Faculty Profiles

• Department: Biology
• Office Location:  Building 58C, Room 104A

Peter Cavnar's research seeks to understand how defects in basic cell biology processes will result in disease pathogenesis.

• Department: Biology
• Office Location:  Building 58C, Room 104H

Dr. Wayne Bennett is a Professor of Marine Biology specializing in Physiological Ecology or the study of animal adaptation to environment.

• Department: Biology
• Office Location:  Building 58, Roomm 62E

Systematics and biodiversity of marine organisms using integrative approaches

• Department: CEDB/Biology
• Office Location:  Building 58, Room 62D
• Personal UWF Website

Dr. Jane M. Caffrey is a Professor in UWF’s Center for Environmental Diagnostics and Bioremediation. She studies estuarine nutrient biogeochemistry and the cycling of oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorus in estuarine and coastal environments.

• Department: Biology
• Office Location:  Building 58A, Room 218

Dr. Kari B. Clifton, a Lecturer in Biology, has a Ph.D. in Veterinary Medical Science from the University of Florida, where her work centered on mechanical properties and testing of bone.

• Department: Biology
• Office Location:  Building 58, Room 62H

Dr. Phil Darby earned a Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Florida, and his research focuses on the population ecology and life history of wetland-dependent fauna.

• Department: Biology
• Office Location:  Building 58, Room 62A

Dr. Theodore Fox, an Associate Professor, earned a Ph.D. in Botany from the University of Maryland and both a Master’s degree and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Dayton.

• Department: Biology
• Office Location:  Building 58, Room 62J

Dr. Frank Gilliam, a Professor, earned his Ph.D. from Duke University and previously worked at Marshall University for 28 years teaching courses in ecology and plant ecology.

• Department: Biology
• Office Location:  Building 58C, Room 104F

Dr. Rodney Guttmann has a PH.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

• Department: Biology
• Office Location:  Building 58C, Room 104G

Dr. Alexis Janosik is an Associate Professor and Graduate Program Coordinator in the Department of Biology; her research focuses on molecular ecology and evolution of invertebrates and fishes.

• Department: CEDB/Biology/AIMS
• Office Location:  Building 58, Room 70
• Personal UWF Website

Dr. Wade Jeffrey has a PH.D. in Marine Science from the University of South Florida, MS in Marine Science from the USF and a BS in Biology from the Virginia Tech.

• Department: CEDB/Biology
• Office Location:  Building 58, Room 62G

Dr. Joe Eugene Lepo conducts research within the Center for Environmental Diagnostics and Bioremediation (CEDB) where he is Director of the Wetlands Research Laboratory. He is also a Professor of Microbiology in the Biology Department.

• Department: Biology
• Office Location:  Building 58, Room 62F

Dr. Prerna Masih earned a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from State University of New York at Buffalo and her research focuses on the development of novel therapeutic molecules with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory or anticancer activities and understanding their mode of action.

• Department: Biology
• Office Location:  Building 58, Room 62B

Dr. Christopher M. Pomory is researching physiology, behavior, and ecology of invertebrates, especially marine invertebrates, with a focus on response to stress in the environment.

• Department: Biology
• Office Location:  Building 58C, Room 104D

Dr. Molly Karen Pritchard, an Instructor in the Department of Biology, holds a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Georgia.

• Department: CEDB/Biology
• Office Location:  Building 83, Room 118

Professor Spain studies environmental biotechnology in marine, freshwater and subsurface ecosystems to enable elimination of environmental pollution. The emphasis is on discovery and characterization of bacteria that degrade organic chemicals.

• Department: Biology
• Office Location:  Building 58C, Room 104B

Dr. Erica Taylor is an Instructor in the Biology Department and Director of the NSF S-STEM Scholars Program for the Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering.

• Department: Biology
• Office Location:  Building 58, Room 64

Dr. Taylor has a PH.D. in Biology from the Florida Institute of Technology and a B.S. in Marine Biology from The University of Tampa. His research focuses on regeneration of neurons in the CNS.

• Department: Biology
• Office Location:  Building 58A, Room 216

Dr. Tominack is an instructor and lab coordinator for Biology I and Biology II labs. Dr. Tominack’s research skills are varied and range from microbial ecology to environmental toxicology, but her real passion lies in passing those skills on to the next generation of scientific minds.

• Department: CEDB/Biology
• Office Location:  Building 58, Room 62I

Dr. Waidner does research on environmental microbiology, microbial ecology, and bioremediation studies in oceans, coastal waters, inland bays and rivers.