Department of Biology & Earth Science
Be ready to hit the ground running in the Biology and Earth Science department! We offer a rigorous curriculum that provides a strong foundation in the sciences, while preparing students for a variety of exciting postgraduate endeavors, including employment and graduate or professional school. From the very first year, students are actively engaged in the classroom, laboratory, and field as they take classes in each of the diverse areas offered by the department:
- Biology: The exploration of life
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Understanding how organisms, cells, and molecules function at the molecular level
- Environmental Science: Science for tackling today’s environmental issues
- Zoo & Conservation Science: Animal Husbandry, Rehabilitation, and Conservation
- Pre-Professional Health Studies: Preparation for Medical, Dental, Veterinary, and other professional schools
- Science Education Teacher Licenses: in partnership with the Otterbein Education Department.
To keep up with the latest news in the Department of Biology, check out our newsletter, Lifeline, at the Otterbein Digital Commons.
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Student, Faculty, & Alumni Spotlights
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Dr. Bennett has been very important in shaping my academic experience — the opportunity to join her lab, help with the path to medical school and she helped me get a poster presentation accepted at the ASM Microbe conference.
John Peck ‘21
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
John’s learned that “no task is too great if you’re willing to work hard and surround yourself with the right people.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Otterbein has not only prepared me academically for the rigor of medical school, but has taught and stretched me in what is more important than a GPA: service. Otterbein has given me tools to meet people where they are.
Megan McClain ’21
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Calling Otterbein a safe and supportive environment, Megan says “Otterbein focuses on not just making a great student, but a great person.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Otterbein is preparing me to take my next steps by providing me with world-class internship opportunities that are furthering my career in meaningful ways. Only at Otterbein have I been able to branch out from my major with the flexibility to discover and explore new passions.
Aidan Tansey ’22
Zoo & Conservation Science
Aidan says Otterbein’s real world skills, professional experiences and networking opportunities make it hard to imagine going anywhere else.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
The support from faculty, my peers, and the university has given me the confidence to travel to places ranging from Thailand to North Dakota to develop my career while working to solve real-world problems.
Abbey Dunn ’19
Biology, Environmental Science, Zoo & Conservation Science Triple Major
Otterbein has helped me grow into the young professional I am today. I am so grateful to call Otterbein my alma mater!
You will have the opportunity to join research projects as early as your first year at Otterbein and may also present your work at a national conference or publish it in a peer-reviewed journal.
WE ARE developing a new generation of STEM Scholars.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Mindful connections in a community of Otterbein peers and integrative studies fostered Mina Makary’s creative growth by teaching him different ways to think. Dr. Makary continues to honor what he learned at Otterbein by utilizing “outside of the box” thinking and creative skills as an interventional radiologist, where medical imaging is used to guide minimally invasive surgical procedures that diagnose, treat and cure many kinds of conditions.
Mina Makary ’09, MD, DABR
Learn more about this 2020 Otterbein Alumni Research Achievement Award Winner >
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
I really value the close, personal relationships that I’m able to have with my students. A critical aspect of my teaching happens outside the classroom when I collaboratively work with students both in the lab and field on undergraduate theses.
Dr. Sarah Bouchard, Professor
2020 Otterbein Teacher of the Year
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Congratulations to Professor Casey J. Tucker for receiving the 2020 Teaching in General Education award at Otterbein University.
Dr. Casey J. Tucker, Adjunct Faculty
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Connecting with students is energizing. Conducting and publishing research keeps me fresh. Seeing the surprise and questions that students have when engaging with new findings that challenge what they’ve learned so far keeps me inspired to keep the cycle going.
Brandon Sinn, Associate Professor
2022-2023 Otterbein New Teacher of the Year
Department Features & Student Opportunities
Scholarships
We believe in investing in talent — from research funding to travel support to scholarships that will fuel your discovery and learning.
Facilities
Explore the state-of-the-art Science Complex and its 96,000 square feet of discipline-specific laboratories, research space and classrooms.
Internships
You are encouraged to take advantage of Otterbein’s many connections and partnerships for professional internships that literally span the world.
Student Research
“Research helped me think critically and develop skills — it also taught me that life will always be a learning process.” What will you discover?
Student Organizations
Whether it’s a BMB Tea to chart Oreo flavors or traveling to offer global medical relief, we have many student organizations and other ways to get involved.
Travel Experiences
Count the shark population off the coast of Africa. Explore the coral reefs and rainforests of Belize. Prepare medicine from local plants in Costa Rica.
Biology & Earth Science Department News
Environmental Science Professor Recognized Nationally for Advancing Groundwater Research
News - January 27, 2026
By Drakko Harper ’26 Kevin Svitana decided to retire from teaching at the top of his career. In December 2025, the Biology and Earth Sciences professor received the Keith E. Anderson Award for outstanding contributions to groundwater research and sustainability, representing Otterbein at a national conference, before retiring at the end of the calendar year. The Keith E. Anderson Award is presented by the National Ground Water Association (NGWA) at its annual conference and highlights the organization’s mission to promote responsible development, management, and use of the world’s groundwater resources. Svitana, a geologist and hydrogeologist, is a…
Neptune Blends Science and Art to Study Amphibians and Inspire Students
News - September 4, 2025
By Kennedy Berry ’27 When Otterbein alumnus Troy Neptune '17 started college, he took on two different paths, science and art. Since then, he’s built a career in both fields and is now a professor at the Cleveland Institue of Art (CIA) who will soon be researching amphibians in Spain on a prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Postdoctoral Award. Otterbein alumnus Troy Neptune '17 His project will focus on how light pollution affects amphibians. More specifically, how artificial light at…
Zoo and Conservation Science Students Remove Invasive Species – and You Should, Too!
News - April 24, 2025
A class of Zoo and Conservation Science students is coordinating a day of service to remove invasive species at Highbanks Metro Park and to educate others about invasive species. One student in the class is Gavin Spragg ’27, a Zoo and Conservation Science major with a Sociology minor. He is also the current president of the Birderbein student organization for birdwatching. We asked Gavin to tell us why we should help remove invasive species at this event and every day. What…Programs of Study in Biology & Earth Science
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Contact Us
Science Center 236
155 W. Main St
Westerville, OH 43081
Administrative Assistant
Donna Rhodeback
614-823-1517
drhodeback@otterbein.edu