Contact the Biology Graduate Student Association
Biology Graduate Student Association
Learn about our association at NAU and mark your calendar for our upcoming events
The Biology Graduate Student Association (BGSA) is a volunteer-based student group. Our mission is to:- elevate the academic and social experience for both graduate and undergraduate students within the NAU Department of Biological Sciences
- advance the research environment
- promote service in the surrounding community
- set the stage for high-quality graduate student and faculty recruitment
BGSA resources and current officers
Biology graduate student resources Accordion Open
- NAU Biology Graduate Handbook 2018
- Academic calendar
- Graduate student government travel award program
- Funding resources
- Statistics consulting lab
Our current officers: 2018-2019 Accordion Closed
President: Renee Jordan
- Project: "Effects of polychlorinated biphenyls on expression of endocrine and cancer related genes in the ninespine stickleback."
- Advisor: Dr. Frank von Hippel
Vice President: Grace Griffiths
- Project: "Vocal responses to conspecific and heterospecific advertisement vocalizations in sympatric grasshopper mice (Onychomys)"
- Advisor: Dr. Bret Pasch
Secretary: Brian Hamilton
- Project: "Biomechanics and muscle physiology"
- Advisor: Dr. Natalie Holt
Treasurer: Paige Chesshire
- Project: "Changes in plant-pollinator networks along an elevation gradient"
- Advisor: Dr. Neil Cobb
Event Officer: Chris Wirth
- Project: "A revision of the genus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) through next-generation DNA sequencing and morphological character analysis"
- Advisor: Dr. Aaron D. Smith
Faculty representative: Ryan Ward
- Project: "Transmission and epidemiology of ESBL organisms at a regional healthcare facility"
- Advisor: Dr. Nate Nieto
Event coordinator: Kathleen Balazs
- Project: "Using plant traits to inform ecosystem function in a restoration context across the Colorado Plateau"
- Advisor: Dr. Brad Butterfield
Selection Committee Representative: Nicole Rice
- Project: " The role of the protein titin in muscle physiology"
- Advisor: Dr. Kiisa Nishikawa
Service Committee Representative: Lizzie Rothwell
- Project: " Efficacy of chemical defenses in the model organism Mimulus guttatus (yellow monkeyflower) against generalist and specialist insect herbivores"
- Advisor: Dr. Liza Holeski
Upcoming events
Science on Tap- 3rd Thursday of each month
- 7 pm at The Green Room
- Contact Renee Jordan for details
Volunteer opportunities
Extracurricular opportunities
- Flagstaff Live (free local newspaper with information about local events, etc)
- Flagstaff Dance