The Department of Biology was established in 1913. The first professor was W.P. Thompson who would eventually become Dean of Arts and Science and President of the University. Unlike many other Canadian universities the Department of Biology at Saskatchewan remained as a single unit and strove to maintain within itself a balance among the diverse sub-disciplines rather than separating into several distinct departments. Recent research has involved environmental studies including studies of the potential effect of acid rain, mining, logging, and agriculture. The department cooperates with the College of Agriculture to provide a program of Agricultural Biology and offers Paleobiology in conjunction with the Departments of Geological Sciences and Anthropology and Archaeology. The following have served as head of the department: W.P. Thompson (1913-1949); D.S. Rawson (1949-1961); M. Shaw (1961-1968); J.M. Naylor (1968-1973); U.T. Hammer (1973-1976); T.A. Steeves (1976-1982); J. King (1982-1987); R.J.F. Smith (1987-1994); L.C. Fowke (1994- ).