Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences Department
Research Honors Program
Program Document developed 23 May 2002
Andrew J. Howard, Associate Professor of Biology, Program Director
howard@iit.edu
The Program: The Research Honors program provides undergraduates majoring
in biology, chemistry, physics, and molecular biochemistry/biophysics with
an opportunity to participate in scientific research. The program contains
three major components:
- An initial summer research experience in the laboratory of an IIT faculty
member or collaborator, ordinarily carried out prior to the student's junior
year at IIT;
- A second summer research experience in the laboratory of an IIT faculty
member or collaborator, ordinarily carried out prior to the student's senior
year at IIT;
- Completion of a Research Honors thesis during the student's senior year.
Benefits: The student will receive a stipend of $3300 for each summer
of research. No housing allowance will be provided, and the student's stipend
is potentially subject to normal withholding and FICA deductions. The student
should expect to work roughly 320 hours (8 weeks at 40 hours/week, or 9 weeks
at 35.5 hours/week), typically from early June through early August. The
details of the schedule are subject to mutual agreement between the student
and the sponsoring faculty member. The funds for the students' stipends will
be obtained from the sponsoring faculty member's research budget, from a
departmental source, or from a University source. The student will
not receive remuneration for the thesis-writing effort, but will receive
academic credit for a successful thesis.
Ordinarily the payment of $3300 should be issued as a single payment during
July of the year in which the work is done, unless the funding source
from which the funds are derived has rules that prevent payout in a single
lump sum.
Activities: In general, the student should expect to be functioning
primarily as an observer and helper during the first summer, but should be
actively involved in a research project in the second year. Particularly
successful programs will culminate in publishable research in which the undergraduate
will be a co-author. The thesis will normally be written over both semesters
of the student's senior year, and he or she will receive academic credit
for both semesters' work. Opportunities for social gatherings and scientific
interchange among members of the Research Honors program, including an opportunity
for students to present their Research Honors Theses orally to one another,
are being developed as the program matures.
Finding a project: Each student is responsible for finding a faculty
sponsor for his or her own research project. We encourage each student to
examine the faculty web-pages of the members of the BCPS faculty to find
candidate projects. The student should then discuss his or her interests
with the faculty members, and attempt to come to an agreement that will lead
to a successful project. The Research Honors Director, Prof. Howard, will
act as a matchmaker where needed.
Joining the program: Most Research Honors students will apply for
the program as part of the admissions process prior to their freshman year.
These students' applications are reviewed by a committee of BCPS faculty
members, including one from each discipline, and the committee will determine
which students will be offered admission to the program. A student who is
already enrolled at IIT will be allowed to apply to the program provided
that he or she:
- has maintained a 3.2 GPA up to the point of application;
- has at least three semesters of academic work still to do following
the first summer in the program;
- is majoring in biology, chemistry, physics, or MBB.
Students whose GPA is close to but not at the 3.2 cutoff will be allowed
to apply under special circumstances. Applications of current students to
the program will be reviewed by BCPS faculty. A very limited number of these
current-student applications will be accepted each year.
Maintaining status in the program: Students must continue to major
in biology, chemistry, physics, or MBB, and must maintain a 3.2 GPA to remain
members of the Research Honors program. Exceptions will require approval
of the Program Director and the Department Chair.
Current status of the program: A few students will be carrying out their
second summer of research in the program in June-August 2002; they will be
first "class" of students to complete the program after they write their
theses. Several students will begin the program this summer.
Application process: The application materials for incoming freshmen are
distributed as part of the admission process. Current students that qualify
as described above may apply by sending an electronic mail messsage to the
Program Director with answers to the following questions. Applicants should
answer each question with at least a paragraph, but the entire application
should be no more than 500 words in length:
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
RESEARCH HONORS PROGRAM
FOR CURRENTLY ENROLLED BCPS STUDENTS
1. Describe the degree to which scientific research interests you and the
role that you expect research to play in your life after you graduate.
2. Describe the kind of scientific research you would be most interested
in pursuing.
3. Describe the special skills and knowledge that you would be able to contribute
to a research program.
Special note for students wishing to begin the program in summer 2002:
A very small number (one or two) positions will be available for students
wishing to perform research in the program during summer 2002. Students who
will be first- or second-semester juniors in fall 2002 are eligible for these
"last-minute" positions. Please apply as described above by 1 June 2002 if
you are interested in this part of the program.
2003-2004 applicants:
Applications should be in by 1 September 2002 for the 2003-2004 program.
A second round of applications may be accepted in the spring; contact the
Program Director for details.
Prof. Howard will be happy to answer questions about the program at
howard@iit.edu, 312-567-5881, or 630-252-0534.
