Overview
Lab Rotations Give Students Experience With Faculty Members and Facilities Before Pursuing Their Research in Biology
Research in biology at University of Indiana Bloomington (IU) covers areas such as behavior, biochemistry, cell biology, development, ecology, evolution, genetics, microbiology, and plant biology. In each area, faculty members explore their specific research interests. Faculty members accept students into research programs facilitated by advanced training and cutting edge facilities. IU programs are led by faculty members who are committed to excellence and leadership. In programs such as microbiology research, students perform research rotations with their customized, advanced course work. Faculty members in this and other programs provide personalized input on the student's career development.
Numerous state-of-the-art facilities at IU are conducive to a cooperative environment where student and faculty research in biology is conducted. The Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics is a multidisciplinary research facility that serves the university's community. The Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior maintains several shared facilities to support behavioral research and training. Biology greenhouses provide space for growing plants from around the world that meet teaching and research requirements. The Physical Biochemistry Instrumentation Facility encourages research into the structures and interactions of biomolecules. The Center for Research in Environmental Sciences fosters multidisciplinary activities and funding. The Indiana Molecular Biology Institute focuses on molecular biology facilities and research resources. Other advanced facilities and resources for research in biology also support the work carried on by faculty members and graduate students at IU.
Ph.D. and Master's Programs in Biology and Several Affiliated Graduate Studies in Biology Offered at IU Bloomington
Graduate studies in biology at University of Indiana Bloomington (IU) are found within five main programs of study: biotechnology, evolution, ecology, and behavior; microbiology; molecular biology and genetics; and plant biology.
Master's programs in biology are available in biotechnology and plant biology. The intense master's program in biotechnology (M.S.) focuses on biochemical, cell, and molecular biological applications in biotechnology and provides hands-on experience in advanced techniques in those areas. The second master's program in biology (M.A.) is in plant biology, with students emphasizing either a molecular or organismal approach.
Other graduate studies in biology at IU are at the Ph.D.-level. Within the evolution, ecology, and behavior program, students can work in one of four specialties: animal behavior, ecology, evolution, or plant biology. Students in the interdisciplinary microbiology program can explore a wide range of faculty interests and research opportunities and work in an exceptionally collegial, cooperative, and rigorous research environment. Students also have a choice of four specialties in the molecular biology and genetics program: genetics; molecular, cellular, and developmental biology; microbiology; or plant sciences. Students interested in a Ph.D. in plant biology can approach their studies with either a molecular or organismal emphasis.
The University of Indiana at Bloomington also offers several multidisciplinary and affiliated graduate biology programs. For example, studies and research in both biology and chemistry are combined within an interdepartmental biochemistry program; a special Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) is offered for high school biology teachers; and studies in molecular biology and genetics are teamed with evolution, ecology, and behavior studies for a special program in plant biology.
Bloomington Features Indiana's Midwestern Beauty and Engaging Culture in a Smaller-Sized City
Bloomington, Indiana, is a small city in the heart of the Midwest. It is an affordable, simple, and safe city for campus life, yet it includes many of the activities and conveniences of a larger city. For example, an array of festivals and special events are available, and a wide variety of ethnic restaurants and groceries reflect the large international student population on the campus.
Though Bloomington is a smaller-sized city, culture and entertainment are easily available. Indianapolis is only an hour's drive, and students can make getaways to Louisville, Cincinnati, Chicago, and St. Louis. However, students can easily enjoy themselves right in the Bloomington area. The university itself brings concerts, Broadway companies, art exhibits, world leaders, and dance troupes to campus. Several nationally acclaimed museums are right on the campus, and students and faculty members perform more than 700 concerts and recitals each year.
By driving only a few miles, students can reach three lakes, one of which is the largest in Indiana, and enjoy swimming, boating, and fishing opportunities. (Students can make use of the IU sailing club's variety of boats.) An abundance of nearby state and national parks and forests provide beautiful and convenient hiking, camping, bird watching, and other nature activities.
If the biology department's own city league softball team does not appeal to the more sports-minded students, they can pursue intramural sports like flag football, tennis, racquetball, table tennis, or indoor and outdoor soccer. The more-serious athletes can pursue club sports that range from ballroom dance and judo to rugby and water polo.
