(September 14, 2012)

Biology Department welcomes Dr. Rebecca Murphy

SHREVEPORT, LA — Dr. Rebecca Murphy '06 has joined Centenary's Biology Department for the 2012-13 academic year as a Visiting Assistant Professor.

"I was already familiar with the kind of collegial atmosphere and high quality education that is so valued here because I was able to experience it firsthand as an undergraduate," said Murphy. "I have always known that if I were to teach, I wanted to work at a place like Centenary with students who strive for excellence and faculty that are so willing to work together to achieve common goals."

Murphy recently obtained a PhD in Biochemistry from Texas A&M University. Her research interests are focused on the improvement of agriculturally important crop species. Murphy has previously published in the Proceedings of the National Science Academy and presented at the American Society of Plant Biologists Annual Meeting. She is currently teaching courses in cell biology and genetics.

"Though my first and foremost goal is to continue to provide the high level of education that is expected at Centenary, I would also like the students to come away with the understanding that learning and research biology, and science in general, can be a creative process," said Murphy. "Expressing scientific ideas through unconventional ways by using social media, journalism, video, art music, and even gaming can be effective in solidifying current knowledge and bringing together new ideas."

The Biology Department strives to challenge the intellectual curiosity of students by emphasizing the complexity and interrelatedness of life systems as revealed through the unifying law of evolution. The Department provides a broad biological background for majors and non-majors alike.