Department of Biology

Matt McKell

Graduated 2001, Biology/Zoology Major

Matt is a Biologist for the Arizona Division of Fish and Game.

While at SUU, he particularly valued the small class sizes, particularly in higher-level major courses, which allowed individual contact with professors.  He feels that this gave him a number of opportunities to work closely with multiple professors in a variety of roles, and increased his preparation for graduate school.

Seth Ohms

Graduated 2001, Biology/Botany Major

Seth completed his M.S. degree in Range Science from Utah State University, where he studied aspen mortality on Cedar Mountain. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Range Science, looking at restoration of fall forbs in high elevation mountain rangelands. In pursuing these advanced degrees, he has found that his Range and Botany courses from SUU have been great assets! 

Vicki Tyler
Graduated 2001, Biology/Zoology Major and Communications Major
Vicki is currently a Biological Technician at the Bureau of Land Management. She enjoys the fact that she utilizes both her Biology and Communications degrees in relaying information to the public about BLM projects and is shown here at Panguitch Lake running a campfire program about bats.

Joel and Gabrielle Diamond
Graduated 2001, Biology/Zoology Majors
At SUU, Joel and Gabby Diamond were heavily involved in undergraduate research in the Biology Department, and have extended their love of research to graduate school. Currently at USU, they are completing independent Master's thesis projects on bats, and Joel will be working on obtaining his Ph.D.

Louize Elison Smith

Graduated 1999, Biology/Zoology Major

Louize is the Senior Criminalist at the Utah Bureau of Forensic Sciences (pictured here from an article in The Salt Lake Tribune). She finds great personal satisfaction in her career because she is able to use science to help people who have "lost the ability to speak for themselves." In reflecting upon her SUU experience, she stresses that her undergraduate research experiences, interactions with professors, and specialized Biology classes were what best prepared her for her career.

Bill Heyborne
Graduated 1997, Biology/Zoology Major
After graduating from SUU, Bill worked for Utah Division of Wildlife and Bureau of Land Management. He then completed his Master's at Oregon State University, after which time he taught community college for two years. Bill is currently working on his Ph.D. at the University of Northern Colorado, where he studies the biological roles of venoms. This photo shows Bill extracting venom from a brown treesnake from Indonesia.

Teresa Bonzo (formerly Griffin)

Graduated 1996, Biology Major

Teresa is currently a Wildlife Biologist at the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources located in Cedar City. She is the head biologist in charge of Utah Prairie Dog management and is shown here (left) releasing a prarie dog into a burrow at a translocation site. She has been an excellent collaborator with biologists at SUU throughout the years and also has hired many of our undergraduates as summer employees.

Kodi Schoppmann (formerly Lord)
Graduated 1996, Biology/Zoology Major
Kodi is currently a park ranger at Zion National Park, Kolob section. She is shown here conducting an educational outreach program in an elementary school about snakes.

Dr. Jarid Gray
Graduated 1995, Biology/Zoology Major
After graduating from SUU, Jarid earned his M.D. at the University of Utah. He has since returned to Cedar City and has established a private practice, Gray Family Center Care, which is located on the north side of town. He has been an excellent resource for some of our graduates, not to mention faculty members when they have fallen ill!

Monty Sorensen
Graduated 1982, Biology/Zoology Major
Monty (shown above, left) is currently the Department Head of the Science Department at Canyon View High School in Cedar City. He teaches Biology, coaches sports, and is seen above collaborating with Dave Braegger here at SUU in running concurrent enrollment courses.

John Taylor
Graduated 1998, Biology/Teaching Major
John is now a Biology Instructor in our very own department! He received his Master's degree from BYU and before joining us, taught at UVSC, during which time he received an award for teaching. We are very lucky to have John as part of our team.