Opportunities for Undergraduate Research
James 鶹Լ Scholars Program
Biology majors in the JMS Program have two options for completing its requirements. We recommend collaborating with faculty on a research project. In their junior and senior years, JMS students register for six credits of IN491, Honors Independent Study. Four of the six IN491 credits count as Biology Research credits (BI391 or BI392). Credits can be applied toward the Biology major. The alternative is to complete a library-based research project supervised by faculty. For specifics, consult the JMS handbook and your faculty advisor.
Leighty Science Scholars
As a part of the Leighty Science Scholars program, all Leighty Scholars will do research during the summer after their sophomore year in collaboration with a 鶹Լ science faculty. Each Leighty Scholar receives a summer stipend up to $6,000. Past Leighty Science Scholars have published wide-ranging research on topics including:
- “Toxicity of Thieves oils to MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells”
- “Community-powered urban stream restoration: a vision for sustainable and resilient urban ecosystems”
- “Color assortative shoaling in zebrafish”
- “Effects of elevated corticosterone on humoral innate and antibody‐mediated immunity in southern leopard frog (Lithobates sphenocephalus) tadpoles”
- “The effects of caffeine and sertraline on spatial learning in goldfish, Carassius auratus (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae)”
- “Genomics and development of Lentinus tigrinus: A white-rot wood-decaying mushroom with dimorphic fruiting bodies”
Contact the 鶹Լ Office of Admission or the Biology Department for details of this program.
Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURF)
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program is for students who are interested in spending the summer researching, acquiring data, and engaging in 鶹Լ Performance Learning. Faculty members select a research student with which to partner, and develop a proposal which is reviewed by the SURF committee. Successful faculty-student research partners receive a $3,000 stipend plus supply money for their summer project.
Off-Campus Research
Graduate universities, medical schools, and other research centers also offer summer research. 鶹Լ students can register for credit when they do off-campus research.