Alissa Hulstrand

Alissa Hulstrand is an Associate Professor of Biology at Northland College, which closed at the end of the 2024–25 academic year. She is affiliated with the Burke Center and holds office in the Larson-Juhl Center for Science and the Environment. Her research focuses on genetics, microbiology, and environmental applications, including projects on bacterial contamination in local streams and invasive species resistance to pesticides. She emphasizes hands-on, experiential learning in courses like BIO 330 Genetics and BIO 420 Methods in Molecular Biology.

Education:

• PhD in Interdisciplinary Genetics, University of Iowa
• BA in Biology, College of Saint Benedict

Research Interests: Alissa applies genetic techniques to environmental and ecological challenges, such as isolating bacteria from biofilms, identifying species via scat analysis, and assessing gene expression in invasive species. She collaborates with the Burke Center on projects like stormwater bacterial monitoring and E. coli contamination studies.

Teaching & Student Engagement: She integrates student-led research into courses, allowing students to design projects using molecular techniques. Examples include stormwater pollution monitoring in BIO 115 and capstone-worthy studies in BIO 420.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with the Burke Center on environmental sustainability initiatives.