University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences - History

History

In 1887, the Animal Science Department was established in the College of Science, Letters, and Arts. In 1927, it was renamed Zoology. Then in 1891, the Botany Department was created. Eight years later, Lake Itasca Forestry and Biological Station was established with a forestry training program. It is now the site for the "Nature of Life" program CBS students must attend for 3 days in the summer before their freshman year. Then the Agricultural Biochemistry Department was formed within the Institute of Agriculture. In 1928, Snyder Hall, named for agricultural scientist Harry Snyder, was built to house Agricultural Biochemistry. Snyder Hall is now headquarters for CBS located on the St. Paul campus. Northrop Auditorium was built only a year later. In 1973, the Biological Sciences Center was built to house the Botany department and the Genetics and Cell Biology Department.

In 1993, the Ecology Building was constructed on the St. Paul campus. Two years later, administration of the Bell Museum was transferred to the College of Natural Resources.Then in 1998, Dean Robert Elde led a University-wide reorganization to consolidate and realign departments in order to strengthen biological sciences and raise the University’s national standing. The College of Biological Sciences’ (CBS) current structure grew out of that effort.

In 2001, Biodale opened, offering biological research support services to faculty, students, and industry. It is currently one of the most used resource on campus. Then in 2004, University Enterprise Laboratories, Inc. was dedicated. Founding sponsors included Xcel Energy, the City of St. Paul, the University of Minnesota, 3M, Medtronic, Dorsey & Whitney, Surmodics, Guidant, Boston Scientific, and Ecolab.