Biology Department at Tennessee Tech

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The Department of Biology at Tennessee Technological University

10/26/2026

Assistant Dean Carla Hurt, and two Biology faculty members - Kit Wheeler and Mostafa Rahnama - celebrate our new Ph.D. program in Biology as part of the inaugural Tennessee Tech Victory Circle on October 22nd, 2026.

09/29/2026

It has been one year since this passing of Dr. Dan Combs. A scholarship has been established in his memory.

In honor of the anniversary of Dr. Dan Combs' passing, please consider making a contribution to a scholarship fund in his memory.

Dr. Combs joined the Tennessee Tech University Department of Biology in 1989, advancing to Associate Professor in 1994 and Professor in1999. He served as Chair of the Department from 1998 to 2011 where he played a critical role in guiding the department. Throughout his 36-year career at Tech, he shared his passion for wildlife biology and ecology. Known for his approachable teaching style and field-based mentorship, Dr. Combs inspired students to look more closely, think more critically, and care deeply about the natural systems around them. His wit, thoughtfulness, and genuine sense of altruism are deeply missed by his family and friends.

https://www.tntech.edu/univadv/giving/dan-combs-scholarship.php

09/28/2026

09/23/2026

Over the summer, two of our faculty members were interviewed for podcasts about their respective fields. Check them out!

Dr. Shawn Krosnick was featured on episode #38 of Wild Herbs with April from , "Passionflower Floral Structure, Pollination Biology & Fruit Dispersal with Dr. Shawk Krosnick"
https://www.wildherbacademy.com/podcasts/wild-herbs-with-april/episodes/2149225345

Dr. James Wood was featured on episode #580 of In Defense of Plants, "Celebrating a Foundational Aquatic Plant", which centered around the Hornleaf riverweed
https://www.indefenseofplants.com/podcast/2026/5/26/ep-580-celebrating-a-foundational-aquatic-plant

Did you know carpenter bees can get drunk while visiting passionflowers? In this episode of the Wild Herbs Podcast, Dr. Shawn Krosnick, a professor of biology at Tennessee Technological University, shares insights from her years of research on the genus Passiflora. She uncovers the floral anatomy...

04/06/2026

87th Annual Meeting of Association of Southeastern Biologists (ASB)

The department of Biology had six graduate students and two undergraduates and three Biology faculty attend the Association for Southeastern Biologists meetings in Mobile, AL on March 25-28 to present our research. They also had a booth and provided information about their department to potential graduate students and others interested in our undergraduate programs. The Graduate School also provided materials for them to hand out to interested students.

04/01/2026

Congrats to our Tennessee Tech Student Chapter of The Wildlfe Society for a great showing at the recent Southeastern Wildlife Conclave at the University of Florida!

04/01/2026

03/13/2026

The Board of Trustees at Tennessee Tech approved a proposal for a new Ph.D. in integrative biology at its quarterly meeting on March 12. The program would be the university’s first doctoral offering in the Department of Biology and aims to launch this fall, pending final approval from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

According to the university’s written proposal, the new program “takes a systems-based approach to biological research, preparing scholars to address complex biological questions across multiple scales — spanning molecular, cellular, organismal and ecosystem levels.”

Read more: https://www.tntech.edu/news/releases/25-26/tech-board-approves-new-phd-in-integrative-biology.php

Address

Tennessee Technological University, 1100 North Dixie Avenue, Pennebaker 207
Cookeville, TN
38505

Telephone

+19313723134

Website

https://www.tntech.edu/cas/biology/

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