Biology and Biotechnology
About
The mission of Kent State University to transform lives and communities through the power of discovery, learning, and creative expression in an inclusive environment aligns well with the goal of our COF program in Biology and Biotechnology. One key aspect of the academic programs included in this COF program is the requirement for experiential learning through work-based learning experiences, either through an internship or individual investigation course (BS in Biotechnology, optional but encouraged) and provide the enrolled scholars with unique opportunities that lead to enhanced discovery, learning and creative expression all in a cost effective and as timely a fashion as possible. This COF program will not supplant existing resources at Kent State University. Instead, this program will capitalize on many existing programs that support our students to strive for enhanced discovery, learning, and creative expression.
Faculty in the departments of Biological Sciences, and Chemistry & Biochemistry, where the bulk of the courses for the Biotechnology (BTEC) as well as the Environmental Conservation Biology (ECB) major are housed, engage in excellent research funded by federal research grants through the NSF and NIH. These teacher-scholars strongly value discovery-based education that expands our knowledge and understanding of the natural world we live in. Many of our faculty engage in (interdisciplinary) research that involves undergraduate students in active, federally funded, projects. In fact, students in the Biotechnology major are required to engage in a research project as part of their baccalaureate degree. Our faculty also create life changing education experiences for our students. For example, the department of biological sciences is well known throughout the university for its study abroad programs to Costa Rica, South Africa, and Australia. Additionally, we partnered with the college of Education Health and Human Services, to provide an experiential learning experience in Uganda during the Summer of 2019. All of these programs adhere to the core values of the university and college and can simply be summed up as “Students First”.
Students in the Biotechnology and the Environmental Conservation Biology majors have actively been involved in research experiences on the Kent campus. For example, last summer several of our students participated in the university wide Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) programs. Two of our current COF scholars (Grace Jones and Diayanera Kelsey) won second place in the 3-minute thesis competition that is held in the Fall 2020 as a capstone experience to the summer SURE program.
QUESTIONS?
Please contact Dr. Edgar Kooijman (Associate Professor, Dept of Biological Sciences) for all inquiries.
