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One of the best things about Dartmouth is the wide array of funding sources
to support undergraduate research. In addition to the formal programs described
above, you can seek research funding through the many sources listed through
the Dean of Faculty
office.
In addition, support funds for Biology 95 and 97 (up to $200 per Biology 95
or $400 per Biology 97 project) may be provided at the discretion of the Chair
of the Biology Department, who oversees the budget. If requests exceed
available funds, priority will go to students in the Honors Program (Biology
97). Please note that no support is available for Biology 96.
Getting paid to help with research
If you're interested in a less formal research opportunity than independent
study or the Dartmouth-sponsored programs described above, there work-study and
hourly wage opportunities are frequently posted on Dartmouth's
JobNet.
Doing research at other institutions
It is also possible to do research at other institutions during off-campus
terms. These experiences broaden your experience in biology and may lead to
contacts for graduate school or jobs after graduation. We strongly encourage
students to seek opportunities to do research in places other than Dartmouth,
and are happy to assist students looking for off-campus research
opportunities.
Please note that the Biology department does not grant credit for
independent research conducted at other institutions. Independent study courses
taken at other institutions are not transferable to Dartmouth for Biology
credit. Similarly, work conducted away from campus may not be used for Bio
95/96/97 credit unless there is a substantial component of the research that is
planned with a Dartmouth Biology faculty member well in advance of the
initiation of the research project. If you have any questions about these
policies, please contact the Chair of the Undergraduate Committee, Professor Sharon Bickel.
Useful sites:
- Career Services at Dartmouth
College maintains a partial list of institutions which have hosted students
for off-campus research terms
- The National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates
program provides lots of research opportunities (especially in ecology and
evolutionary biology) around the world, mostly during the summer term. There
are both REU sites, with lots of students, and individual REU projects
associated with research projects funded through NSF. For information, visit the NSF site.
This part of the site is a work in progress - if you find a useful site for
off-campus research opportunities, please email your suggestions to the Professor Sharon Bickel for
inclusion in the next web site upgrade.
Finding an advisor
We frequently hear from graduating students that "I never knew I could
do research" or "I didn't know how to find a research advisor".
However, with a bit of planning and effort on your part, it's almost always
possible to participate in research during your time at Dartmouth.
Some of our suggestions for finding an advisor include:
1) Do some homework on the web. Use the table of
Biology faculty research interests to see what kinds of research are done
by faculty members in the Biology department, or look for faculty who do
biological research in other departments. In recent years, students majoring in
biology have worked with professors in Chemistry, Psychological & Brain
Sciences, Geography, Anthropology, Environmental Studies, Thayer, and the
Dartmouth Medical School.
2) Talk to everyone who will listen: set up appointments with faculty who do
research that interests you, go to office hours when you're taking biology
courses to get advice about who might be an appropriate advisor, ask your
graduate student teaching assistants (TAs) about their advisors or other
potential mentors, and ask other undergraduates who are doing research for
advice.
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