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<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\nThe first Biology professor was John Wilson MacConnell, Davidson College class of 1902. He completed his medical degree from the University of Maryland, and served as the house surgeon at the Presbyterian Eye and Ear Hospital in Baltimore for several years. He returned to Davidson in 1907 to serve as the Chair of Biology and Physical Training, as well as the town physician. Once biology was accepted as an academic subject, the department and the demand for biology classes grew. By 1925 more than one hundred and ninety-eight students studied biology. By the end of the decade there were three full-time professors of biology, whereas in 1912 there had been only one biology professor. In March of 1921, the trustees created the Department of Biology and the curriculum increased to include courses in zoology, botany, bacteriology-parasitology, and biology.<\/p>\n
With each additional year, the Department of Biology has grown both in size and popularity. The courses include genetics, ecology, behavioral neuroscience, and evolution.<\/p>\n
In 1958, the Charles A. Dana Foundation gave Davidson a $400,000 challenge gift to be used toward the construction of Dana Science Building. This building is now the hub of Davidson’s Biology Department. According to the original architectural plans, more than 31,000 square feet were designed for laboratory and instructional space. In 1964 and 1974, renovations to the building greatly increased the amount of instructional and laboratory space available to students. The third floor was transformed into a museum and physiology laboratory and two 1,000 square foot laboratories, a 1,500 square foot student research laboratory, several special work areas for handling radio-isotopes and research animals, a seminar room, and an equipment preparation room were added.<\/p>\n
In 1999, Davidson finished construction of the Watson Life Sciences Building. This 32,000 square-foot building houses the departments of Biology and Psychology, and is architecturally compatible to the existing Dana Science Building. The focus of Watson Life Science Building is on laboratory-based instruction and interdepartmental cooperation.<\/p>\n