Holy Cross College is excited to share Aris T. Alexandrou, Ph.D., a current Adjunct Professor, will assume the role of Assistant Professor of Biology.

“To assume the position of Assistant Professor of Biology is a privilege that fills me with excitement! I am motivated to continue working with my colleagues in educating our students and look forward to helping our students grow in their knowledge of and appreciation for the biological sciences,” said Alexandrou.

“I offer my heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Alexandrou on his appointment to the biology faculty at Holy Cross College. Dr. Alexandrou is a gifted scholar, engaging educator, and innovative researcher whose leadership contribution will provide many more opportunities in Biology and the Health Sciences for our students today and in the future. This is an exciting time for Holy Cross College as we commit ourselves to new and varied opportunities for our students in the STEM fields,” said ​Marco J. Clark, Ed.D., Holy Cross College President.

Goals in the role

“My goals are to establish teaching excellence in the classroom with an emphasis on engaging and interactive learning. I am also invested in continuing to conduct collaborative research with students and colleagues,” notes Alexandrou. “Lastly, I am passionate about providing service in all my professional activities with the mind, soul, and heart. This entails my hope to teach students to incorporate the mind, body, and soul, in their learning of biology. With much optimism, I believe these goals will be achieved in the coming years.”

Time at Holy Cross College

“I joined the Holy Cross College community in the Fall 2017 as a teacher for BIOL 125 Human Biology (Human Anatomy and Physiology). My time since has been invested in teaching other biological sciences courses, including upper-level courses that I created, and engaging in undergraduate research and mentorship,” said Alexandrou.

Professional background

“I earned my Bachelor of Science in biology at the University of Notre Dame and after graduation I worked for a leading public health firm in San Francisco. Then, I joined Roche and Applied Biosystems (now known as Life Technologies) to learn the inner workings of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry,” said Alexandrou. “After this journey, I worked at the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) doing biomedical research and completed my Ph.D. in Comparative Pathology (specializing in Radiation Oncology) at the University of California at Davis (UC Davis).  Following graduation, I did post-docs at the University of California at San Diego (UC San Diego) and UC Davis.”

Expected community impact

“I look forward to helping my students build a solid foundation of knowledge in the biological sciences and instill in them an appreciation for its applications that can extend to any career path they may choose. I also strive to foster a collaborative learning environment for our students that emphasizes the lifelong importance of working together in the process of learning and problem solving,” shares Alexandrou. “I look forward to partnering with colleagues on building strategies to enhance our teaching and heighten student involvement in academic endeavors outside the classroom, such as application of their knowledge to scholarship opportunities through research projects and institutional presentations.”

Pictured is Aris T. Alexandrou, Ph.D.

Pictured is Aris T. Alexandrou, Ph.D.