Student/Alumni Profiles
Students in the Department of Biology enjoy the campus’s coastal location, the opportunities for internships and research related to their career interests, the knowledgeable and friendly faculty, and the rigorous courses they need to prepare them for their careers or graduate school.
Below are some links to profiles of some of our students and alumni, who share their experiences as students in the biological sciences.
Amanda Braithwaite '13
"In the summer of 2010 I was awarded with a summer research stipend so that I could continue my research. This stipend has opened up a lot of opportunities for me. It has taught me how to manage my own research project and compile the data into a presentation that I will give at the annual Summer Undergraduate Symposium." read more
Aubrey White '13
"I am privileged to be working in the Pharmacology Department in the College of Osteopathic Medicine and the Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences, working closely in collaboration with many faculty and staff for research purposes." read more
Heather White '12
"At UNE, in the DPT program, after the first month or so the class becomes a tight knit community. Also, the third-year DPT students have provided much advice, insight, and comfort to us. The faculty members’ doors are always open, and because of the small class size, the professors and students really get to know one another." read more
Casey Toombs '12
"Another enlightening experience I had within UNE was getting involved with the Ghana Health Mission. I traveled to Sekondi and Takoradi in Ghana, West Africa. Together with a group of physicians, PAs, nurses, and researchers, I helped to set up a clinic and provide primary health care." read more
Vernon Chan '12
"I have been doing research since my first year at UNE.... Most importantly, I get to know myself better through my work, because I did not realize how much I love understanding how things work and my subsequent desire to pursue graduate studies." read more
Kate Rose DiVito '11
"Currently, I am doing research with two professors, Steven Travis and Greg Zogg. They are looking at how the effect of sea level rise due to climate change will affect the marsh. I have learned the most at UNE from working with Drs. Travis and Zogg on this research project. They have taught me everything from how to put together a research proposal, field work and molecular lab work." read more
Leonard Tan '11
"Before participating in research, I wasn't sure what my plans were after graduation. Once I knew that research was where I wanted to go, not only did I have a goal, I also excelled in all my classes because I was working hard for that goal. I am really grateful to be given such an opportunity." read more
Lacresha Johnson '11
"A school can have all the facilities, the best faculty, and best food but if quality people aren’t there and you don’t feel at home, it has nothing to offer. UNE has the people and the community atmosphere that kept me here." read more
Amy Luginbuhl '11
"Doing research allows me to take what I’m learning in the classroom and apply it to what I’m doing in the lab. It reinforces all of the concepts that I learn that I might otherwise not remember." read more
Brittany Bolduc '11
"Working in this lab taught me how a professional research lab is run, including the ethical use of animals in biomedical research, how to design experiments and analyze data, and how to effectively disseminate the research through presentations and journal articles. Professor Burman gives his students the opportunity to be involved in every aspect of his laboratory, from reading articles published in peer reviewed journals, to running their own experiments, to performing the chemistry analyses." read more
Megan Welcome '11
"My work-study positions are in the Marine Animal Rehabilitation Center on campus as well as working in the research lab of Steven Travis studying population genetics on plants. Both of these settings have helped me learn, and they have also provided me the skills to work in a variety of environments." read more
Shannon Roche '11
"I have been involved with the College Community Mentoring Program for the past three years. Working with children in local schools as a role model has been a great experience. This year, I am president of the program. I have received an AmeriCorps Education Award for my involvement in CCMP. This leadership experience has been rewarding. I feel like I am making a difference both in the lives of the mentors I work with and the mentees that they work with." read more
Pratik Shah '11
"I am working in a research laboratory under Dr. Geoffrey Ganter. In the laboratory we are studying steroid modulation in Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly). The goal of the laboratory is to examine the behavior of Drosophila, during and in response to steroid modulation." read more
Marisa Dzioba '10
"Another way I became involved was through the school’s orientation program, as an Orientation Leader. It was a great way not only to learn a lot about myself, but also the school. In addition, I also conducted psychology research on close relationships under Dr. Jennifer Wieselquist." read more
Ryan Tarr '10
"The medical biology major at UNE is a wonderful program of study. The professors are very knowledgeable, always there for assistance, and honestly care about your progress. One thing I really appreciate about the professors at UNE is they truly love their subjects, and their enthusiasm about topics is contagious." read more
Kelly Willard '10
"I have had a really great opportunity to work in a research lab. This has been a great experience. I've learned what goes on in a lab and steps that are necessary in research. There are a ton of professors on campus that are conducting research, many of whom are willing to include students in their lab." read more
Lindsey Holmes '10
"I was placed at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Maine in the rehabilitation wing observing an occupational therapist, who coincidentally also graduated from UNE. I was able to see many different patients who had suffered a variety of injuries and diseases that related to the topics being discussed in classes. This was really interesting and helped me relate the academic information that I was being taught." read more
John Lowery, D.O., Ph.D. '10
"Nationally, I was appointed to both the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Bureau of Scientific Affairs and Public Health, and the AOA Council on Scientific Affairs. These committees advise on the scientific aspects of osteopathic medicine and biomedical research that warrant public attention and assists in the preparation of policy positions on scientific issues and governmental support." read more
Andrea Pelotte '09
"The research that I conducted with Dr. Amy Deveau for my Honors Thesis has been most important to my professional development. We synthesized and characterized opiate derivatives that may be utilized as a means to help people with opiate addiction." read more
Tyler Stratton '09
"As far as academics I am proud to say that over my four years at UNE I have found a new passion in sociology. What I formerly sought in person-to-person interaction through physical therapy I have found to be a more generalized interest in people and how they interact." read more
Kelsey Walton '06
"Throughout my experiences at the Ganter Institute I not only learned how to conduct quality research experiments, but I have also learned how to effectively present my research projects to diverse audiences. Both skills are going to be extremely important to me throughout my scientific career." read more
Meredith Geraghty '06
"My experiences at UNE directly contributed to my professional development. My current interest in the field of sustainability in higher education was engendered through my efforts “greening” the UNE campus. I headed a "Greening UNE" Undergraduate Student Government ad-hoc committee with the goal of supporting a proposal to create what is now the established Environmental Council." read more
Glorya Laughton '06
"I took an internship at Bigelow Labs in Boothbay Harbor, Maine over the summer before my junior year that really influenced on a deeper level my passion to study amoebae and protists and all tiny organisms." read more
Tyler Raymond '06
"I would say that the most important part of my development as a life-long learner came in the research laboratory of Dr. Bilsky. I worked as both an undergraduate and graduate student in this setting and it enabled me to become both a critical and concrete thinker." read more
Diana Drown '05
"I really liked the faculty in the Med. Bio. Program. They are always willing to give extra help, but they make you work hard and earn the grades you deserve. I got an excellent education here and could not have asked for a better college experience." read more
Sarah Greene '05
"I was able to gain research experience through working in a lab in the College of Osteopathic Medicine, as well as teaching experience through tutoring and assisting with courses, both of which I intend to continue once I have completed my Ph.D." read more
Jacqueline Stohl '05
"The strong influence of science was exactly what I wanted in a college, and UNE provided just the right amount of liberal arts studies to make me a well rounded student." read more
Zachary Trzaska '03
"Looking back, I really enjoyed the professors and their eagerness to educate students. It seemed that every class that I had was taught by someone who was really involved in what they were teaching" read more
Ian Paquette, M.D. '00
"The small class size was perfect for my style of learning. Also, being involved in so many clubs and activities allowed me to build organizational skills that have helped immensely with my busy career." read more
Kristina Muskiewicz '99
"Especially nice was the first-year learning community, where not only did I get to meet my fellow biology students, but we were all able to interact inside and outside the classroom. The classes and labs gave us the opportunity to learn together, but the socials and trips were just a lot of fun, as well as a great way to interact in a non-classroom setting." read more
