Welcome to the Department of Biology
Studying life in all its forms and scales through cutting-edge research and innovative teaching.
Meet the New Center for Botany
Botanical sciences are more important than ever. Learn about the research and outreach our dedicated researchers are investing in.
Giving
Your donations can improve the student experience, advance research, and support efforts across the Department of Biology.
Undergraduate Programs
Explore majors, honors curriculums and certificates.
Graduate Programs
Considering a Master or PhD? Explore these programs.
Research
Researchers in the Department of Biology are in the field and in the lab studying flora, fauna, fungi and more.
Featured News
Plant enthusiasts joined the Wisconsin Herbarium’s 2026 Foray in La Crosse County, Wi
Research
This past July, the Wisconsin Herbarium and Botanical Club of Wisconsin hosted their 8th annual foray. Over the course of three days, a total of 46 volunteers explored habitats throughout La Crosse County, Wisconsin to document their flora. Together, they collected over 1,200 plant specimens.
Each year the foray is held in a different region of Wisconsin, inviting plant enthusiasts, students and professional botanists alike into the field to help with the collection.
Faculty Q&A: Daniel Spalink uses systematics and collections to study global plant biodiversity
Faculty
As a new faculty member, UW–Madison alumnus and Wisconsin native, Feiner wants his work to benefit the state’s ecosystems and communities alike.
Department of Biology FAQs
Department News
Answers to frequently asked questions about the new Department of Biology.
NSF Career Award supports Daijiang Li’s efforts to build a global database of urban biodiversity
Research
Assistant professor Daijiang Li has been granted a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to build new tools that will help scientists understand, analyze, and forecast urban biodiversity.
Department Events
October
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October 15Biology Colloquium: Robert JinkersonEngineering plant form and function to produce the foods of the future3:30 PM, B302 Birge Hall
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October 22
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October 29
Biology Colloquium
The Biology Colloquium is a series of lectures hosted by the Department of Biology.
To subscribe to the Biology Colloquium mailing list…
News
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Faculty Q&A: Daniel Spalink uses systematics and collections to study global plant biodiversity
Daniel Spalink is a plant systematist and biogeographer. He integrates genetics with data on plant occurrences from global databases and herbaria around the world to improve our understanding of biodiversity. Spalink completed…
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TA Applications Open; positions in Department of Biology, Biocore
The Department of Biology The Department of Biology is accepting TA applications via this online form. Deadline: Sunday November 1, 2026. Please contact Nazan Gillie with questions, atilla@wisc.edu. Biocore Biocore is accepting spring semester TA applications! We…
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Magical Monarchs at the Biocore Prairie
Seth McGee led a community science outreach even on Sunday 9/13/2026, inviting students from across campus to net, catch, tag, and release monarchs. A select few monarchs that qualified were also fitted…
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NSF Career Award supports Daijiang Li’s efforts to build a global database of urban biodiversity
By Elise Mahon Daijiang Li, an assistant professor in the Department of Biology, has been granted a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to build new tools that will help…
Media Mentions
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The Flesh Eaters: UW Zoological museum’s Dermestarium featured on Channel 3000
Howard Veregin, the Wisconsin State Cartographer, joined John Stuhler, the curator of mammals and birds at the University of Wisconsin Zoological Museum for a trip to visit the flesh-eating dermestid beetle colony…
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Botany Grad Student talks mentorship in Science Careers
To help readers at all career stages become the supportive mentors and supervisors they aspire to be, Science Careers asked researchers, including Botany Graduate Student Joseph Walston, to share the lessons they’ve learned on…
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Agave Death Bloom featured as State Journal Photo of the day
UW–Madison’s Botany Garden and Greenhouse’s Agave victoriae-reginae plant bloomed in early June, catching the attention of the public and the Wisconsin State Journal. The plant, which is about 30 years old, blooms…
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Professor Damschen talks biodiversity on WPR
Professor Ellen Damschen joins WPR’s The Larry Meiller Show to discuss why biodiversity matters in Wisconsin, and what scientists are doing to conserve plant and animal life. Listen to the episode.
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Professor Simon Gilroy on Startalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson
Are plants more aware than we think? Do they have feelings? Neil deGrasse Tyson, Gary O’Reilly, and Harrison Greenbaum explore the intelligence of plants with astrobotanist Simon Gilroy. From venus flytraps to…