College of Science and Technology packs lecture hall with Undergraduate presentation


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Students listen as biology professor Andrew Mahon speaks during a presentation about research opportunities for undergraduate biology majors on Thursday in Brooks Hall. After the meeting, students had a chance to chat with professors about their specific research.

The demand for Thursday night’s Undergrad Research Night within the College of Science and Technology was so popular that students had to sit on the floor just to hear professors speak. From scholarship opportunities to studying abroad, no educational stone was left unturned in the wake of doctors and professors looking to reach out to students.

“It all boils down to taking what you’re learning in the classroom and applying it to what’s real,” said Andrew Mahon, professor Molecular Ecology, Phylogeography, and Molecular Systematics.

Mahon, who served as the emcee of sorts for the night, introduced a number of professors who spoke on behalf of their departments or programs. Ben Swarts, professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry, was one such individual. Harping on the importance of studying abroad, Swarts cited studying at the South African University, Stellenbosch, as “cost effective” and an important experience for students to have.

But money doesn’t seem to be a problem that the College of Science and Technology has. Between 2012 and 2013 alone, roughly $55,000 was given out in scholarship to 78 students. Most of this money comes from alumni donations or scholarships funds set up in memoriam of past students, said Assistant Professor in Biology, Stephen Juris.

“(The money) comes from a little bit of everything,” Juris said. “There are nine, ten, eleven different funds.”

“The CMU Department of Biology offers a number of tuition and research scholarships, both at the main campus and at the CMU Biological Station on Beaver Island,” read a handout distributed during the presentation. “The deadline for scholarship applications is March 15th.”

Alongside a large number of scholarships, the College of Science and Technology has also maintained a high enrollment. With almost 1,000 majors to choose from, Juris states that the amount that the college has to offer is what draws in students.

“There are a lot of students interested in health research fields, that’s the initial draw,” he said.

Students on the whole seemed widely satisfied with the level of information being given, especially where professors are concerned.

Biology major Hannah Klug said that knowing who she could be taking classes and programs with, saying: “It’s less intimidating to know what the professors’ research is in bore approaching them.”

Tracy Galarowicz, Chairperson of the Biology Department, believes that Central’s faculty within the department is what sets them apart from other schools.

“We have the faculty that teach the labs and go out into the field,”Galarowicz said. “Just the number of faculty that came in tonight, we have a great faculty that care about our students.”

For students who could not make the informational meeting, additional information on scholarships, research opportunities, and more can be found on bio.cmich.edu.

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Troy senior Jordyn Hermani, Editor-in-Chief of Central Michigan Life, is a double major ...

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