UNB Department of Biology

09/04/2026

Interested in science outreach, education, or science communication?

SCI 2013: Science Outreach and Educational Volunteering 1 gives University of New Brunswick students the opportunity to to engage in hands-on experiential learning while contributing to science outreach and education in the community.

Students complete at least 20 hours of practical volunteer work during the term, gaining experience that can be especially valuable for those interested in education, public engagement, science communication, and other science-related careers.

🧪 Gain practical outreach experience

📚 Help make science accessible and engaging

🤝 Connect science with the wider community

To find out more contact the Faculty of Science at UNB Science Outreach Coordination & SCI 2013 Course Coordinator Justine Gauthier at:

📧 [email protected]

at UNB Fredericton

09/02/2026

PhD Oral Examination | Ilesha Ileperuma Arachchi

The UNB Department of Biology is pleased to share the upcoming PhD oral examination of Ilesha S. Ileperuma Arachchi, whose dissertation is titled:

“Home Away from Home: How Host Trees, Temperature, and Genetic Variations Would Shape the Success of Two Invasive Ambrosia Beetles in Canada.”

Ilesha’s research is supervised by Dr. Steve Heard (UNB Biology) and Dr. Deepa Pureswaran (Canadian Forest Service, Environment and Natural Resources in Canada ).

📅 September 3, 2026

🕐 1:00–4:00 p.m. ADT

📍 UNB Libraries – Harriet Irving Library Research Commons, Active Learning Lab (Room 303)

💻 Virtual attendance is also available via Microsoft Teams.

We wish Ilesha all the best with her defence!

08/27/2026

Dr. Kelly Miles, Full Teaching Professor in the UNB Department of Biology at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, recently spoke with Global New Brunswick in a recorded interview about how advances in DNA analysis and investigative genetic genealogy are helping investigators revisit cold cases.

The accompanying article centres on the identification of a New Brunswick woman decades after her death, illustrating how DNA recovered from human remains can help identify biological relatives and generate new investigative leads.

For those interested in the biological foundations of this work, the UNB Department of Biology at University of New Brunswick in Fredericton offers coursework in several related areas. Subjects offered include genetics, biochemistry and cell biology, as well as forensic biology, histology and human anatomy.

Through forensic biology coursework, students can explore topics such as forensic pathology, forensic taphonomy, and post-mortem analysis.

Dr. Miles is also the Director of UNB’s Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science program, which is offered in partnership with NBCC (New Brunswick Community College) Saint John and combines university-level biological science with professional Medical Laboratory Technology training.

Dr. Miles also teaches Forensic Biology I online through the UNB Centre for Learning Futures; the course offering will resume following her current sabbatical, which ends July 1, 2027.

Read the Global News article and watch the accompanying interview with Dr. Miles at the link below.

https://globalnews.ca/news/12026157/dna-new-brunswick-woman-identified-decades-after-death/

A New Brunswick woman whose remains were discovered in Ontario has been identified decades after her death through advances in DNA technology, giving investigators new leads in a homicide case and highlighting the growing role of genetic genealogy in solving cold cases. Niagara Regional Police annou...

08/24/2026

Dr. Kelly Miles, Full Teaching Professor in the UNB Department of Biology at UNB Fredericton, recently spoke with Global News in a recorded interview about how advances in DNA analysis and investigative genetic genealogy are helping investigators revisit cold cases.

The accompanying article centres on the identification of a New Brunswick woman decades after her death, illustrating how DNA recovered from human remains can help identify biological relatives and generate new investigative leads.

Those interested in the biological foundations of this work can explore several related areas through the UNB Department of Biology within Faculty of Science at UNB in Fredericton. Subjects include genetics, biochemistry and cell biology, as well as forensic biology, histology and human anatomy. Through forensic biology coursework, students can also explore topics such as forensic pathology, forensic taphonomy, and post-mortem analysis.

Dr. Miles is also Director of UNB’s Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science program, offered in partnership with NBCC Saint John. The program combines university-level biological science with professional Medical Laboratory Technology training.

She also teaches Forensic Biology I online through the UNB Centre for Learning Futures. The course offering will resume following her current sabbatical, which ends July 1, 2027.

Read the Global News article and watch the accompanying interview with Dr. Miles at the link below.

https://globalnews.ca/news/12026157/dna-new-brunswick-woman-identified-decades-after-death/

A New Brunswick woman whose remains were discovered in Ontario has been identified decades after her death through advances in DNA technology, giving investigators new leads in a homicide case and highlighting the growing role of genetic genealogy in solving cold cases. Niagara Regional Police annou...

08/13/2026

UNB’s climate change research is gaining national recognition, with the university ranked fourth among Canadian comprehensive universities for climate change research share and publication growth.

The Department of Biology is part of that work through the interdisciplinary climate change teaching and outreach of Dr. Dion Durnford

Read more in the article by Hilary Creamer below:

Faculty of Science at UNB

Canada’s Top 50 Research Universities ranked the University of New Brunswick fourth in Canada among comprehensive universities for climate change research share and publication growth.

07/29/2026

Dr. Katy Hind recently presented her award-winning teaching initiative, “Microsketch: Exploring Biology Through Art and Observation,” at the 2026 Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) conference in Hamilton, Ontario. The initiative earned Katy the 2025 UNB Teaching Innovation Award in recognition of her innovative contributions to student learning. She also ran a pre-conference workshop on teaching-assistant training through her role with the Teaching Assistant and Graduate Student Advancement (TAGSA) group.

The “Microsketch” initiative draws on established research and teaching practices that use drawing to support scientific learning and observation. Katy adapted these approaches for her large-enrollment, first-year Biology lab sections by combining instruction in techniques such as contour drawing and illustration with weekly biological drawing activities, including the drawing of specimens viewed through microscopes.

By encouraging students to slow down, carefully illustrate what they observe, and focus on fine detail, the initiative encourages them to spend more time examining specimens. This can strengthen students’ attention to detail and help them notice behaviours they had not previously observed. Student feedback and in-lab surveys have indicated a positive impact on student learning.

Katy plans to develop a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) study to assess whether “Microsketch” enhances student learning outcomes, including test scores. This work reflects her broader commitment as an Associate Teaching Professor to evidence-based course design, hands-on active learning, and research-informed teaching in first-year and large-enrollment biology courses.

Congratulations, Dr. Hind, on this well-deserved recognition and on your continued contributions to teaching and learning at UNB and beyond!

07/27/2026

The Department of Biology congratulates Dr. Mark Sherrard on being granted tenure!

Mark is an Associate Teaching Professor whose current teaching includes Biological Diversity, Plant Physiology and Development, Independent Studies, and Lab courses in Ecology and in Biological Diversity. In 2025, he received the Dr. Allan P. Stuart Memorial Award for Excellence in Teaching. Mark’s approach encourages critical thinking and curiosity about the natural world while combining academic rigour with compassion and flexibility.

Mark has enhanced his courses and developed illustrated study guides to support students in his biological diversity lab course. His teaching incorporates case studies, equipment demonstrations, computer software, and a flipped-classroom approach where students review foundational material before class and use class time for discussion, problem-solving, and hands-on application.

Mark’s service to the Department includes acting as one of the Biology program’s undergraduate academic advisors. This role supports students as they navigate program requirements and make decisions about their studies. He also serves on the Biology Curriculum Committee and has served as an examiner for more than 25 student theses and examinations, contributing his time and expertise in support of students from across the academic community.

Tenure is an important career milestone recognizing demonstrated competence in teaching and academic service, as well as sustained contributions to curriculum development and student support.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Sherrard on this well-deserved achievement!

07/23/2026

The Department of Biology is delighted to congratulate three faculty members on their recent promotions!

Dr. Janice Lawrence and Dr. Amy Parachnowitsch have both been promoted to Full Professor, and Dr. René Malenfant has been promoted to Full Teaching Professor.

Alongside Dr. Lawrence's longstanding role as Associate Dean of Science, Janice conducts research on toxin-producing cyanobacteria, examining the biological interactions that regulate these organisms. Her work also encompasses aquatic microbial ecology and virus–host interactions, and she currently supervises two graduate students.

Amy serves as the Biology Department’s representative on the Science Faculty Committee. Her research focuses on the evolutionary ecology of flowers and plant–pollinator interactions, examining how and why floral traits evolve through pollinator behaviour, floral chemical ecology and climate change. She also continues to supervise honours and graduate students.

René teaches scientific writing at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, helping students develop the skills needed to communicate biological research clearly and effectively. He has also served as an academic advisor and has contributed to the work of the department through service on various departmental committees. His teaching additionally spans evolution, practical computing for biologists, phylogenetics, and experimental design and data analysis.

We are proud to recognize Janice, Amy and René as they reach these important career milestones. Please join us in congratulating them on their well-deserved promotions!

07/22/2026

The countdown is on to submit your photos for the UNB Biology Student Photo Contest!

The contest is open to undergraduate and graduate students affiliated with the Department of Biology at UNB Fredericton or the Department of Biological Sciences at UNB Saint John. This includes any student taking an in person biology course on either campus.

We’re looking for photographs celebrating the living world in all its forms, Homo sapiens excluded!

Submissions can feature living landscapes, animals, plants, seaweed, microorganisms, cells, scanning electron microscopy images, fluorescence microscopy images, or biology-related field and laboratory work.

Preference will be given to photographs taken in New Brunswick.

Winning images will be:

- Featured on the cover of the 2026/2027 BIOL 1006 or BIOL 1017 lab manuals, used by more than 600 students

- Displayed in the Bailey Hall front foyer, both digitally and in print throughout the 2026/2027 academic year

- Shared on the Department of Biology’s social media accounts, including Instagram, Facebook, & LinkedIn

Students can submit up to three images.

Email low-resolution submissions to [email protected] by 11:59 PM on Wednesday, July 22, 2026.

Please include your full name and preferred pronouns, photograph title(s), preferred contact email, program/course affiliation, and permission for the Department of Biology to share your images on their social media accounts, and in their departmental newsletter.

We look forward to seeing life from your perspective!

Dr. Katy Hind & 

Christopher Tregilges