Funding and Finding an Advisor

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 Elizabeth F. Smith. 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 Elizabeth F. Smith 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.