Dr. Heather Ayala is an Associate Professor of Biology and the Chair of the Department of Biology and Biochemistry at Belmont Abbey College. Over the past fifteen years she has worked at several small colleges throughout the country including one year at Wyoming Catholic College. Dr. Ayala received her PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Notre Dame where she carried out research looking at the growth of Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes malaria. Her primary interest is in teaching. At the college level Dr. Ayala has taught courses in Parasitology, Anatomy & Physiology, Genetics, and many others. She has also taught Biology classes through co-ops for homeschool students on the high school level. She was awarded an annual award at Belmont Abbey College in the spring of 2022 for her excellent teaching. Outside the classroom, Dr. Ayala enjoys spending time with her husband and four children, as well as cooking, sewing, gardening, and enjoying good music.