In a world of increasing technological complexity, it is our responsibility to develop in our students a strong sense of scientific literacy. Our courses are designed to help students develop good intellectual habits: the ability to observe carefully, to reason quantitatively, to make connections to other disciplines, to think critically, and to apply their knowledge to new and unfamiliar situations. This can best be accomplished by exposing them to a variety of hands-on experiences in the classroom, in the laboratory, and in the field.

Students can often be seen working chemical equations on the sidewalks, launching rockets outside of Irvine Hall, wading through local streams, banding owls, and papering the campus with Avogadro’s number.

Courses are offered at the introductory through the Advanced Placement level in biology, chemistry, and physics. Year-long courses are offered in Introductory Science (ninth grade), Astronomy, and AP Environmental Science. Term courses in biology, such as Field Biology, Ecology, Evolution of Vertebrates, and Mammalogy are also available, as well as term-long directed studies in Hawk and Owl Biology, and Automotive Physics.

Science Department Faculty