Bates biology students have joined as effort at an organic farm in Freeport to work through the complex issues of soil contamination by PFAS, so-called forever chemicals, caused by the spread of contaminated sludge as fertilizer decades ago. Here, post-baccalaureate scholar Sebastián León Fallas ’24 (left) is teaching students how to collect a soil core sample. From left, León Fallas, Trent Hieber ’26 of Granby, Conn., John Harun-Delong ’26 of Fairbanks, Alaska, Ben Leach ’27 of Atlanta, and Bryn Murray ’27 of Jupiter, Fla., who is a course teaching assistant. Laura and Winslow Robinson, owners and operators of Fable Farm, have invited scientists at Bates and Yale University to do grant-funded research to better understand the effects of PFAS on farm and to find scalable solutions to the crisis. The Bates students are in the course “Biological Research Experience: Molecules to Ecosystems,” taught by Levi Adams, a lecturer in biology. It’s the type of Bates course that engages students in hands-on research experiences, teaching them how to apply various research methods using multiple approaches that span a range of disciplines in biology, from molecular to ecological.

Associate Professor of Biology Larissa Williams teaches students in Bio s39f a lesson on “uses of Genetic analysis to understand the population of dynamics of crabs in Maine.” They met in Bonney 370 laboratory and received instruction on how to use a pipette, including closing their eyes in preparing to click the instrument. The course’s instructor is Jesse Minor ’00, a lecturer in biology.

Bates biology students have joined as effort at an organic farm in Freeport to work through the complex issues of soil contamination by PFAS, so-called forever chemicals, caused by the spread of contaminated sludge as fertilizer decades ago. Here, post-baccalaureate scholar Sebastián León Fallas ’24 (left) is teaching students how to collect a soil core sample. From left, León Fallas, Trent Hieber ’26 of Granby, Conn., John Harun-Delong ’26 of Fairbanks, Alaska, Ben Leach ’27 of Atlanta, and Bryn Murray ’27 of Jupiter, Fla., who is a course teaching assistant. Laura and Winslow Robinson, owners and operators of Fable Farm, have invited scientists at Bates and Yale University to do grant-funded research to better understand the effects of PFAS on farm and to find scalable solutions to the crisis. The Bates students are in the course “Biological Research Experience: Molecules to Ecosystems,” taught by Levi Adams, a lecturer in biology. It’s the type of Bates course that engages students in hands-on research experiences, teaching them how to apply various research methods using multiple approaches that span a range of disciplines in biology, from molecular to ecological.

Lecturer in Biology Jesse Minor ’00 takes students in his Short Term on invasive green crabs to Cousins Island in Yarmouth for inventory monitoring and site assessment field trip. Jessie Batchelder from Manomet joined them.

“Usually at this hour, we’d be down in the lecture hall.” — Associate Professor of Biology Brett Huggett explaining why he took his dendrology students to the Carnegie Greenhouse rather than have them remain in the classroom to identify tree species. Huggett teaches BIO 271/Dendrology and the Natural History of Tree, a field-based course in which students engage in the scientific study of the natural history and identification of trees and important shrubs native to New England, and some commonly planted non-native trees. Topics include the anatomy, function, taxonomy, biology, and uses of trees. Lecture topics support weekly outdoor laboratories, which may include trips to such field sites as the Saco Heath, Thorncrag Bird Sanctuary, and Wolfe’s Neck State Park. Study of the woody flora of New England serves as a foundation for further work in biology, environmental studies, conservation, or related fields. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College) #batescollege #biology #stem #tress #dendrology #liberalarts #faculty #lab

“Usually at this hour, we’d be down in the lecture hall.” — Associate Professor of Biology Brett Huggett explaining why he took his dendrology students to the Carnegie Greenhouse rather than have them remain in the classroom to identify tree species. Huggett teaches BIO 271/Dendrology and the Natural History of Tree, a field-based course in which students engage in the scientific study of the natural history and identification of trees and important shrubs native to New England, and some commonly planted non-native trees. Topics include the anatomy, function, taxonomy, biology, and uses of trees. Lecture topics support weekly outdoor laboratories, which may include trips to such field sites as the Saco Heath, Thorncrag Bird Sanctuary, and Wolfe’s Neck State Park. Study of the woody flora of New England serves as a foundation for further work in biology, environmental studies, conservation, or related fields. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College) #batescollege #biology #stem #tress #dendrology #liberalarts #faculty #lab

Lecturer in Biology Jesse Minor ’00 takes students in his Short Term on invasive green crabs to Cousins Island in Yarmouth for inventory monitoring and site assessment field trip. Jessie Batchelder from Manomet joined them.

Lucy Hensley ’25 presents her Biology thesis research in the Research in STEM panel on Littorina obtusata prey responses to European green crabs, detailing possible next steps for the study to obtain more conclusive results.