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As
an important part of a student-centered research university, the
Biology Department provides instruction
on research and offers its undergraduates opportunities to participate
in research. Undergraduate research is important for anyone to consider
who is thinking of graduate study in Biology because graduate work
involves doing research. An application for graduate school can
be greatly enhanced if you can demonstrate an interest in and an
ability to do research.
Please
select from the following undergraduate research opportunity areas:
Research
in Classes
Undergraduate
research instruction occurs at several levels within the Biology
Department curriculum. One is through the Core laboratory course,
BIO 375: Biological Experimentation. Others are through a 3-credit
upper division laboratory course:
- BIO
425: Cell Biology Lab
- BIO
431: Population Genetics
- BIO
435: Genetics Lab
- BIO
455: Physiology Lab
- BIO
465: Molecular Biology Lab
- BIO
475: Biochemistry Lab
The
most advanced level for undergraduate research is through student
participation in an ongoing research program. With the sponsorship
of someone conducting research, this advanced level of undergraduate
research can begin as early as the sophomore year. Credit for this
research can be obtained by registering for BIO
460: Research in Biology. This requires submission of a
Proposal for Bio 460,
Research in Biology petition
to the Biology Department office and approval by the principal
undergraduate advisor (Dr.
Reed Hainsworth). Research also can be done through the
Honors Program, which is coordinated in Biology by Dr.
Larry Wolf.
Undergraduate
Research Conference
The
Biology Department organizes an Undergraduate Research Conference
each year in April. During the conference undergraduates, who have
been conducting research, have the opportunity to tell others about
their work through published abstracts and poster presentations.
Click here for more information.
Research
with Biology Faculty Members
If
you are interested in undertaking a research project with a Biology
faculty member, we urge you to go to view our online faculty research
interest profiles (instructions below) or stop by the Undergraduate
Office in room 122 Lyman Hall to obtain the special booklet, Undergraduate
Research Opportunities for Biology Students, from the Undergraduate
Secretary. Academic credit may be received for your research by
registering for BIO
460: Research in Biology - please see the above section
about Research in Classes for more
information.
The
primary responsibility for initiating research participation with
our faculty resides with you, so you should talk with faculty
about the opportunities they can offer to sponsor your research:
- Click
here to view a list of Biology faculty currently conducting research
and their interest areas. You undoubtedly will find a faculty
member who has ongoing projects in an area of Biology that you
find especially interesting.
- Once
you have identified one or more faculty members, you should schedule
an appointment with each person to explore in more detail the
possibilities of him/her sponsoring your research interests. You
should discuss carefully with each faculty member what they would
expect of you in terms of time commitments and the possible projects
in which you could become involved. The faculty will let you know
about availability of space in their laboratories - we encourage
all Biology majors to participate in research, but space within
some research programs may be limited.
If
you are interested in a research project with someone outside
the Biology Department, please see Deborah Herholtz in Lyman 122
for a list of other people who may be willing to sponsor your research.
Summer
Research Opportunities
The
Biology Department maintains a bulletin board outside the Undergraduate
Office (Room 122 in Lyman Hall) where you will find information
about various summer research opportunities.
The
National
Institutes of Health (NIH) provides a Summer Internship
Program at NIH for undergraduates. The program is intended to expose
students to research procedures in a unique environment devoted
exclusively to biomedical research and training. With guidance from
scientists in the Institutes, students conduct research in selected
areas of laboratory investigation. In addition to participating
in research projects, students attend lectures and seminars to enhance
their education and develop investigative skills. The
program runs for a minimum of 8 weeks, usually from early June to
the end of August; some flexibility exists to accommodate individual
student needs. The website
catalog provides information on the application and selection process
and highlights current areas of investigation to which students
may be assigned. Students in high school, college, and graduate
school are invited to consider joining the National Institutes of
Health for a summer of research in state-of-the-art biomedical research
laboratories.
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