Thanks for visiting my website! That’s me in Nov. 2024 in front of Mueller Laboratory at Penn State, where I first worked as an undergraduate research assistant in 1995.

I have been in the Biology Department at Western Oregon University since 2011. As a Biology professor, my primary responsibilities are to teach and to engage in research. I also primarily advise students in the Aquarium Science major, the Neuroscience minor, and Interdisciplinary Science majors with an interest in Biology.

I currently teach BI 211 Principles of Biology I, BI 315 Cell Biology, BI 434 Comparative Animal Physiology, BI 437 Neurobiology and BI 451 Invertebrate Zoology. My research, which typically involves student researchers, focuses on animal behavior, neurobiology and physiology. I have had students who studied snail locomotion, snail and slug nervous systems, leech nervous systems, fruit fly behavior, crayfish behavior, and snail gut microbiota. Additional information about my teaching and research can be found under the “Teaching” and “Research” tabs above.

I am on sabbatical this year. For students, the relevant impact of that is that I don’t really have a predicable schedule with office hours. If you want to meet with me, please send me an email!

Contact Info                                                      
DeVolder 114
baltzlem@wou.edu
503-838-8832
wou.edu/wp/baltzlem