Honors
The Biology Honors Program is an independent study program for advanced, highly-motivated undergraduate students interested in research in the biological sciences. Students in the program perform an independent research project working closely with a faculty mentor, typically for two years. In addition to the intensive research experience, students in the program engage in structured research-related activities including developing a thesis proposal, writing an honors thesis, and defending the thesis. Students also participate in a weekly seminar designed to support and extend their involvement in the program and foster community.
The Biology Honors Program is a departmental honors program run through the Department of Biology. The Biology Honors Program involves primarily juniors and seniors, and occasionally sophomores. Mentors must be Biology faculty or close affiliates of the Biology Department, such as adjunct faculty of the department or a biologist working closely with Biology faculty. Co-mentoring of a student by one Biology faculty and one faculty outside of the department is also possible. The Biology Honors Program is distinct from the University Honors Program, and earlier participation in the University Honors Program is not a prerequisite.
Please contact Dr. Alexa Bely, Director of Biology Honors Program, for any inquiries. See below for additional information.
Admission
Program Activities
Program Requirements
Students in the Program
Defenses - Spring 2018
The following students are defending their Biology Honors Theses this semester. Presentations are open to the public.
Erin Causey - Vagal nerve stimulation effects on ferret auditory learning
3 May 2018, Thursday, 11am, AVW 2224
Mentor: Dr. Jonathan Fritz (Institute for Systems Research, Affiliate Professor in Biology)
Committee Members: Dr. Shihab Shamma (Institute for Systems Research), Dr. Hilary Bierman (Biology)
Tim Barry - Habitat selection varies over life histories: an analysis of the dispersing grey wolf
9 May 2018, Wednesday, 12:15 pm, BPS 1208
Mentor: Dr. Eliezer Gurarie (Biology)
Committee Members: Dr. Philip Johnson (Biology), Dr. Jerry Wilkinson (Biology)
Mishal Rao - Cloning and functional characterization of a secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) gene in Drosophila melanogaster
14 May 2018, Monday, 12 p.m., BPS 1230
Primary Mentor: Dr. Sougata Roy (CBMG)
Co-Mentor: Dr. Alexa Bely (Biology)
Committee Member: Dr. Quentin Gaudry (Biology)
Chris Eyo - Dissecting olfactory behavior in the rTg4510 mouse, a taupathology model of familial frontotemportal dementia
15 May 2018, Tuesday, 11am, BPS 1208
Mentor: Dr. Ricardo Araneda (Biology)
Committee Members: Dr. David Yager (Psychology, Biology affiliate), Dr. Erica Glasper Andrews (Psychology)
Shimona Malik - Characterizing the Role of the Perineuronal Net in the Olfactory Bulb of MMP9 KO and Alzheimer’s Induced Mice
17 May 2018, Monday, 3 p.m., BPS 1208
Mentor: Dr. Ricardo Araneda (Biology)
Committee Members: Dr. Elizabeth Quinlan (Biology), Dr. Quentin Gaudry (Biology)