The future is bright for alumni of the University of Michigan Biological Station.
Students go on to change the world in a wild variety of fields — everything from medicine and law to teaching and documentary filmmaking.
“My first summer at UMBS defined my entire adult life in just about every way,” said Molly West, a cancer researcher at Michigan Medicine.
Since 1909, generations of students from around the world have developed life-long relationships after joining the UMBS community where cabins, classrooms and laboratories are nestled along Douglas Lake.
“The Biological Station was one of the most important experiences that I’ve had, as it fundamentally changed the way I think about and understand the world around me,” said Dr. Kiran Goyal, a third-year medical resident in vascular surgery at Ohio State University.
The vast UMBS campus in northern Michigan (the largest of U-M’s campuses!) engages all of the senses. Its remote, natural setting nurtures deep thought and scientific discovery.
“The spirit of UMBS was and is a huge inspiration for me,” said Sharon Shattuck, an award-winning documentary filmmaker. “The playfulness and humor of my colleagues and friends; the boundless curiosity and intelligence of the researchers; and the delight of teaching students cool things about nature — I've taken all of that with me in my work as a filmmaker.”
Meet alumni and explore the role UMBS played in their career paths.
Sibling Success in Law and Medicine: ‘The Bio Station Shaped Our Values’
Seeta Goyal is an assistant attorney general in the environmental bureau of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. Her brother Dr. Kiran Goyal is a third-year medical resident in vascular surgery at Ohio State University.
Physician Values Synergy Between UMBS Lichens Course and OBGYN Specialty
Dr. Hope K. Haefner, an alumna of the U-M Biological Station in northern Michigan, is the Harold A. Furlong Professor of Women's Health at the University of Michigan.
Passion for Environmental Justice Leads to Fellowship with California Tribe
Ysabelle Yrad, who was a graduate student researcher at UMBS and worked as a front desk clerk in the administrative office, is focused on proposed offshore wind energy development as a fellow with the Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe.
Documentary Filmmaker Makes Science Fun for All
From her Emmy-nominated feature documentary “Picture A Scientist” (2020), to an award-winning series of short films about microbes featuring handmade paper puppetry, Sharon Shattuck reveals her creative process and efforts to make science entertaining and fun for all.
Summer at UMBS Sparks Romance and Love of Research: ‘Truly Priceless’
Molly and Chris West met at the University of Michigan Biological Station in 2013 and spent seven straight summers at the campus along Douglas Lake. Molly is now a cancer researcher at Michigan Medicine and Chris teaches high school biology.
Biology Teacher, Author Honors Time Embedded in Nature for Enriching Career, Life
Richard Fidler was a high school biology teacher for 31 years. Since retiring from Traverse City Area Public Schools, he has published eight books.
How I Met My Spouse at UMBS: ‘Love at Second Sight’
Corbin Kuntze is a postdoctoral researcher and instructor in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Zoë Kuntze is the senior coastal programs manager at the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative.
Lessons Learned During Science Communications Internship at UMBS
UMBA Alumna Isabel Gil returned to the historic field station in 2024 to tell stories about the students, scientists and research in northern Michigan.
UMBS Field Technician Plays Critical Role in Research Experiments, Data Collection
Kendall Ash, a UMBS alumna, returned to the historic field station to help visiting researchers from around the world set up and run projects, ranging anywhere from ant colonies to bumble bees.
Ecologist, Professional Artist Joins UMBS as Artist in Residence
Callie Chappell conducted research at the U-M Biological Station as an undergraduate student studying the chemical ecology of milkweed as well as aphids. Years later, she returned to the campus along Douglas Lake to host cyanotype workshops and celebrate the region’s rich cultural and ecological history.
Illustrator, Fine Artist Joins UMBS as Artist in Residence
Vera Ting took courses at UMBS in 2019 and 2021, including Florilegium, which was “eye opening” because it marked the first time she was able to paint and draw in the field — combining her two passions. She returned in 2024 to teach several drawing workshops and create her own art inspired by the natural world around Douglas Lake.
Undergraduate Students at U-M Biological Station Co-Author Mite-y Research Paper in Scientific Journal
The journal Ecology and Evolution published a research paper co-authored by all students in the 2024 “Insights From Trees” class at the University of Michigan Biological Station evaluating plant-protecting animals.
U-M Senior Helps Maintain Research Equipment and Historic Collections at U-M Biological Station
Driven by a love for the outdoors, UMBS Alumnus Malachi Cassels worked to preserve historical collections and ensure the safety, accuracy and longevity of research equipment at the University of Michigan Biological Station during the 2025 field season.
Community Creates Music Featuring Student Poem, Instruments and the Call of a Loon
As part of a song, Mikel Vaughan-Coston, a senior at the University of Michigan studying ecology and evolutionary biology, voiced his own poem describing the experience of living and learning at the U-M Biological Station during the 2025 spring term.
Student Fellowship Mixes Aquatic Research, Advocacy and Public Outreach
Indira Sankaran was the U-M Biological Station’s 2023 CLEAR Fellow. Each year, a group of alumni from the 1970s funds fellowships for undergraduate students to take a summer class at UMBS and intern at the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council.
Graduate Student Researcher Focused on Water Protection, Fish and Engaging Families in Northern Michigan
Anna Davies, the 2024 CLEAR Fellow, looks beneath the surface of the beauty of the region’s rivers, lakes and streams to help protect freshwater ecosystems.
After Brain Injury, U-M Student Springs Back into Classes at the Biological Station
A skateboarding accident five months ago in Kentucky forced a University of Michigan student to pause his academic journey in Ann Arbor. After a successful recovery, Nick Holcomb is back on track with an intensive return to classes in northern Michigan.
UMBS Graduate Student Research Published in the Journal Ecology
Moriah Young spent five of the last 10 summers at the University of Michigan Biological Station. First as an undergraduate student and later as a research technician, graduate student researcher and teaching assistant.
Step by Step: From Microbiology in Northern Michigan to the Michigan Marching Band
Jasper Mitchell, a U-M student who took courses at the University of Michigan Biological Station in July 2024, made his debut in the Big House as a member of the Michigan Drumline during the home opener on Aug. 31, 2024.
Undergraduate Research Experience Inspires Student Fellow’s Passion for Ecology
Samantha Molino, the U-M Biological Station’s 2024 Bach-Hazlett Fellow, took classes at UMBS while conducting a research project involving ecology and behavior.
Decade-Long Study Reveals Dam Removal’s Effect on River Ecosystem in Northern Michigan
A large-scale, long-term research project spanning from 2012 to 2021 involved hundreds of students and about a dozen scientists stationed at the University of Michigan Biological Station in northern Michigan. It describes changes to a river’s habitat as a result of removing a dam.
