Gary Gillis

Gary Gillis

Name: Gary Gillis
Department: Biological Sciences
Title: Norman Wait Harris and Emma Gale Harris Foundation Professor of Biological Sciences; Associate Dean of Faculty; Director of the Science Center

Education:

  • Ph.D., University of California, Irvine
  • B.S., Pacific Lutheran University

Research: Biomechanics, neuromuscular control of locomotion, evolution of vertebrate musculoskeletal systems

“We’re fortunate to work in some of the finest laboratories of any liberal arts college setting — and they’re made possible by endowed gifts.”

“The thing that I noticed right off the bat when I first came here? In my first class, when I raised my first hypothetical question, lots of hands went up. Lots of voices rang out,” says Gary Gillis, biology professor and associate dean of faculty. “I knew immediately that this was a student body that was excited to be active learners and engaged in a discussion.”That enthusiasm most definitely extends into the lab, which is his favorite aspect of teaching.

“For me, labs are the most important part of a science education. That’s where students work one on one or in small groups to solve problems, come up with experiments, run them and analyze the data. We’re fortunate to do this work in some of the finest laboratories of any liberal arts college setting — and they’re made possible by endowed gifts.”