Indiana University, Bloomington. Division of Biological Sciences

IU Division of Biological Sciences established 1963.

In 1963, the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees approved the creation of a new Division of Biological Sciences comprised of four departments - anatomy and physiology, bacteriology, botany, and zoology. In 1977, the remaining departments merged into a single department of biology.

The first courses in biology at Indiana University were offered in 1853-54. However, as early as 1828 John Harney was appointed to teach mathematics and "such of the natural sciences as were considered of sufficient importance to engage the attention of aspiring youth." Textbooks of the day covering "the natural sciences" dealt with such areas of biology as anatomy, some physiology, some biogeography, and much systematics.

During the early years of Indiana University, biology existed as a subset of the Natural Sciences, often in the form of zoological, botanical, or geological research. For example, Richard Owen, Prof. of Natural Philosophy and Chemistry (1864-1879) concentrated chiefly on geological studies, but extensively employed zoology and botany as part of his teaching. By 1869-70, zoology and botany appear as separate courses under Natural Sciences.

In 1879, David Starr Jordan assumed the post of Prof. of Natural Sciences and proceeded to expand and modernize the curriculum. In 1885, Jordan became president of Indiana University. Among his first official acts was the establishment of a Department of Zoology (chaired by Jordan himself) and a Department of Botany and Geology (chaired by John C. Branner). In 1891, Carl H. Eigenmann assumed control of the Department of Zoology. Among his many contributions to the department was the establishment of a Biological Station on Turkey Lake (now Wawasee) and the assembly of a distinguished faculty that included Will Scott, Fernandus Payne, and Alfred C. Kinsey. By this time, anatomy and physiology had drifted away following a separate course correlated with the medical program. Bacteriology was established as a separate department under Leland McClung and included such notable faculty as Salvador E. Luria (later Noble Laureate).

By the 1960s it was becoming increasingly evident that the biological sciences of the day were extending far beyond the issues covered in the isolated departments of Zoology, Botany, and Bacteriology. In 1963, the Indiana University Board of Trustees created the Division of Biological Sciences, comprised of the departments of Anatomy and Physiology, Botany, Microbiology, and Zoology. Tracey Sonneborn served as chair of the executive committee of the Division. Under the divisional organization, the various departments sought to create a variety of courses and programs designed to integrate the field of biology.

In 1977 it was decided to completely integrate the departments into a single Department of Biology in order to foster interdisciplinary research, pool resources and equipment, and create an atmosphere in which the different biological fields "worked together rather than against each other." Interesting sections within the department were created, including botany, cell and developmental biology, ecology, genetics, microbiology, molecular biology, and physiology and biochemistry. John Preer became the department's first chair.

Breakdown of department name changes: