Approaching the 1-year mark of the COVID-19 outbreak, the campus shutting down, working remotely from home, and donning masks every time we walked out the door, the Department started adjusting to the “New Normal” and began exploring and mastering new ways to keep our students on track (as much as possible) with their courses and educational goals. Flexibility and ingenuity became everyone’s mantra, unique masks and sweatpants became the fashion statements.  Still, the Department had a lot going on even with everyone continuing to meet via Zoom and hardly anyone being in classrooms on campus.

The end of the 2021 Spring Semester brought news about a light at the end of the darkness with broad access to the COVID-19 vaccination, including clinics on campus. The University announced plans for a “Soft Return” to campus during the 2021 Summer Semester and a full return to campus for the 2021 Fall Semester, while still embracing some of the new methods and technology that were successful for remote teaching and working.  As we seek a “Newer Normal”, we have confidence that the faculty, staff, and students of UC Denver and Integrative Biology will continue to rise to the challenge and seize new opportunities for growth and development.

Here are just some of the people, news, and events that happened in Integrative Biology’s 2021 Spring Semester.