Department of Biology
There are many avenues available for conducting research at the undergraduate level. Some of these are detailed below are available at Georgetown. Summer opportunities are available both on-campus as well as off campus. Please discuss options with your advisor or your research mentor to determine which option is best for your situation.
The Georgetown-Hughes Undergraduate Research Scholars Program is in its second decade of support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. The program provides a research-intensive curriculum for Biology majors with strong academic backgrounds and interests in careers in biomedical research and/or teaching. Scholars participate in monthly dinners and extensive research opportunities in summers and academic years in advanced laboratories the Biology Department and in Georgetown Medical Center. Each summer students participate in fully funded research and advanced program coursework. For more information and an application form see our Howard Hughes Research Program pages.
The Georgetown University Beckman Scholars Program is a highly selective program that provides significant research experience and financial support for exceptional undergraduates from the Biology and Chemistry Departments. Two students from the sophomore or junior classes are selected annually for this program. Research expectations include two summers of full-time research for 10 weeks and part-time research during the academic year between these summers; total financial support from the award is $16,000 for the student. Students will also receive funding to travel to present their research at both appropriate disciplinary meetings and the annual Beckman Scholars Research Symposium. Applications will be solicited in January each year.
The Georgetown Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (GUROP) offers motivated students the opportunity to learn the discipline and experience the rewards of scholarly research by working with faculty on their research projects. Students spend a minimum of 70 hours per semester/summer working with a faculty mentor on that faculty member's research. Students receive the transcript notation "Georgetown Undergraduate Research Assistant" for their work. Participating students are also eligible to compete for a Summer Research Fellowship.
In support of our departmental mission to enhance the undergraduate biology experience through research, the Biology Department is pleased to offer two undergraduate research fellowships: 1) the Zukowski Fellowship, which has been made possible through generous gift from Dr. Mark M. Zukowski, a 1971 graduate of the Biology Department at Georgetown University, and 2) the Kolleng Fellowship, which has been made possible through a generous gift from Mr. John Kolleng, a 1977 graduate of the Biology Department at Georgetown. Both Fellowships are open to Biology majors who are currently in their sophomore, junior and senior years and will provide a research award of $2,500 and up to a $1,000 living allowance.
Students may be able to obtain funding to support summer research through several funding agencies such as the National Instituties of Health, the National Science Foundation and many research societies. See your research mentor to discuss specific programs.
Students who are interested in starting their Senior Thesis project before the senior year can enroll in the Research Tutorial (BIOL-300) for a maximum of 4 credits which can be applied to the Biology major as one of the electives. Further research credit can be taken and applied as a college elective by enrolling in BIOL-304. You must discuss any research proposal with the research mentor prior to enrolling. See your advisor or the research mentor for additional information.