FACULTY OF NATURAL AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES

Mamaia Bvd 124, RO 8700 Constantza, Romania

Tel: 40-0241-614326, Fax 40-0241-618372  

e-mail: contact (at) stiintele-naturii.ro

The Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science was re-established in spring of 1990 at the same time with the setting-up of “Ovidius” University from Constantza, having two new departments among others: Biology and Physical Education and Sports. In the fall of 1990 the department of Ecology and Environmental Protection was added, and then Agriculture (in 1992), Geography (in 1999), Horticulture (in 2002).

Although “Ovidius” University is a young one, high training in the departments of Biology, Physical Education and Sports, Agriculture and Geography naturally continues the faculties and departments of the former Pedagogical Institute in Constantza, which was founded in 1961 and further transformed into the Institute of Higher Education (in 1974). Since its establishment in 1961 till 1983 in this institute functioned the Faculty of Natural Sciences where students attended courses in biology and agriculture; from 1961 to 1975 there existed a History-Geography department within the Faculty of Philology. The Faculty of Natural Sciences continues to function as a distinct faculty. Thus the Departments of Biology and Geography will soon celebrate 40 years of activity.

In 1995 postgraduate education was founded with thoroughgoing studies (2 semesters) in the “Marine and Coastal biotechny and ecotechny” field. In 2004 these two-semester studies are replaced by four – semesters master’s studies and in the present, other master studies are developed in the faculty: “Biodiversity conservation and environmental protection” and “Irrigated agriculture in drought-vulnerable areas” (since 2004) and other are prepared: “Medical biology”, “Applied ecology”, “Sustainable development of natural and tourist resources in littoral area” “Ecological basement of environmental protection”, “Environmental impact management”. In these conditions graduates of any departments can attend master’s studies.

In the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science there are also the possibilities to continue the postgraduate studies as a Ph.D. In the last few years six specialists from “Ovidius” University and other universities and research institutes became “doctors” in Biology - Biochemistry and Ecology and Environmental Protection.

TEACHING STAFF AND LOGISTICAL SUPPORT OF EDUCATIONAL PROCESSES AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

The leadership staff

• Professor Dragomir Coprean, PhD - Dean of the faculty

• Professor Marioara Trandafirescu, PhD - Vicedean

• Associate Professor Daciana Sava, PhD  – Chief of Biology and Ecology Department

• Professor Folarea Bordanc PhD – Chief of Geography Department

• Associate Professor Violeta Simionescu PhD  – Chief of Agriculture Department

•  Associate professor Teodora Maria Onciu, PhD - Responsible for quality insurance of educational process

•  Associate professor Marius Skolka, PhD - Scientific secretary of the faculty

• Associate professor Lucica Tofan, PhD - Faculty administrator

Teaching staff

The Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science had four departments: Biology (14 members of the teaching staff), Ecology (12 members), Agriculture (10 members) and Geography (8 members).

Students

The Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science has almost 1100 students in the university year 2008/2009, who can enjoy free education or fee education and also the Open University.

Educational Process

The education process is organized on the educational credit system, system which has been adopted in 1995 for the Departments of Biology and Ecology and Environmental Protection and since 1997 for other departments. The conventions made with the departments of Biology and Ecology and Environmental Protection, as well as the study programs with a similar structure permit the students’ transfer from one department to another. The educational credit system permits the vertical mobility as well.

The completion of studies consists in a degree exam comprising a written test which checks the thoroughness of the basic and major subject knowledge and the presentation in public of a degree paper based on original research after which the students obtain a degree diploma. Starting with the university year 1999-2000, the Geography Department and the Agriculture Department organize fee courses by the Open University. The completion of the master studies consists of the presentation before an audience of a dissertation the coursants obtaining a Master’s degree diploma.

Postgraduate studies. The university year 1999-2000 marks the organization by the Biology Department of yearly postgraduate courses for teachers from school and high schools to obtain their didactic degrees II and I and also special courses every five years.

Doctoral stages. In the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science there are six coordinators of doctoral stages involved in a PhD School in Biology: professor Marian – Traian Gomoiu, Ph D., member of the Romanian Academy - marine biology and ecology, professor Stoica Preda Godeanu, Ph D. - ecology, professor Natalia Rosoiu Ph D. - biochemistry, professor Dragomir Coprean Ph D - physiology, professor Dan Cogalniceanu Ph D, ecology; professor Ioan Ardelean Ph D - microbiology. At present the coordinators lead over 40 Ph.D. theses in the respective fields of university education.

Scientific research

Each department of our faculty develops research programs. At the department of Biology and Ecology and Environmental Protection, the research programs deals with problems concerning the knowledge of ecology and the preservation of marine and terrestrial flora and fauna, physiology, microbiology, genetics, management of protected areas. At the department of Agriculture, the research deals with specific problems of agriculture in Dobroudja County – crop production in irrigation systems, pomiculture, wine-growing. At the department of Geography, there is some research programs dealing with pedologic and climatologic aspects specific for Dobroudja.

The research programs are developed in collaboration with Universities and Scientific Research Institutes from Romania and abroad. The Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science has collaboration conventions with some research institutes as the National Institute of Marine Research and Development “Gr. Antipa”, the National Institute of Geology and GeoEcology in Constantza, the Institute of Applied Ecology in Bucharest, the Research Institute for Irrigated Crops at Valul lui Traian, the Research Institute for Oenology and Viticulture at Murfatlar, the Research Institute for Fruit Growing at Valul lui Traian, the Research Institute for Sheep and Goats “Palas”, the Department of Soil Science and Agrochemistry in Constantza, “Horticola” Society, etc.

Representative research programs: Determination of heavy metals accumulation in marine organisms; Impact of hydrocarbon pollution on coastal marine ecosystems; Study on some vegetal extracts in hepatic and gastric diseases; Electronic microscopy studies on animal cells submitted on hormonal treatments; Climatological study on risk phenomena in Dobroudja – ecological and economical impacts; Biodiversity inventory of marine and terrestrial ecosystems in Dobroudja.

     International relationships

Natural Sciences faculty is part of some international programs with University of Brest (in the field of geography and marine biology and ecology), University of Mediterranean Aix-Marseille II (in the field of biology and ecology), University of Milwaukee – Wisconsin – in the field of environmental protection.

Also, our faculty is one of the two faculties in “Ovidius” University involved in MATRA Program of quality insurance of educational process in universities. In this frame, auto evaluation rapport and external audit were validated.

In the faculty function an International Office of Balkan Environmental Association (B.EN.A. www.gen.teithe.gr/~bena), coordinated by assistant professor Lucica Tofan, office involved in training and research activities concerning environmental protection.

Educational support

The Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science had the dean’s office and the secretariat functioning in the old establishment of the University at 124 Mamaia Bd. But student activities are carried out both at this address and in either building situated at 58 Ion Vodă Street, 17 Nicolae Iorga Street.

Students work in 4 amphitheaters, 6 lecture rooms, 29 laboratories, 5 special rooms for research, and 1 adequate biobasis. The Ovidius University has a top quality electronic microscope (CM 120 Philips) at the Electronic Microscopy Department which is used for fundamental and applied research that concerns contracts with CNCSIS and other beneficiaries. Members of the teaching staff of the faculty participate at research programs concerning the animal and vegetal cell ultrastructure.

The laboratories have up-to-date equipment for students to experiment on. Research is carried out not only the University but also in research institutes in Constantza and Bucharest.

The Central Library of University offers the literature for each department, and the students and members of the teaching staff can also consult the libraries of the research institutes from Constantza and Bucharest. The departments of Biology and Ecology have their own library with scientific works and papers in the field of marine sciences.

Field practice for the Departments of Biology and Ecology and Environmental Protection is organized in field activities by observing the Black Sea Littoral and the Premarin lakes all through the university year and in a two-week mountain activity in collaboration with similar faculties from Bucharest, Sibiu, Iasi, Timisoara.

The students in Ecology also go to the Danube Delta for biological and ecological practice, organized in the last years in collaboration with the ecology department of Université de Bretagne Occidentale de Brest (France).

The students from the Department of Agriculture develop field practice in the experimental fields and use the facilities offered by the research institutes with agricultural profile in Constantza. In this way, the students familiarize with the technologies and methods used in different branches of agriculture – cereal growing in irrigation systems, viticulture, fruit and vegetable growing, zootechny, management in agriculture.

The field practice for the students in Geography develops in Dobroudja – including the Danube Delta and in the mountain area of the country.

The teaching applications for each department are accomplished in high schools in Constantza under the supervision of specialized teaching staff (from the Department of Psycho-Pedagogical Training).

 BIOLOGY

Department of Biology has in the present academic year 197 students from which 59 students paying fees. Academic degree: Bachelor in Biology. Prospects: the graduates can be employed as teachers of biology, researchers in biology and biotechny, medical biologist; they can also attend the courses of master’s degree and work for their Ph.D.

ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

The department of Ecology and Environmental Protection was founded in the fall of 1999, as a result of the need for specialists in this field. Out of the four university years, two of them are devoted to subjects which ensure the bases for the knowledge of ecosystems – vegetal and animal systematic, climatology, geology, hydrology, elements of mathematics with special applications, chemistry; in the third and the fourth year, the students specialize in vegetal and animal, ecophysiology, hydrobiology, pollution and environment protection, rehabilitation of ecosystems, the functioning and protection of natural ecosystems etc.

There are 290 students in ecology in the faculty, 208 of them with taxes. Between 1999 and 2005 the courses for the first two years of studies for Biology and Ecology and Environmental Protection are the same. Academic degree: bachelor in Environmental Science, specialization Ecology and Environmental Protection. The graduates can be inspectors at agencies of environmental protection, enterprises or administration, teachers (after graduating the Psycho-pedagogical studies) or researchers in the field of biology or ecology. They can also attend the courses of master studies and work for their Ph.D.

AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE

       The Department of Agriculture was founded in 1992 as a result of the local administration request for specialists in the field of agriculture and horticulture. There are 50 students per year (20 with taxes) and above 40/year at the Open University. In the faculty, 328 students follow the courses in Agriculture and 87 in Horticulture. There are also 87 students with taxes and 169 at Open University.

     The length of studies was since 2004 for 5 years (4 years from 2005) and the graduates become agricultural engineers. Academic degree: Bachelor in Agriculture or Horticulture, engineer. Career prospects: agricultural or horticultural engineers and researchers in institutes; teachers (after graduation of the Psycho-pedagogical studies); they can also attend the courses of thoroughgoing – master studies and work for their Ph.D.

GEOGRAPHY

             Department of Geography was founded in 1999. There are 100 students per year (50 with taxes) and 50 at the Open University. In the present, this department includes 398 students, 184 of them with taxes and 112 at Open University. Academic degree: Bachelor in Geography. Career prospects: teachers of Geography, researchers in this field or they can work at the Romanian Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology. They can also attend the courses of thoroughgoing – master studies and work for their Ph.D.

MASTER’S DEGREE

            The faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences and the research institutes ensures the educational support from Constantza. There are above 80 students per year.

The length of master studies is of 4 semesters. Academic degree: graduate of master studies. The master studies organized in the faculty are “Marine and Coastal biotechny and ecotechny”, “Biodiversity conservation and environmental protection”, “Irrigated agriculture in drought-vulnerable areas”, “Medical biology”, “Sustainable development of natural and tourist resources in littoral area”, “Environmental impact management”.

            Graduates can attend the courses from other departments of the university or other universities and by bachelors working in administration who want to complete their knowledge in the field of environmental protection. The matriculation at the master studies is based on an interview, not on the classical type of exams, and the admission mark is the average of the graduation mean and the mean at the exams for a bachelor’s degree. Career prospects: researchers in biology, ecology and agriculture research institute; inspectors at agencies of the environmental protection, experts in administration, enterprises or institutes. They can also work for their Ph.D.

THE OPEN UNIVERSITY

The first courses (of the Open University) started in the university year 2000-2001 at the Department of  Agriculture and the Department of Geography in the year 2000-2001. Meeting the requirements of people that cannot frequent courses, this fee-paying educational system represents a modern form of education, which enables students to obtain all the necessary materials. Part-time tutors who meet their students once a week and also discuss the student’s activities and set them on the right course give explanations concerning the courses. Laboratory activities are also periodically scheduled.