Overview
The Biology Research Concentration is challenging path designed for highly motivated students interested in pursuing further research in graduate school, or careers in industry, medicine, and science education.
Requirements
Students can enter the program at any time as long as they complete the following additional requirements prior to graduation:
An Independent Research Project
The research experience needs to be the equivalent of four credits. There are several ways you can fulfill the research experience. For example, one summer of full-time research (40 hours a week for 10 weeks) is equivalent to 5 credits OR participation of one semester of academic year research (five hours per week) is equivalent to one credit.
Summer positions
- Salaried or credit
- Full-time or part-time
- In the laboratory of a Gonzaga faculty member
- Students often continue their research during the academic year
Academic year positions
- For stipend or credit
- Five hours per week during the semester
Present and Write About Your Discoveries
- Students attend and present their research at regional or national conference
- Travel grants are available through CURCI
- Write up of research. This is an opportunity to formally write about the independent research project
Explore the Life of a Research Scientist
- BIOL 484 - Biology Research Seminar gives the student a chance to read and write about current research in biology, explore their own interests in the field and envision their own careers.
- Attend seminars from invited speakers in the departments of Biology, Chemistry/Biochemistry, and Mathematics. Additionally, the President's Lecture Series and the O'Leary Series give the student the chance to interact with premier scientists. Students enrolled in the Research Concentration attend 12 of these seminars while they are at Gonzaga and write up their reflections on them both in BIOL 484 and independently.
Increase Quantitative Skills
Students take additional math classes to further prepare them for the demanding and rewarding careers they will undertake as Gonzaga graduates.
- A college calculus course, such as Survey of Calculus, MATH 148 or Calculus and Analytical Geometry I, MATH 157
AND - A statistics course, such as Introductory Statistics, MATH 121 or Biological Data Analysis, BIOL 305.
Teach Science to Kids
- BIOL 395 - Science In Action! Gonzaga University is committed to building partnerships with local schools and community groups as we strive to improve scientific literacy in our community. With this goal in mind, outreach programs include class visits, field trip tours, special summer programs, and more. Research Concentration students participate in outreach for a single semester, although many find it personally rewarding and return for as many semesters as their schedules permit.
Learn More
The Gonzaga University undergraduate catalog lists specific course requirements.
Contact
For more information, contact Dr. Nancy Staub, Director of the Research Concentration Program or Angie Hinz, Research Coordinator.