About Us
Our Research
The Department of Biology conducts research uncovering the diversity and functions of life on earth. Integrating approaches from molecules to ecosystems, our researchers study the processes by which organisms adapt to and are influenced by natural and managed environments, as well as how organisms interact and shape the environment. The wide range of research produced by the Department is supported by funding from federal, state, and tribal agencies and private entities, including the US National Science Foundation, Department of Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency, National Institutes of Health, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Geological Service, and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Our Department at a Glance
Statement on Evolution
As stated by the Society for the Study of Evolution: "Evolution refers both to a set of scientific facts and to a theory explaining such facts. Evolution refers to the scientific fact that biological organisms have changed through time, and that all life, including humanity, has descended with modification from common ancestors. The theory of evolution is a comprehensive and well-documented explanation, based on natural processes, of the fact of biological evolution.”
Evolution is foundational to the study of biology. It is central to our teaching, research, and outreach efforts. We stand firmly against efforts to restrict the teaching of evolution or replacing such teaching with non-scientific ideas.