The Department of Biology at Grove City College offers students the opportunity to perform meaningful and relevant research guided by an experienced and accomplished faculty. Research laboratories are outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment to support student research activities. Current research interests of our faculty include:
Dr. Jan Dudt
Dr. Tracy Farone
During the summers of 2020 and 2021, the project grew to include more research students and projects. The team began to extract hundreds of pounds of honey from our growing hives, (which we donate locally) and collect data for two experimental studies involving drone drifting and diagnostic testing methods for Varroa mites. Under the supervision of Dr. Farone, more experienced students developed a training program for underclassmen joining the team. This layered “watch one, do one, teach one” learning allows training for newcomers with research and instructional opportunities for advanced students. A greenhouse was also added to enhance our capacity to produce pollinator friendly plants in our apiary garden.
In the summer of 2022, on-going research projects continued, and the team earned a Gibson grant to develop a honeybee educational community outreach program for school children. Over the summer, the team, working through the Project on Rural Ministry, was able to serve a local church by helping with VBS, providing honey to foodbanks and widows, and giving a guest sermon on honey and honeybees in the Bible.
This academic year, students worked together to deliver their educational outreach to students at the Grove City School District and pre-school kids at the GCC Early Education Center. This past fall, an anatomical and dissection study of the honeybee was completed and Dr. Farone led a “Fiver” study for chapel on Honey and Honeybees in the Bible. Currently, the team is training “newbees” and designing a new project which could involve offering PCR testing for Dewormed Wing Virus (DWV) to the local beekeeping community to determine the incidence in western PA. All our project summaries are displayed throughout STEM in posters created by our students.
Learn more about the Grove City College bee project.
Dr. Steve Jenkins
Dr. Kristina Pazehoski
Dr. Devin Stauff
Dr. Darren Wood
Dr. Brian Yowler