The new chair of the department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology is Dr. Richard Robison, announced College of Life Sciences Dean Rodney Brown. Robison assumed his new responsibilities on June 1, 2014. Robison replaces Dr. Laura Bridgewater, who has served as chair since 2011 and is heading to China on academic leave.
Since Robison joined Brigham Young University in 1991, he has been very involved in the College of Life Sciences. In his 23 years of teaching, he has instructed almost 100 courses, all with high overall student ratings. He has mentored more than 300 students.
Robison's area of research is bacterial pathogenesis and host immunity. He has authored or co-authored approximately 160 presentations at local, national and international levels. He is the author or co-author of 53 peer-reviewed publications in both journals and books.
In his time at BYU, Robison has served on several university committees, including as chair on the University Biosafety Committee. He has also received many awards, including the Excellence in Teaching Award, the Alcuin Fellowship and the Alumni Professorship.
Before coming to BYU, Robison was the associate director of Biological Sciences at Clinical Research Associates for nine years. Prior to that he was a microbiologist at MIDECO, Inc, for four years.
Robison earned a bachelor's of science, master's of science and Ph.D. in microbiology from BYU.
