About

Our department focuses on four particular ideals:

• Coupling excellent teaching with diverse research opportunities
• Emphasizing current theories of Biological Science, knowledge of basic investigative skills, and methods of critical inquiry
• Centering our research programs the biological phenomena that impact life in our region and beyond
• Lending our professional expertise to all endeavors that work for the improvement of our environment and the human condition

We believe the importance of modern biological principles must transcend the university classroom and enable our students to contribute as global citizens.

Undergraduate courses are taught mostly in the Dobo and Friday Halls. 

These facilities include state-of-the-art lecture halls, teaching laboratories, seminar rooms, and a computer lab. Many faculty members have their offices and research laboratories in these buildings as well.  

We also have extensive facilities in the Center for Marine Science, located a short distance from the campus. CMS facilities include a classroom, a large teaching laboratory, aquarium and collection rooms, and smaller laboratories for student research. 

In addition, some biology and marine biology faculty members have their offices and laboratory space at CMS. 

The department maintains a 2,250-square-foot greenhouse, a vertebrate range, and a herbarium. 

The Kresge Greenhouse provides facilities for faculty and student research projects and for laboratory exercises. The vertebrate range allows preparation and storage of vertebrate research and teaching collections. 

The herbarium is the repository for dried collections of algae, fungi, bryophytes and vascular plants. 

Classroom and laboratory instruction is supplemented by field trips to adjacent oceanic, estuarine and terrestrial natural laboratories, including the Bluthenthal Wildflower Preserve and the Ev-Henwood Nature Preserve. 

The Richard M. Dillaman Bioimaging Facility at UNCW is a student-centered facility that serves all departments across the College of Science and Engineering at UNCW. 

This facility, located in Dobo Hall, supports a wide portfolio of faculty research from neuroscience to geoscience.  

The facility runs courses in electron microscopy and bioimaging for credit, and research students are also individually trained in every aspect of sample preparation and equipment operation. 

UNCW Diversity and Inclusion Statement

In the pursuit of excellence, the University of North Carolina Wilmington actively fosters, encourages, and promotes inclusiveness, mutual respect, acceptance and open-mindedness among students, faculty, staff, and the broader community.

Diversity is an educational benefit that enhances the academic experience, and fosters a free exchange of ideas from multiple perspectives.

Diversity includes, but is not limited to race, sex, age, color, national origin (including ethnicity), creed, religion, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran's status, gender, educational disadvantage, socio-economic circumstances, language, and history of overcoming adversity.

For more information about the Biology and Marine Biology Department's diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, efforts, and resources please see the SAND webpage.