Department of Biological Sciences
The Virginia Academy of Science has named Frank Aylward, associate professor of biological sciences, the 2024 Virginia Scientist of the Year in life sciences. This prestigious award is given to Virginia scientists who have accomplished outstanding research over the last five years in life sciences, which includes the fields of biology, botany, and zoology. The above came via text from Virginia Tech biologist Julie Allen from the G20 Social Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, just minutes after learning that her team earned the grand prize for XPRIZE Rainforest. Allen's team received $5 million for its ability to autonomously survey 100 hectares of tropical rainforest in 24 hours and produce the most impactful real-time insights within 48 hours.
The Department of Biological Sciences is at the center of life sciences research and teaching at Virginia Tech.
Our mission is to seamlessly integrate world-class research addressing the grand challenges of the 21st century,
from global change to human disease, by preparing the next generation of scientists.
