MCB Advising Staff
MCB students are not assigned an advisor. You may choose to meet with any one or more of the advisors listed below. Call (217) 333-6774 to set up an appointment.
Dr. Chester Brown
cmbrown3@life.uiuc.edu
414A Natural History Building
I received my bachelor's degree in Bioengineering from the University of Illinois. After graduation, I spent a couple of years enjoying life outside of academia before returning to the University of Illinois where I earned my Ph.D. in Molecular and Integrative Physiology. My graduate research focused on studying the cellular mechanisms underlying the plasticity of the mammalian brain during development and how this is influenced and regulated by thyroid hormones. In 2006, I joined the MCB Instructional Program where I teach and coordinate the Introductory Human Physiology lecture and lab courses (MCB 103 and MCB 104) and advise students. I enjoy spending my free time with my wife and frequenting the local parks and family attractions with our kids.
Timothy Bowers
t-bowers@life.uiuc.edu
127 Burrill Hall
I graduated from Butler University with a BS in Chemistry and was a member of Phi Delta Theta. I received a master's degree in Physical Chemistry from the U of I studying under Professors Linn Belford and Robert Clarkson. My research focused on magnetic resonance studies in various biological systems, primarily MRI contrast agents. I've been an advisor in biology since 2000 and have worked in various other capacities at the U of I since 1994. In addition to advising, I like to work on computer-related information for the advising office. I enjoy growing orchids and gardening, reading, studying Hawaiiana, and spending time with my family.
Dr. Joan Huber
jlhuber@life.uiuc.edu
430 Natural History Building
I graduated in biology from Wayne State University and completed a doctorate in biochemistry at the University of Idaho. I conducted research for 15 years in plant physiology and biochemistry, working for the USDA, NASA, and the departments of Botany and Horticulture at North Carolina State University. When my husband packed up his research program at NCSU and joined UI in 2003, I began work in plant proteomics at Illinios, using mass spectroscopy to study signal transduction events and posttranslational modifications. I have a keen interest in education, the practice of science in particular, and for many years have been a tutor/mentor and invited scientist in K-12 classrooms. In 2006 I joined MCB to advise students and am currently developing a course in undergraduate research. When not in lab or office, I'm out in open fields with dogs and kids, digging in garden soil, kneading clay, or kayaking—or at least laying plans to.
Tina Knox
tmknox@uiuc.edu
252 Davenport Hall
I received my bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Illinois. After graduation I worked as a Research Specialist in Microbiology for 8 1/2 years, where I managed a microbiology lab and studied the functions of peptidases in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. I began working in the MCB instructional program in August 2000 where I have coordinated MCB 101, 250, 251, 300, and 301. I began advising students in biological sciences on a part-time basis in October 2003 and have since joined the MCB Advising Program on a more permanent basis. Through my current position, Coordinator of Undergraduate Instruction, I lecture in MCB 101 and continue to advise students in MCB. I have a special interest in working with first-generation college students, like myself, and helping transfer students with their transition to UI.
Brad Mehrtens
mehrtens@uiuc.edu
164 Burrill Hall
After finally choosing between biology and fine arts as an undergraduate, I received a BS in biology from Truman State University. My next major life decision drew me from a campus of 6,000 to the U of I community of over 40,000. It was here that I earned a MS in microbiology, and here I have remained. I spent 10 years developing computer-based instructional materials, building and maintaining course and departmental Web sites, and secretly wishing I could do some teaching. In 2002, my wish came true and I have been teaching MCB 150 ever since. I am especially interested in helping younger students acclimate to the college experience, and have maintained my interest in the fine arts since my own undergrad days. Chances are, you'll be able to find me acting on a theater stage somewhere in Champaign-Urbana at least a couple times a year.
Dr. Shawna Naidu
shawna@uiuc.edu
242 Davenport Hall
I have a background in scientific research in the field of plant biology. I received an undergraduate degree in biology from Washington University in St. Louis and earned a Master's and Ph.D. in plant biology from the University of Illinois. After completing my Ph.D., I continued to do research for several years. Most of my research has been in the area of plant response to global environmental changes, including increased ultraviolet-B radiation, elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations (responsible for global warming), ozone pollution, and cold stress. I've worked in the fields of ecology, physiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology. I also have experience teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Currently I am coordinating the MCB Honors program, teaching honors sections and advising students in MCB. I spend my free time with my husband, who received his medical degree from the U of I, and our four sons.
Tonya Pulley-Baillie
tonyap@uiuc.edu
127 Burrill Hall
After beginning college as a nursing major, I completed a bachelor's degree in elementary education at the University of Missouri. I taught seventh grade science in Kansas City for two years before earning a master's degree in health and physical education, with emphases in exercise physiology and biomechanics, from Illinois State University. I worked briefly as a Health Educator at Carle Clinic and in 1997 began working at UI in the Department of Kinesiology, where I was an instructor and the Head Academic Advisor for three years. I took a short hiatus from advising to be home with my children for a year and a half before returning to UI as an advisor in the General Curriculum Center. In 2005 I began working for Biological Sciences and the School of MCB. I have experience working with students from various backgrounds and am especially interested in helping students with academic difficulties become more competent and successful in their academic careers. I enjoy attending my kids' sporting events, hiking, and watching the NBA.
Dr. Scott Siechen
siechen@uiuc.edu
241 Davenport Hall
I attended Indiana University and received a bachelor's degree in psychology in 1989. I spent the next nine years working in retail management for T.I.S. College bookstores. Realizing that it was the study of biology, not retail management, that fascinated me, I returned to the academic sphere in 1998. My graduate research on the development of the Drosophila nervous system led us to a deeper understanding of the mechanical influence on chemical signaling between neurons and other cells. I received a Ph.D. in cell and developmental biology in 2006 from the University of Illinois. Swimming, biking, and video gaming are things that I enjoy in my "spare time," a time that is more illusory with each passing year.