Dara L. Wegman-Geedey

Professor of Biology

• Phone: 309-794-3445
• Email: DaraWegman-Geedey@augustana.edu
• Office: Hanson Science Building 306

I joined the Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø faculty in 1995 and my teaching responsibilities include microbiology, immunology and cell biology as well as specialty courses from time to time in virology, public health and related areas. I advise students headed toward graduate programs in immunology, epidemiology, microbiology, and am the academic advisor for pre-optometry, pre-nursing, and pre-public health students.

Unlike most faculty members, I did not go to graduate school immediately following completion of my bachelor¡¯s degree. I worked for four years at Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals in Cleveland, beginning in pulmonary physiology as a junior research technician and moving on to clinical pediatric infectious disease as a research assistant. Given my experience in biomedical research, I enjoy helping senior biology majors who are not going directly to graduate or professional school to find entry-level research and technical jobs. 

Campus and community service is a critical part of my scholarly and vocational work. I am a member of the Council of Advisors for the Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Freistat Center for Studies in World Peace, am the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for Trinity Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø of Nursing & Health Sciences in Rock Island, and am a member of the Rock Island County Medical Reserve Corps, a public health response team for disaster preparedness. I have taught courses on the biology of bioterrorism, genetic intervention in today¡¯s society, and the human immune system for CommUniversity, an adult education program in the Quad-Cities. I am also the faculty advisor for Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Community Health Outreach Organization (ACHOO) and the director of the Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Nicaragua Joining Education Through Service (JETS) medical service-learning study abroad program. 

Specializations: Microbial ecology, Infectious disease epidemiology