, and biology faculty who direct these programs are shown here
Faculty Research Spotlight: Dr. Kevin Wilcox and Dr. Sally Koerner
Drs. Wilcox and Koerner have an active research program funded by the National Science Foundation involving graduate students, undergraduates, and citizens of South Africa. They are studying how biodiversity promotes recovery after compound extreme events such as the extreme drought and simultaneous heavy herbivory that occurred in southern African between the years of 2015-2016, or the drought that swept across Kenya in 2021 and 2022. The primary location of their study site is in Kruger National Park, South Africa.
A Message from the Department Head, 2025
Department Head Dr. Malcolm Schug provides an update on the department’s activities in 2024.
UNCG researcher identifies new American mammal
UNC Greensboro’s Dr. Bryan McLean and his collaborators have identified a new mammal in North America. Urocitellus idahoensis, the Snake River Plains ground squirrel, is named for its singular habitat in southern Idaho.
Class of 2024: Bitten by the Bug of Biology
When he looked into college majors, he did not want something that would overly narrow his choices for an exciting career after graduation. The versatility of a biology degree was what drew him to that major as a first-year college student from Winston-Salem. “Biology gave me more leg room to work with,” he explains.
Dr. Ayalew Osena Wins New Grant From NSF For Tef Grain Research
Dr. Ayalew Osena, an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology, has received a new 4-year, $450,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for his project: Collaborative Research: Deciphering the mechanisms of iron acquisition and accumulation in the underutilized ancient crop tef (Eragrostis tef). The Osena lab at UNCG uses molecular-genetic and biotechnological tools to improve desirable traits in agricultural plants. This grant supports Osena’s ongoing research with the “orphan crop” tef, a grain.
UNCG Students Receive Coveted National Science Foundation Fellowship
Learn more about this year’s NSF Graduate Research Fellows, two of whom are from the UNCG Department of Biology.
Class of 2024: Daniel Araya Dives Into Biology Research
Daniel Araya is a MARC scholar, undergraduate researcher, and president of the Ethiopian Eritrean Student Association. Throughout his time at UNCG, he has had a big impact on student life, biological research, and has collected many accolades. Congratulations, Daniel! Read the full profile on him here.