As we wrap up the 2025–26 academic year, Tiger pride has been on full display across the Department of Biological Sciences. Spring is always a special season at Clemson as we celebrate graduation and the culmination of our students’ journeys. This year, 240 students earned undergraduate degrees in biological sciences, 42 in microbiology, and 35 master’s and doctoral students completed their graduate degrees. To all of our newest alumni — congratulations and welcome to the Clemson BioSci family!
This year also brought wonderful recognition for many of our students, faculty and staff, along with exciting new discoveries, research accomplishments and departmental milestones. Read below to learn more about the many outstanding achievements and contributions of our BioSci community in research, teaching, mentorship and outreach.
As we head into summer, we are also excited to continue investing in innovation and student success. Thanks to philanthropic support of the department, our Introductory Biology faculty will participate in a summer intensive focused on improving instructional materials, developing additional strategies for student success and aligning course delivery across sections. In addition, one of our faculty members will complete an exploratory visit to the Galápagos Islands as part of planning a future study abroad opportunity for Clemson students.
Thank you to our alumni and friends for your continued support and connection to the department. We look forward to sharing more BioSci successes and discoveries with you in the year ahead.
Go Tigers!
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Casey Youngflesh named an Ecological Society of America Early Career Fellow |
Casey Youngflesh’s research spans species and systems. Much of his work focuses on birds, which offer both ecological diversity and unusually strong datasets thanks to widespread public participation in bird observation. Using those data, he studies phenology, which is the timing of seasonal biological events, and how shifts in climate are altering migration and breeding patterns.
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Nathan Redding, Christine Minor, Lesly Temesvari, Weston Link, Kelly Willemssens and
Karolina Mukhtar.
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Several BioSci faculty, staff and students were honored for excellence with awards this spring.
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Kelly Willemssens received Clemson’s Global Classroom Teaching Award for her outstanding education abroad course in Costa Rica, BIOL 4490/4491 Field Ecology, which gives students the opportunity to experience science in a global context while conducting field-based learning.
2026 College of Science faculty and staff award recipients:
Outstanding Staff Member: Weston Link
Excellence in Teaching: Nathan Redding
Excellence in Student Engagement: Kelly Willemssens
Excellence in Mentoring Faculty: Lesly Temesvari
Excellence in Faculty College Service: Christine Minor
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Rose Serradimigni, Mercy Crapps, Zachary Skipper and his research partner Blythe Bacon.
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Mercy Crapps, a National Scholar and biological sciences major was selected for a Fulbright teaching assistantship in the Canary Islands in Spain.
Master’s student Rose Serradimigni and senior biological sciences major Mercy Crapps both received University and College of Science awards.
Six undergraduate and five graduate students received BioSci departmental awards.
Senior biological sciences major Zachary Skipper won a Cooper Library Undergraduate Research Award for his project, “Physical Activity Promotion for Older Adults with Hypertension in Rural Settings (PACERS).”
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Kelly Willemssens in Costa Rica.
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Kelly Willemssens selected as teacher fellow |
Kelly Willemssens was selected from more than 300 applicants to become an Ecology Project International Fellow, traveling to Costa Rica in April for an immersive field ecology experience. During the fellowship, she worked with vulnerable leatherback sea turtles, conducted rainforest research and collaborated with educators from across the United States. This opportunity will enrich her classroom instruction and enhance her field ecology course in Costa Rica by bringing students authentic, hands-on learning experiences. Follow her journey and adventures on Instagram @EcoAbroadWithDrW!
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More good news from Biological Sciences |
Charles Rice was honored at the CURF Awards Ceremony for his newly issued U.S. patent (Anti-elastin antibodies and methods of use).
Rick Blob contributed to the February episode of “Parenthood” on PBS. Blob’s lab helped filmmakers locate the field sites and position their equipment to best capture the behaviors of the waterfall-climbing fish on video and provided an interpretation of what was ultimately filmed.
BioSci faculty, together with multiple departments across campus, are leading an ecology and evolution initiative that seeks to connect scientists who have historically worked in separate spaces despite overlapping interests.
The Emeritus College recently welcomed 32 new emeritus faculty members to the college including two from BIoSci, Charles Rice and Julia George.
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Ramses Alejandro Rosales-Garcia is a Ph.D. student in Chris Parkinson's lab researching snake venom evolution using genomics and transcriptomics.
Nichole Giani is a Ph.D. student in Barbara Campbell's lab where her research focuses on which cover crops do the best job of building a healthy soil community for the crops that come next.
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Liz Almond, ’04 biological sciences, combined science education and leadership opportunities into a career in the pharmaceutical industry.
Ben Camper ’20 has been named a 2026 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program award recipient.
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