Natural Sciences

The Natural Science Department offers students the opportunity to explore the wonders of the natural world through a wide range of courses in both physical and biological sciences. Our science disciplines include anthropology, astronomy, biology, chemistry, environmental science, geography, geology, and physics.

Whether students are preparing for preprofessional or technical/allied health programs, fulfilling core curriculum requirements, or just interested in learning about the natural world, the department offers a diverse array of courses to support the academic goals of all learners.

Anthropology	Astronomy	Biology	Biology: Pre-Nursing
Biology: Pre-Pharmacy	Biology: Pre-Professional	Chemistry	Environmental Science
Geography	Geology	Nutrition	Physics
Science

Department Faculty by Discipline

Anthropology

Full-time Faculty

Bernadette Cap
Instructor, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin

Adjunct Faculty

Laura Burmeister Adjunct Faculty, Ph.D.	Wesley Copas Adjunct Faculty, M.A.	Margaret Greco Adjunct Faculty, M.A.
Caleb Miller Adjunct Faculty, M.A.

Astronomy

Full-time Faculty

Alfred N. Alaniz
Assistant Professor, M.S., University of Colorado

G. Roger Stanley
Assistant Professor, M.S., University of Texas at San Antonio

David A. Wood
Professor, Ph.D., University of Arizona

Adjunct Faculty

Michelle Risse
Adjunct Faculty, M.S.

Laura Vega
Adjunct Faculty, Ph.D.

Biology

Full-time Faculty

Mercedes Alba Instructor, M.S., State University of New York Upstate Medical University	Deana Apple Instructor, Ph.D., University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio	Ryan Cabalu Instructor, M.S., University of Texas at San Antonio
Alexa Clift Instructor, M.S., Texas Tech University Health Sciences, El Paso	Maria Cormier Assistant Professor, Ph.D., University of Texas at San Antonio	Diane Farrell Assistant Professor, Ph.D., University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio
Jonathan Grossheim Instructor, Ph.D., University of Kentucky	Robyn McGilloway Professor, Ph.D., Texas A&M University	Stephen Todd Pastorick Instructor, M.S., Mississippi College
Amanda Pepin Instructor, M.S., Texas State University, San Marcos	Subapriya Rajamanickam Assistant Professor, Ph.D., Annamalai University, India	Luis Rodriguez Professor, M.S., University of North Texas
Shelly Sheppard Instructor, M.S., University of the Incarnate Word	Rebbekah Watson Instructor, M.S., University of Texas at Arlington

Emeriti

Ellen Brennan Professor Emeritus, M.S., University of the Incarnate Word	Lewis A. Goerner Dean and Professor Emeritus, Ph.D., Colorado State University	Karl Hagenbuch Professor Emeritus, M.S., Southwest Texas State University
Ernest Joe Harber Professor Emeritus, M.A., Southwest Texas State University	Rosemary Johnson Associate Professor Emeritus, M.A., University of Texas at Austin	Jerry Purcell Professor Emeritus, M.S.
David Smith Professor Emeritus, D.A., Idaho State University	Teanna Staggs Professor and Chair Emeritus, Ph.D., Louisiana State University	Richard B. Welch Professor Emeritus, M.S., Texas A&M Kingsville
Ronald Wernli Professor Emeritus, M.S., Southwest Texas State University

Adjunct Faculty

John M. Adams Adjunct Faculty, Ph.D.	Ugochokwa Anieto Adjunct Faculty, M.S.	Zachary Cihal Adjunct Faculty, M.D.
Rachel Del Rio Adjunct Faculty, M.S.	Karen Gonzalez-Torres Adjunct Faculty, D.D.S.	Harley Hubbard Adjunct Faculty, M.S.
Jose Lopez-Yanez Adjunct Faculty, M.S.	Chapparal Manzanera Adjunct Faculty, M.S.	Linda M. Mendoza Adjunct Faculty, M.S.
Laura Mery Adjunct Faculty, Ph.D.	Carolyn Miller Adjunct Faculty, Ph.D.	Carolyn Murphy Adjunct Faculty, M.S.
Ashley Netting Adjunct Faculty, M.S.	Heather Parks Adjunct Faculty, M.S.	Shannon Rutledge Adjunct Faculty, Ph.D.
Christian Serrano Adjunct Faculty, M.S.	Celeste Windham Adjunct Faculty, M.S.	Xhavit Zogaj Adjunct Faculty, Ph.D.

Chemistry

Full-time Faculty

Jennifer Caraway Instructor, M.A., University of Texas at Austin	Saumil Christian Instructor, M.S., City College of New York	Jeremy Motley Instructor, M.S., University of Oklahoma
Bhanu Priya Viraka Nellore Assistant Professor, Ph.D., Jackson State University	Jianxia Zhang Instructor, Ph.D., University of New Orleans

Emeriti

William F. Couser Associate Professor Emeritus, M.A., Southwest Texas State University	Charles A. Lewis Professor Emeritus, M.S., Trinity University	Marjorie H. Melvill Professor Emeritus, Ph.D., John Hopkins University
Kenneth M. Shumate Professor and Vice President Emeritus, Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin	Sandra S. Shumate Associate Professor Emeritus, M.A., University of Texas at Austin

Adjunct Faculty

Hadi Arman
Adjunct Faculty, Ph.D.

Wei Reeves
Adjunct Faculty, Ph.D.

Environmental Science

Full-time Faculty

G. Roger Stanley
Instructor, M.S., University of Texas at San Antonio

Adjunct Faculty

Kristen Akers
Adjunct Faculty, M.S.

David Carr
Adjunct Faculty, M.S.

Geography

Full-time Faculty

Dean Lambert
Professor, Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin

Geology

Full-time Faculty

Christopher Ray
Instructor, M.S., University of Texas at San Antonio

Emeritus

Eldon W. Langford
Associate Professor Emeritus, M.A., University of Texas at Austin

Adjunct Faculty

Stephen Benoist
Adjunct Faculty, Ph.D.

Rex Crick
Adjunct Faculty, M.S.

Dwight Jurena
Adjunct Faculty, M.S.

Physics

Full-time Faculty

Alfred Alaniz
Associate Professor, M.S., University of Colorado

Albert Aviles
Associate Professor, M.S., University of North Texas

Tak Gurung
Associate Professor, Ph.D., University of Cincinnati

Adjunct Faculty

Timour Ten
Adjunct Faculty, M.S.

Emeritus Faculty

James Lincoln
Professor Emeritus, M.A., University of Texas at Austin

William Payne
Professor Emeritus, Ph.D., University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Contact Us

David Wood Department Chair Chemistry/Geology (CG) 204 (210) 486-0063 dwood30@alamo.edu	Shelly Sheppard Discipline Coordinator CG 204 (210) 486-0837 ssheppard11@alamo.edu	Antonio Alba Lab Tech (210) 486-0853 aalba10@alamo.edu
Cynthia Reyes Lab Tech (210) 486-0048 creyes374@alamo.edu	Debbie Dye Academic Unit Assistant CG 207A (210) 486-0840 ddye5@alamo.edu	Margarita Cooper Administrative Assistant CG 207 (210) 486-0045 mcooper70@alamo.edu