Our diverse faculty includes nine professors with Ph.D.s in areas ranging from platelet cell biology to aquatic ecology. Our focus is to provide a well-rounded science education and encourage learning outside the classroom (through teaching assistantships, research and job opportunities). Completing the biology major requires that you take a concentration of courses in biology together with supporting courses in chemistry and mathematics. We hope that you will find a home within the Biology Department at Augustana and take advantage of our small class sizes (8-30 students for Jr/Sr level classes), careful advising, and faculty who challenge students—as well as nurture and support them.

Dr. Maureen Diggins-Hutcheson
Professor, Emeritus, Reproductive Biology
605.274.4809
maureen.diggins@augie.edu
Web site

Dr. Diggins teaches Physiology, Endocrinology, and introductory biology courses. Her research focuses on the relationship between increasing obesity and decreasing fertility and the involvement of the hormone leptin. She is also the program coordinator for the South Dakota INBRE grant from the National Institutes of Health, and she serves as the pre-physical therapy advisor. She received her Ph.D. in biology from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

Dr. Paul Egland
Associate Professor, Microbiology, Cell-Cell Interactions
Chief Health Professions Advisor
605.274.4719
paul.egland@augie.edu
Web site

Dr. Egland teaches Introductory Biology, Introduction to Microbiology, Cell Biology and General Microbiology. Dr Egland’s research focus is interspecies signaling between bacteria in the dental plaque biofilm. In addition, Dr. Egland serves as the chief health professions advisor and is the pre-professional advisor for pre-dentistry and pre-medical students. He is also the faculty advisor to the Pre-Med Club. Dr. Egland received his Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Iowa and worked as a post-doctoral fellow at the National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

Dr. Jennifer Arens Gubbels
Assistant Professor, Physiology, Cancer Immunology
605.274.4728
jennifer.gubbels@augie.edu
Web site
 

Dr. Gubbels teaches introductory biology, human physiology, general physiology, and immunology. Her research focuses on mechanisms of metastasis and immune escape in epithelial ovarian cancer. Dr. Gubbels received her bachelor’s degree in biological research from Loras College in Dubuque, IA, and her Ph.D. in endocrinology and reproductive physiology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Dr. Carrie L.  Hall
Assistant Professor, Conservation Biology, Science Education Specialist
605.274.4444
carrie.hall@augie.edu

 Dr. Hall joined the Augustana College Biology Department in the fall of 2011, and teaches Introductory Biology, Biology and Human Concerns, and Science Teaching Methods. Dr. Hall's research is focused on the effects of natural and ananthropogenic disturbance factors on the behavior of threatened and endangered species and ecosystems. Dr. Hall is an alumna of the University of Tulsa, having completed her bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry in 2006, and her master's degree in biochemistry in 2008. She then completed her Ph.D. in Biological Sciences at Idaho State University as a Doctoral Research and Teaching Fellow. 

 Dr. Daniel Howard 
 Assistant Professor, Insect Ecology, Evolution
 605.274.4048
daniel.howard@augie.edu
Web site

Dr. Howard joined the Augustana College Biology Department in the fall of 2010, and teaches Introductory Biology, Insect Ecology, and Evolution. Dr. Howard's research is focused on the evolution of behavior, with a special interest in animal communication, mating systems and neuroethology. Dr. Howard also studies the effects of natural and anthropogenic disturbance on the behavior of threatened and endangered species. Dr. Howard was a NSF Graduate Research Fellow at the University of Tulsa, completing his Ph.D. there in 2007. He subsequently worked for three years as a NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Integrative Behaviour and Neuroscience laboratory at the University of Toronto at Scarborough.

Ms. Libby King
Biology Lab Coordinator and Instructor, Clinical Microbiology
605.274.4818
libby.king@augie.edu

Prof. King is a faculty associate and the laboratory coordinator for the Biology Department. She teaches labs for Introduction to Biology Principles I, Genetics, Cell Biology, Introductory Microbiology, and General Microbiology. She received her bachelor’s degree in medical technology from Southwest Missouri State and her master’s degree from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. She has been certified in medical technology by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists.

Dr. Mark Larson
Assistant Professor, Cell Biology
605.274.4700
mark.larson@augie.edu
Web site

Dr. Larson teaches Introductory Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Cell Biology, and a capstone class on race and representation with Dr. Lindsay Twa of the art department. His research focuses on platelets, platelet function, and platelet biogenesis. He is also the pre-professional advisor for occupational therapy and clinical lab science. He received his bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry at Concordia College and his Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and he worked as a post-doctoral research fellow at the Centre for Cardiovascular Research at the University of Birmingham (U.K.).

Dr. Amy R. Lewis
Assistant Professor, Ornithology
605.274-4714
amy.lewis@augie.edu

Dr. Lewis teaches Biology and Human Concerns, Introduction to Biological Principles I, Introduction to Environmental Science, Principles of Ecology, and Ornithology. She received her bachelor’s degree in biology from Bowdoin College, her master’s degree in ecology from The Pennsylvania State University, and her Ph.D. in biological sciences (wildlife) from South Dakota State University.
 

Dr. Steve Matzner ’90
Associate Professor, Plant Physiology, Plant Ecology
Department Chair
605.274.4821
steven.matzner@augie.edu
Web site

Dr. Matzner teaches Introductory Biology, Environmental Science, Plant Ecology and Plant Physiology, and an interdisciplinary capstone class entitled Is Globalization Sustainable?. His research is focused on the ability of plants to adjust their water-conducting systems in response to the environment (termed hydraulic acclimation). He is the faculty advisor to GREEN, the Augustana student environmental awareness group, and he is the pre-optometry advisor. He received his Ph.D. from the University of California at Davis and worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

 
Dr. Cecelia Miles
Assistant Professor, Developmental Biology
605.274.4496
cecelia.miles@augie.edu
Web site

Dr. Miles teaches Developmental Biology, Vertebrate Embryology, Introductory Biology and Biology and Human Concerns. Her research is focused on the genetics of variation in egg size (per-offspring maternal investment) and how shifts in egg size affect key developmental events as well as fitness of parents and offspring.  She received her bachelor's degree in marine biology from Texas A&M University, her master's degree in biological sciences from Florida Institute of Technology and her PhD in zoology from the University of Florida.  Dr. Miles was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Chicago, doing research on resolving spatial patterning and egg size in Drosophila.  

Dr. Valerie Olness
Associate Professor, Science Education
605.274.4720
val.olness@augie.edu
Web site

Dr. Olness teaches Biology and Human Concerns, Life Science for Elementary Teachers, Science Methods for the Elementary Teacher, Science Methods for Secondary Teachers, and Mathematics, Science, and Technology for Elementary and Middle School Teachers. Her interests include writing-to-learn science and cooperative learning. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Craig Spencer
Professor, Aquatic Ecology
605.274.4716
craig.spencer@augie.edu
Web site

Dr. Spencer teaches General Ecology, Aquatic Ecology, and introductory biology courses. He leads a course to Guatemala and Belize during interim called Coral Reefs, Tropical Forests, Mayan Ruins, and Spanish Language Immersion. During the summers, Dr. Spencer is an adjunct faculty member at the Flathead Lake Biological Station (University of Montana), where he studies lakes and streams and the effects of wildfire, timber harvest, and non-native species introduction. He received his Ph.D. from Michigan State University.

Dr. Ann Vogelmann
Assistant Professor
605.274.4739
ann.vogelmann@augie.edu

Dr. Vogelmann teaches Introduction to Biological Principles I & II, Biology and Human Concerns, and Human Anatomy. In addition, she is the main laboratory instructor for General Physiology. She received her B.S. degree in biology from the SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry, M.S. in botany from Texas A&M University, and Ph.D. in biology/botany from Indiana University.

 

Dr. Seasson Vitiello
Assistant Professor, Genetics
605.274.5525
seasson.vitiello@augie.edu

Dr. Vitiello teaches Genetics, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biology and Human Concerns. Her research focuses on using molecular yeast genetics to study cystinosis, a pediatric lysozomal storage disorder.  Dr. Vitiello received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, followed by a post-doctoral research fellowship there and at Sanford Research/USD.