Independent Study

» Biology Department I.S. Titles

The study of biology at Wooster culminates with three courses of Independent Study. Each student works oneon- one with a faculty member to develop a proposal, complete a yearlong research project, and write a thesis based on the results. In these individualized research experiences, students develop the capacity for self-education, problem solving, and effective communication. Students commonly conduct their Independent Study research on campus, but many have worked off campus in conjunction with the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (Wooster), the National Institutes of Health and Mental Health (Bethesda, Md.), the Organization for Tropical Studies (Costa Rica), and other research institutions and field stations.

Biology I.S. projects cover a wide range of topics, including the effects of forest fragmentation on various organisms, investigation of the medicinal properties of traditional herbs, and the elucidation of gene function using RNA interference. Undergraduates have published their research in such journals as Evolution, Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology, Journal of American Arachnological Society, and Journal of Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery, and regularly present their results at professional meetings, forums, and symposia.