Biology Undergraduate Student Association hosts tours
Students, staff and community members stepped beyond the classroom during a “Behind the Scenes Biology Tour” event, where hands-on tours introduced participants to research spaces on Utah State University Logan campus, like the greenhouse, insect archives and cadaver lab.
The tours took place from April 6-9 and were available to anyone interested in taking a closer look at the USU Department of Biology facilities.
Insect archive tours were available on April 6, herbarium and insect tours were available on April 7, greenhouse tours were available on April 8 and cadaver lab tours were available on April 9.
The event was organized by the USU Biology Undergraduate Student Association. Sadie Bivens, BUSA president, helped lead the effort with the goal of extending opportunities to those interested in biology, specifically those looking to pursue a degree in biology.
“We wanted to gear it more towards biology students,” Bivens said. “There’s a lot of different aspects of biology and research that could be applicable to students that might not be as well known, especially to our younger people in the degree.”
Along with young students, the tours were available to students, staff members and community members who were curious about USU’s biology program.
“They can go, and they can just be curious,” Bivens said. “You don’t know what you don’t know.”
USU alum and staff assistant for the USU Institute for Disability Research, Policy & Practice Casey Allen attended the cadaver lab on April 9 to learn more about it.
“I was a student here a long time ago, and I’d always heard about this existing on campus, and I have never been,” Allen said. “I finally got to satisfy my curiosity.”
Allen described the cadaver lab as less intimidating than expected, though still memorable.
“I didn’t like the smell,” Allen said. “It smelled terrible, and it wasn’t as graphic or gruesome as I had expected, so it was visually manageable.”
Andy Anderson, principal lecturer and prehealth adviser in biology at USU, said the cadaver lab has long served as a powerful educational tool.
Anderson said exposure to real human anatomy can serve several purposes, including a level of understanding of the human body that cannot be replicated by textbook learning.
“Seeing the cadavers brings the textbook to life,” Anderson said. “When you actually hold a brain or hold a heart or put your fingers through the valves of the heart or inflate a lung, that brings it to life.”
The cadaver lab and the other tour activities allowed for individuals to immerse themselves in the biology world and to understand the labs, greenhouse and insect archives on a deeper level.
According to Bivens, the goal of events like these is not only to inform but to inspire. She encouraged students to take advantage of opportunities early in their academic journeys.
“Get as involved as you can with the biology department as soon as you can,” Bivens said. “You might find something more specific that you’re interested in.”
Although attendance varied across tours, Bivens said the event successfully reached participants at different levels of experience and interest.
“We’d love to have more involvement,” she said. “I do think that people really enjoyed it, and I hope we can make it even bigger and better next year.”
Allen echoed that sentiment, encouraging others to step outside their comfort zones.
“This is not within my world,” Allen said. “It’s not something I know about, which was part of the reason I wanted to come. I hope more people use opportunities like this in the future.”