The Biology Department is committed to the concept that the best way to learn science is to do science. All science students at Avila University must do some type of research. Eligible students may be selected to perform Honors Research (see below) or do an internship in a field of interest. The results of these projects will be presented in BI 499 Research Colloquium and Seminar; and Avila's Student Scholar Day, a campus-wide event.
Students who are not involved in Honors Research or an internship must select a faculty research mentor and enroll in BI 492 (Biology Literature Research) or BI 493 (Biology Research) prior to the spring of their senior year. These students will perform an extensive library research project under the guidance of their mentor. This project will take the form of a review article and will be evaluated by the research mentor. The results of this research will be presented in oral form in BI 499 Research Colloquium and Seminar.
All three members of the Biology Department have ongoing research interests in which students may become involved. Examples include:
- Dr. Stephen S. Daggett - Genetics and evolutionary biology of the algal genus Chlamydomonas.
- Dr. Greg Fitch - Insect neurophysiology and behavior.
- Dr. Robert Powell - Resource partitioning by lizards on Hispaniola; anything having to do with amphibians and reptiles
See individual web pages for more details.
Honors Research
The Biology Honors Program is designed to identify and promote individual accomplishment through directed independent research. Biology majors with a minimum GPA of 3.2 will receive a formal invitation from the Biology Department to apply in the fall of their junior year.
The honors candidate should do the following:
1. Reach agreement with a faculty mentor and begin planning a research protocol for the spring semester of their junior year.
2. Register for 1 credit of Research I (BI 493) in the spring of their junior year.
3. Prepare an application to the Honors Program, including a research proposal, to be submitted to the mentor during the spring semester. This proposal is evaluated by a screening committee prior to the semester's completion. The proposal shall include:
a) the student's transcript;
b) a tentative curriculum schedule for the remainder of the student's undergraduate program;
c) the main body of the proposal should include:
i) an abstract of the proposal;
ii) justification and rationale for the research;
iii) a literature review;
iv) a detailed description of the proposed research;
v) a research timetable.
Copies of the proposal will be distributed to all members of the department and student's mentor will call a meeting within one week of receipt. The department will evaluate the proposal and vote on the student's candidacy.
4. Approved students shall enroll in BI 493 Biology Laboratory Research in the fall of their senior year (up to 6 credits) and BI 499 Research Colloquium and Seminar in the spring of their junior year. As part of the BI 493 fall course, students must prepare a poster presentation which will be publicly displayed and evaluated by members of the department.
5. When the research is completed, students shall write and submit a thesis. The thesis format shall be specified during BI 493. course It will be due at the beginning of the 10th week of the spring semester of the senior year.
6. Students will present their research in oral form to the science faculty and students at the end of spring semester of their senior year (or when BI 499 is completed). A poster presentation will be given at Avila's Senior Research Day also toward the end of that semester.
7. If all criteria are met, an honors candidate will be awarded honors at the Honors Convocation and the award will be announced at Commencement. All honors candidates are strongly encouraged to present their findings at a scientific meeting.
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