Dr. Dey's research on lichenized fungi focuses primarily on the taxonomy and the distributional patterns of fruticose and foliose macrolichens in eastern North America. Regional lichen-linked biomonitoring of air quality based on the model has begun. Most recently Dr. Dey and several students have begun working on the macrolichens portion of the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Histology is an upper level course in which students learn the microanatomy and histophysiology of the tissues and organs of every organ system in the mammalian body. Evolution is an upper level course designed to introduce students to all aspects of evolutionary biology, from the basics of the field to advanced ideas and concepts in population biology, speciation, and macroevolution.
Emphasis is on how anatomical systems function and how they have evolved through time.
His research presently is on the comparative anatomy of the hyoid region. The hyoid muscles, found in all mammals, are a collection of anatomically complex muscles which control movements of the tongue, and assist in swallowing and sound production. Dr. Griffiths has been studying these muscles in bats for over 20 years, and has authored a number of scientific papers in which characteristics of these muscles have been used to construct trees showing evolutionary relationships among different bat families, genera, and species. Students are also acquainted with current developments in the field. The laboratory portion of the course is designed to allow students to apply the scientific method to investigate ecological phenomena.