ODU College of Sciences

09/04/2026

This is Monarch Science. 🔬🌱

Hands-on learning, research and discovery are happening every day across Old Dominion University’s College of Sciences.

From the greenhouse to the lab, the field, the classroom and beyond, students are putting science into practice across our seven departments:

🧬 Biological Sciences
⚗️ Chemistry & Biochemistry
💻 Computer Science
📊 Mathematics & Statistics
🌊 Ocean & Earth Sciences
⚛️ Physics
🧠 Psychology

Discover Monarch Science and see where your curiosity can take you.

odu.edu/sci

09/02/2026

A prince. A princess. A teleporting fortress. A cyclops. Laser weapons. And one wildly impractical fantasy weapon.

Bad Movie Night returns to Lê Planetarium with the 1983 sci-fi fantasy adventure Krull!

📅 Friday, Sept. 4
🧠 Trivia at 6:30 p.m.
🎬 Movie at 7 p.m.
📍 Lê Planetarium, Chemistry Building, Room 1001
🎟️ $5 at the door | First come, first served

Grab your fellow adventurers and join us under the dome for a wonderfully over-the-top trip back to the ’80s.

Learn more: https://www.odu.edu/planetarium

08/31/2026

Physics professor and Eminent Scholar Sebastian Kuhn traveled to Spain to experience this month’s total solar eclipse, capturing the progression from the moment of first contact through totality until the sun’s reappearance and sunset.

Take a look at this incredible view of a celestial event worth traveling for.

08/21/2026

A great afternoon welcoming our newest Monarch scientists!

Today’s College Connections gave first-year students a chance to meet their departments and connect with faculty, staff and fellow students who will be part of their university experience.

We loved seeing so many new faces across the College of Sciences. We’re glad you’re here and excited for the year ahead!

07/22/2026

A tiny bird. Remarkable science.

For decades, Dr. Eric Walters, professor of biological sciences and associate dean for faculty affairs in the College of Sciences at Old Dominion University, has studied acorn woodpeckers, making discoveries that are helping scientists better understand cooperation, behavior and evolution. Discover how his research is revealing the secrets of one of nature’s most fascinating communities.

Read more:
https://www.odu.edu/monarch-magazine/article/odu-professor-eric-walters-acorn-woodpeckers-and-the-science-of

Expert and amateur bird watchers sometimes talk about their “spark bird,” the feathered creature that marks the origin of their avian fascination. For ornithologist Eric Walters, Ph.D., that spark bird was a whale. “My goal was to become a marine biologist,” said Dr. Walters, professor of bi...

07/10/2026

When national conversations turn to emerging public health challenges, Old Dominion University experts are helping lead them.

This week, Dr. Holly Gaff, professor of biological sciences and a mathematical ecologist in ODU's College of Sciences, joined PBS News Hour to discuss the spread of ticks into new regions, the rise of tick-borne illnesses, and what the public should know to stay safe. During the interview, she explained how changes in tick populations, wildlife, and human development are reshaping disease risks across the country.

We're proud to see Dr. Gaff sharing her expertise on a national stage and advancing public understanding of issues at the intersection of ecology, mathematics, and public health.

Watch the interview: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/what-to-know-as-ticks-spread-to-new-regions-and-bring-new-threats

It’s summertime, and ticks are out in full force. While in certain parts of the country, ticks have long been an issue, they’re now spreading to new regions and bringing new threats. William Brangham discussed the blood-sucking terrors with Holly Gaff, a mathematical ecologist who studies ticks ...

05/16/2026

Today, we celebrate the graduates of the Old Dominion University College of Sciences at the university’s 144th Commencement Ceremony.

From long nights in the lab to research, discovery, and leadership, these Monarchs have worked hard, pushed boundaries, and made their mark on the College of Sciences. The future is brighter because of their passion and dedication.

Congratulations, Class of 2026. We cannot wait to see where your journey leads next.

01/29/2026

Thinking about Pumpkin Drop for this

01/20/2026

James Weifu Lee, Ph.D., a professor of chemistry and biochemistry, published a review in the American Journal of Physiology–Cell Physiology presenting a new framework called Transmembrane-Electrostatically Localized Protons/Cations (TELCs) that offers fresh insight into one of biology’s most enduring questions: how living cells store, move and use energy.

A new Landmark Review published in the American Journal of Physiology–Cell Physiology highlights Old Dominion University’s commitment to improving human health through discovery and technology. Written by James Weifu Lee, Ph.D., a professor of chemistry and biochemistry in the College of Science...

12/19/2025

This , we are highlighting Biological Sciences Associate Professor Isaura Simões, Ph.D., who was awarded the 2025 Cheng Fund for Innovative Research Grant for her work studying plant and bacterial proteases in tick-borne diseases.

📰: bit.ly/3YAqmfH