The M.S. in Biological Sciences is a general degree and covers a diverse range of interests. All Department of Biological Sciences members are considered potential instructors and thesis advisors in the program. Thesis committees are required to have at least two faculty members from the Department of Biological Sciences, one of which is required to be the supervisor. A third member of the thesis committee can come from outside the department. It is recommended that you contact potential faculty sponsors that match your interest before submitting any application materials. Biology faculty who frequently teach courses in the program and advise graduate students include:
Dr. Sarah Bissonnette:
Investigating the development of conceptual expertise in Biology. Probing biology students' molecular understanding of everyday biological phenomena.
sbissonnette@csustan.edu
Dr. Matthew Cover:
Freshwater ecology: temporary streams, disturbance ecology, aquatic insects.
mcover@csustan.edu
Dr. Michael Fleming:
Ecology (communities and populations, plant/animal interactions), science education (metacognition, identifying and correcting misconceptions in biology, learning how to learn in the sciences).
mfleming1@csustan.edu
Dr. Marina Gerson:
Ecology, herpetology, behavioral ecology, evolution, desert biology, tropical biology.
mgerson@csustan.edu
Dr. Michael Guernsey
The connection of underlying genes to developmental processes in a variety of systems, including placenta development in disparate taxa and carotenoid-based yellow pigmentation in bats.
mguernsey@csustan.edu
Dr. Choong-Min Kang:
Developing novel brewing yeasts of various industrial yeast strains by cell fusion and CRISPR. Also, my research group is interested in developing and commercializing probiotics by using novel Lactobacillus strains.
ckang@csustan.edu
Dr. Jeanette Pirlo
Evolution and paleoecology of herbivores, with a particular interest in Miocene Gomphotheres and Mastodons.
jpirlo@csustan.edu
Dr. Brian Sardella:
Comparative and environmental physiology, physiology of extreme environments, and ichthyology.
bsardella@csustan.edu
Dr. Jefferey Scales:
Functional morphology, biomechanics, animal locomotion, herpetology.
jscales1@csustan.edu
Dr. Ryan Stanfield:
Plant Physiology; In paticular the sugar transport system of phloem in vascular plants.
rstanfield@csustan.edu
Dr. My Lo Thao:
Genetics and evolution of endosymbiotic bacteria-insect associations, environmental microbiology (bioremediation), and molecular biology.
mthao@csustan.edu
Dr. Tricia Van Laar
Microbial genomics, microbial pathogenesis and metabolism, biofilms, and avian microbiota.
tvanlaar@csustan.edu
Updated: February 10, 2025