
Dee Denver is father to Amani and Hirut Denver and husband to Steph Swenson. There is no Dee without these three. This family of four enjoys sports, travel, hanging out with friends, and spending time with the two canine members of the family, Barley and Rey.
Dee is a Professor of Integrative Biology at Oregon State University, and also currently serves as the department chair. At OSU, Dee leads a research lab and teaches courses in genetics, evolution, and the intersection of biology and Buddhism. He is especially proud of BI 175 Genomes, Identities, and Societies, developed for the OSU Difference, Power, and Discrimination program.
Dee was a Visiting Research Professor at Maitripa College from 2012-13 where he learned about Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and practice from Yangsi Rinpoche and James Blumenthal. He visited Sri Lanka in 2017, with support and guidance from Sulochana Wasala and Amila Liyanage, to learn about Theravada Buddhism and Bodhi trees. Dee's Buddhism knowledge base further expanded with trips to China, Hawai'i, and India between 2018 and 2020. Additional information about Dee's experiences in biology and Buddhism is available under Gratitude.
Dee was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, USA in 1973. He was raised by Phil and Kay Denver, growing up alongside his sister Tammy and brother Phil Jr. Dee graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1996 with a BS in Biological Sciences, moving on to obtain a PhD in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2002. He was a NIH postdoctoral fellow at Indiana University from 2002-2005, and an Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution postdoctoral fellow in New Zealand from 2005-2006. Dee joined the faculty at Oregon State University in 2006.
Dee is a Professor of Integrative Biology at Oregon State University, and also currently serves as the department chair. At OSU, Dee leads a research lab and teaches courses in genetics, evolution, and the intersection of biology and Buddhism. He is especially proud of BI 175 Genomes, Identities, and Societies, developed for the OSU Difference, Power, and Discrimination program.
Dee was a Visiting Research Professor at Maitripa College from 2012-13 where he learned about Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and practice from Yangsi Rinpoche and James Blumenthal. He visited Sri Lanka in 2017, with support and guidance from Sulochana Wasala and Amila Liyanage, to learn about Theravada Buddhism and Bodhi trees. Dee's Buddhism knowledge base further expanded with trips to China, Hawai'i, and India between 2018 and 2020. Additional information about Dee's experiences in biology and Buddhism is available under Gratitude.
Dee was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, USA in 1973. He was raised by Phil and Kay Denver, growing up alongside his sister Tammy and brother Phil Jr. Dee graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1996 with a BS in Biological Sciences, moving on to obtain a PhD in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2002. He was a NIH postdoctoral fellow at Indiana University from 2002-2005, and an Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution postdoctoral fellow in New Zealand from 2005-2006. Dee joined the faculty at Oregon State University in 2006.