PUC is happy to introduce Kurt J. Sollanek as the new biology professor. From Cheshire, CT, Kurt and his wife moved to Santa Rosa, CA in 2014 after he completed his doctoral studies for a work opportunity his wife had. From 2015 to 2020, he taught in higher education before doing regulatory affairs at a large-scale medical device company for the last five years. 

With wanting to get back into teaching, Kurt looked forward to this school year and being back in the classroom. He will be teaching Introduction to Human Biology, Human Physiology, Cellular & Molecular Biology, Systems Physiology, and Research in Health & Exercise Science. “I’m excited to interact with students again,” he shared. 

Kurt received his B.S. in 2008 and his M.S. in 2010, both from Southern Connecticut State University, before earning his Ph.D. from the University of Florida in 2014. For the PUC community to learn more about him, he answered some questions for us. 

What are you most passionate about in your field of study? 

Although I’m in the Biology Department, a large portion of my academic background (coursework and past research) was in the field of exercise physiology. In saying this, all things health and fitness are still my passion and still fall within my purview as a human biology professor. 

How do you stay current with developments in your field?

The main way is through social media. Fortunately, there are a lot of great scientists who make it their mission to keep the field current, so by following them on YouTube or podcasts, I can stay fairly up to date in the areas that I’m interested in. 

How do you think PUC’s biology department stands out from other colleges and universities? 

I’ve been at other non-faith-based institutions, both as a student and a faculty member. From that vantage point, PUC’s biology department stands out because God is at its center. And this can be tricky because there is a lot of controversy regarding faith and science, but the faculty here has done its homework and can tackle these issues well. 

What do you appreciate about your department?

I really appreciate the depth of expertise and experience that the faculty in my department has. I truly look forward to learning from my colleagues over the years to come. 

What is your favorite aspect of being part of the Pioneers community?

The fact that it’s not just a community, but it seems like a family. And it’s a family with a long past, which automatically connects me with so many people. I look forward to meeting more and more members.  

Do you have a favorite place to eat in the Napa Valley? 

The last decade of my life has been in Sonoma County. I’ll also qualify this answer by saying that we have Celiac disease within my family, so eating out is VERY tricky. I need to give a shout-out to Smokin’ Bowls restaurant in Rohnert Park, which is a 100% gluten-free restaurant. If anyone knows of great gluten-free, celiac-safe (keywords) restaurants in the Napa area, I’m game to explore. You can forward your recommendations to me. 

Where is your dream vacation?

I’m a homebody. I like sleeping in my own bed and eating my own food. So “staycations” have been the mainstay for me as of late. However, two places that I would love to visit are Iceland and Tokyo. 

Finish this sentence: On Sunday mornings, you can find me… 

Well, it depends on which Sunday we are talking about. For the last couple of years, every other Sunday morning (at 6:30 am), I get together with a small group of Christian men that I’ve known since I moved to California. We are all dads of young kids, so this time works well for us to connect with our other family obligations. 

On alternate Sundays, you can find me trying to get a workout in before playing with my kids. Interspersed with kid time, there are obligatory chores (e.g., grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc.).