Each student must successfully fulfill the College's senior obligation. The obligation for a biology major may be satisfied (1) by completing an independent laboratory or field research project under the direction of a faculty member, or (2) by writing an in-depth research paper. Students must receive project approval from a sponsoring faculty member and the departmental chair. Guidelines for receipt of honors on the senior obligation are distributed to all rising seniors.

A student may receive honors on their project, which is a prerequisite for receiving honors in biology at commencement.

To learn more about the requirements for a major or minor degree in biology at Washington College, visit the Biology Department web page.

For two years after graduation, a copy of each senior thesis is kept in the library. After this period it is archived in the department for which it was completed.

These are the students who have worked, or are currently working with me as their thesis advisor, and the titles of their theses.

§ denotes an experimental senior obligation (laboratory/field research project)

Academic year 2001-2002
1. Marini, Lauren§
"Whole mount clearing and staining of croaker sonic motor nerves."

2. Neal, Briana§
"Histological examination of seasonal changes in croaker sonic muscle."

3. Semenick, Lisa
"Public health implications of prostate cancer screening and analysis."

4. Vlahos, Michael
"Bioluminescence in Chesapeake Bay."

5. Virts, Michael
"Anesthetics in modern dentistry."

Academic year 2000-2001
1. Lunn, Michael§
"A comparison of Atlantic croaker fright response and courtship sound production."

2. Nemechek, Kimberly
"The epidemiology of malaria in Africa."

3. Pincus, Amanda§
"Thermal adaptation in jumping performance in Rana pipiens."

4. Smith, Kellie
"Shoulder instability caused my anterior shoulder dislocations."

Academic year 1999-2000
1. Christopher Petrone§
"Copepod diversity and abundance at the mouth of the Delaware Bay."

2. Tricia Pyhel§
"Steroid sensitivity of the sonic muscles of the Atlantic croaker, Micropogonias undulatus."

3. Becky Rakoski
"Comparative study of the environmental effects of the destruction of mangrove and salt marsh habitats by natural and anthropogenic causes."

4. Ileine Sanchez§ (joint Pshychology/Biology thesis under the guidance of Prof. Kerchner)
"The effects of androgens on cerebral lateralization and turning behavior in mice."

5. Dawn Smart
"Evolution & Creationism, points of conflict."

6. Becky Stephenson§ (joint Pshychology/Biology thesis under the guidance of Prof. Kerchner)
"The effect of hormone replacement therapy on spacial memory in short-term and long-term ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rats."

7. Katie Snyder
"Natural methods for controlling algal growth in lakes and ponds."

8. Theresa Vance§
"Sonic muscle innervation patterns of three sciaenid speices, spot, croaker and weakfsh."

Academic year 1998-1999
1. Paul Bayne§
"Predation rates on Paleomonetes sp. on three different bottom types."

2. John Coppolino
"Cleaning behavior of teleostean fishes on coral reefs"

3. Bobby Pollicino
"Adaptive radiation in chondrichthyans."

4. Jennifer Traver
"Zebra mussels (Driessena polymorpha): morphology, reproduction and impact."

5. Alyssa Wiedenmayer§
"Nutrient turnover in two regional ponds."

Academic year 1997-1998
1. Jessica Neaton
"The natural history of osprey (Pandion haliaetus)."

2. Kevin Quinn
"The effects of over harvesting of striped bass in the Chesapeake bay region."

3. Bryan Relyea
"An investigation of R.A. Fisher's sex ratio theory and its application to human populations."