MICROM 499
MICROM 499 offers the opportunity to learn current laboratory technology essential for industry or graduate school, and to participate in scientific research at the conceptual and technical levels. MICROM 499 can therefore be a very rewarding experience, however it is a demanding and time-consuming endeavor. It is not for everyone, and for this reason is not a required course for microbiology majors.
Consider carefully your ability to commit the necessary time and effort before deciding to do a MICROM 499 project. It is expected that students will register for 2-3 credits of MICROM 499 for AT LEAST 2 quarters (1 credit is equal to 3 hrs per week). Students should expect to spend a minimum of 6-10 hours per week in the laboratory, and should be somewhat flexible with regard to scheduling time in the lab.
There are many ways to go about identifying a research mentor:
To assist in your search, faculty with openings for MICROM 499 are listed in the table here. We have also curated a list of Undergraduate Research Opportunities in the Department of Microbiology (coming soon!), which includes work study and for pay opportunities.
We also encourage interested students to complete the Microbiology Undergraduate Research Interest form, which will add you to a list of students seeking research opportunities that our faculty has access to. Please note that while adding yourself to this list may increase your visibility, it does not guarantee an undergraduate research position. We strongly encourage you to contact directly faculty whose research you're interested in!
Please be aware that not every laboratory may have an opening for a MICROM 499 student. Try to arrange your MICROM 499 as far as possible in advance (1-2 Quarters) of the quarter you wish to begin. Once you have been accepted into a laboratory for MICROM 499, contact Josey Overfield, Academic Adviser, to obtain an entry code to register for the course. A C/NC grade is given for each Quarter of research. Some research mentors require that the results of your study be written up as a research report; MICROM 496 can be used for this purpose.
Undergraduate Research in any department may be used as an elective, provided the research project has the prior approval of the Undergraduate Research Advisor. Use this form to get your research approved if it is outside of the Department of Microbiology.