Botany Library Curates Exhibit on History of Biology at UNC

photo of exhibit case

The history of UNC's Biology Department is on view in a new exhibit in the lobby of Wilson Hall. Titled "From Organism to Molecule," the exhibit celebrates the department's first century, from its founding in 1908, when William C. Coker and Henry Van Peters Wilson constituted departments of Botany and Zoology, respectively. In 1982, the departments merged to form the Department of Biology, chaired by Lawrence I. Gilbert.

"From Organism to Molecule" summarizes the organizational history of the department and provides a glimpse of teaching methods from years past. Artifacts include life-like models of mushrooms, a 1915 microscope used in the botany laboratory, specimens of sponges, and models of a frog and crayfish. More recent equipment on view includes a gel electrophoresis chamber, used to separate DNA fragments, and a spectrophotometer, used to measure light intensity.

"From Organism to Molecule" was created by Biology Librarian William Burk and graduate assistant Tom Hailey, with assistance from the North Carolina Collection Gallery in Wilson Library. It will be on view until further notice.