Biology Stories

Whitney Tracy ’25 juggles her role as the starting goalkeeper, an S4 lieutenant managing logistics for the Corps, and her biology major — all while preparing for her next chapter after graduation.

Seven cadets in a general botany class explored practical plant uses by learning the art of chair caning. Led by Col. Anne Alerding, the hands-on session featured local artisan Andrew Hart, who taught students to weave chair seats using flat reed from rattan palms.

Maj. Molly Kent, assistant professor in the Department of Biology, will discuss the level of stress in rats based on their home and lifestyle, and what these lessons have taught her about human stress, on the public radio program, “With Good Reason,” Sept. 7-14.

The Department of Biology at Virginia Military Institute hosted a joint meeting of the Helminthological Society of Washington and the Southeastern Society of Parasitologists in April. Over 100 biologists met in Marshall Hall.

Courtney Novotny ’25 starts out each week with a plan. Every Sunday she goes over what needs to be done for the coming week. It’s the only way she can stay organized and on target for all her goals, especially since she’s one of the co-captains of the water polo team, handling her classes and more.

Caroline Lassalle ’25 has always had a strong desire to learn about exercise science and work in the medical field. The biology major spent five weeks last summer becoming a certified emergency medical technician (EMT) at Virginia Military Institute.

Brijesh Regeti ’24, a major, and Talli Tarring ’24, a major, worked together on their five-week project titled, “Data Analysis of United Way Donors” to research ways the organization can attract new donors.

Ellie Pickford ’24 stood before a small glass tank, peering intently at the colorful Betta fish swimming within. Her summer research project was well underway, and she was determined to unlock the mysteries behind the interactions between nicotine and antidepressants.

Visualizing three-dimensional (3D) molecules on a two-dimensional piece of paper can be a struggle for any chemistry student. Lt. Col. Dan Harrison ’05, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry, used his experience with research software to find a tool to address this challenge.

Entering Virginia Military Institute, Chris Kushner ’24 signed up for a Biology 111 class with Col. Anne Alerding. Little did he know that when he was asked to join a research project, it would be something he would continue throughout his time at VMI.

Claire Curtis focused her Honors Week discussion on two fairly common learning differences: ADHD, which is characterized by hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsiveness; and dyslexia, a disorder personal to Curtis, and characterized by issues in reading, writing, and understanding written language.

Air Force ROTC cadets took to the air on Dec. 1, thanks to the 1st Helicopter Squadron out of Andrews Air Force Base.. The squadron provided quick incentive flights over VMI and Lexington for nearly 175 cadets.

Chris Kushner ’24, a biology major and honors student at Virginia Military Institute, took his research and some creativity to a recent virtual conference and came away with deserved recognition from the judges.

There are so many uses for soybeans. In fact, soybean yield was the subject of the senior thesis “Performance of Soybean Cultivars in Varying Rural Virginia Sites: Effect of Site Characteristics on Shoot Structure and Yield” presented by Rachael Dickenson ’22, during Honors Week at VMI.