Many students find themselves involved in student research, utilizing equipment and techniques which will help them in a variety of careers. The department is also home to a scanning spectrophotometer interfaced with a computer, allowing researchers to measure biological phenomena at the molecular level. The educational experience is not limited to the classroom. You may learn new methods while assisting a faculty member with research, or you may participate in the optional three-week May period during which faculty members lead study trips to sites such as Australia, Africa, and America's desert southwest and great plains. Affiliate programs are offered in forestry and marine sciences.
Students also have opportunities to conduct independent research and special projects.