General Biology Fund

Your gift to the Department of Biology General Fund provides the department with flexibility to support key priorities of the department. Your support allows us to continue to provide outstanding academic programs and world-class research.

Biology Café Fund

The Biology Café is a fun learning and social space for biology undergraduate students. Peer facilitators are present to assist with content and provide learning strategies, to increase student success in our BY-123 and BY-124 courses. In addition to being a study space, the Biology Café is an area for all Biology students to socialize and connect with each other over coffee and a treat. Your gift to the Biology Café will be used to purchase drinks and snacks for the students.

Antarctica Climate Change Project

The Antarctica Climate Change Project provides financial resources to support the scholarly activities of researchers including both undergraduate and graduate students working in the laboratories of marine biologists Dr. James McClintock and Dr. Charles Amsler at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

These funds have purchased needed laboratory supplies and equipment, led to student publications in the scientific literature, supported educational outreach programs to K-12 students and others, supported research travel, and assisted in student travel to present scientific findings at regional and national meetings. Thank you for investing in not only timely and important research but in the young budding scientists that hold our future in their hands.

You can explore Antarctica with us on the UAB in Antarctica blog.

Austad Healthier Aging Research Fund

The dramatic increase in life expectancy over the past century has been a mixed blessing. Humans are living longer than ever before, but their later years are often plagued by debility, pain, or dementia.

Dr. Steven Austad’s research seeks to discover methods to extend the healthy productive years of life and minimize the period of late life debility. His novel approach is to investigate the mechanisms of exceptional resistance to aging processes found in the natural world. For instance, his laboratory has recently discovered that the ocean quahog, a clam species that lives for more than 500 years, possesses exceptionally effective mechanisms for preventing the formation of protein aggregates, the process that is widely thought to underlie Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

This fund supports all aspects of Dr. Austad's research.

Dr. Stephen A. Watts Endowed Support Fund

The Dr. Stephen A. Watts Endowed Support Fund is named in honor of Stephen A. Watts for his persistence and quality research in the UAB Department of Biology. This fund supports research for undergraduate and/or graduate students working alongside Dr. Watts.

Dr. Trygve Tollefsbol Best Paper Award

The Dr. Trygve Tollefsbol Best Paper Award provides an annual cash award to the Biology graduate student who has published the most outstanding scientific paper in the past year.

Anne M. Cusic Endowed Scholarship

The Anne M. Cusic Endowed Scholarship is named in honor of Dr. Anne M. Cusic for her years of service to UAB, the Department of Biology and students. This scholarship supports academically promising biology majors who have completed their introductory biology courses at UAB.

Ken R. Marion Biology Career Endowed Scholarship

The Ken R. Marion Biology Career Endowed Scholarship is named in honor of longtime faculty member Dr. Ken R. Marion. This fund provides scholarships to biology majors in their junior and senior year who demonstrate promise and a commitment to pursuing teaching and/or research in biology as a career.

Ken R. Marion Ecology/Environmental Science Career Endowed Scholarship

The Ken R. Marion Biology Career Endowed Scholarship is named in honor of longtime faculty member Dr. Ken R. Marion. This fund provides scholarships to biology majors in their junior or senior year who demonstrate promise and a commitment to pursuing a career in ecology or environmental science.

Daniel Jones Endowed Student Research Support Fund in Biology

The Daniel Jones Endowed Student Research Support Fund in Biology is named in honor of Dr. Daniel Jones. As both a faculty member and department chair, Dr. Jones touched the lives of many UAB faculty and graduates through his teaching and guidance. This fund supports biology graduate students to travel to regional, national, or international scientific meetings.

Evelyn M. and Harold C. Martin Endowed Support Fund

The Evelyn M. and Harold C. Martin Endowed Support Fund is named in honor of Evelyn M. and Harold C. Martin in tribute of their contributions throughout the State of Alabama. This fund recognizes outstanding biology students and enhances programs and activities for the Department of Biology.

James McClintock Endowed Scholarship in Polar and Marine Biology

The James McClintock Endowed Scholarship in Polar and Marine Biology is named in honor of Dr. James McClintock for his achievements as an expert in Antarctic marine biology and climate change science, as well as for his dedicated service to UAB. This scholarship supports biology students interested in polar and marine biology who demonstrate achievement and promise.

Michael David Luketic Endowed Support Fund for Marine Biology

The Michael David Luketic Endowed Support Fund in Marine Biology is named in memory of Michael David Luketic a passionate marine biologist. This fund supports the Department of Biology and is used to assist student and/or faculty research endeavors to supplement student or faculty travel, and to purchase needed supplies and equipment.

Biology Café Fund

The Biology Café is a learning space for biology undergraduate students. Peer facilitators are present to assist with content and provide learning strategies to increase student success. In addition to being a study space, the Biology Café is an area for all Biology students to collaborate. Your generous gift to the Biology Cafe will be used to purchase drinks and snacks for the students.