Westminster College Begins Biology Department Sesquicentennial Seminar Series

Westminster College continues its 150th birthday celebration with the first in a series of Biology Department Seminars Tuesday, Jan. 29, at 7 p.m. in Phillips Lecture Hall of the Hoyt Science Resources Center.

Dr. Clarence Harms, a professor of biology who has been with Westminster College since 1969, will begin the series with "150 Years of Biology at Westminster College."

"Using PowerPoint, I will sketch biology from its feeble beginning to the present," said Harms.  "I've divided that history into five eras much like geologic time.  For each of these eras, I'll give evidence of how the biology program has always focused on people-program-paraphernalia.'

"Our history is rich if fact and anecdote.  Some of our history is recorded in the College's archives, and some of it is in the minds of people-faculty, students, and alumni."

Harms was a Fulbright scholar in Pakistan, and has received several awards as outstanding faculty member at Westminster College for his ability to motivate students.  He has led numerous travel classes in marine biology, and during his distinguished career at Westminster, he has been department chair as well as vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college.  He was elected to three national honorary fraternities-Phi Beta Kappa for scholarship; Sigma Xi for science; and Phi Sigma for biological sciences.  Harms has earned a number of National Science Foundation and National Institute of Health fellowships for research and advance study.

Harms earned his undergraduate degree from Tabor College, his masters from the University of Kansas, and his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota.

The event is free and open to the public.  For more information, contact Harms at (724) 946-7207 or harmsc@westminster.edu.