The University of Akron is a state university located in the heart of Akron, Ohio, next to the scenic Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP). The Biology Department is composed of 19 full-time faculty members, approximately 17 Master’s students, 35 PhD students, and 550 undergraduates. It emphasizes collaborative and integrative research. Facilities include a live animal research center, 400 acre field station, and greenhouse. In summer 2009, the Biology department moved into a newly renovated facility with large research laboratories.

The Department has many areas of strength, including Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Physiology, Neurobiology, and Organismal Biology. Areas of interest for graduate research include: neurobiology, pollination biology, conservation biology, physiological ecology, life history evolution, mating systems, aquatic ecology, evolution in developmental processes, behavioral evolution, spider biology, biomedical research, bio-materials and biomechanics, developmental molecular biology and physiology, comparative biochemistry, and evolutionary biomechanics.