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Undergraduate Research Opportunities

The university's commitment to being at the forefront of science and technology ensures that you will receive hands-on-research experience at the undergraduate, not just the graduate, level.

As a Biology or Biochemistry major, you may receive course credit for working on a project in one of UNT's research centers or laboratories. Using state-of-the-art instrumentation, you will perform undergraduate research working closely with experienced faculty members. Opportunities include researching remote sensing or water resources through the Institute of Applied Sciences, studying brain cells and the nervous system through the Center for Network Neuroscience, and studying plant biochemistry through the Center for Plant Lipid Research or the Nitrogen Fixation Laboratory.

Learn more about Undergraduate Research at UNT.

Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science Education Alliance

UNT is the only Texas university to participate in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science Education Alliance. This program is designed to involve college freshman in complex research early on in their academic careers.

Genomics labThe HHMI program at UNT includes the National Genomics Research Initiative (NGRI), a national experiment in both research and education that revolves around a research course in genomics for undergraduate students. UNT students who participate in this program will enroll in a two course sequence in which they will conduct research activities on bacteriophage genomics. Applicants must be pre-biochemistry, pre-biology, or computer science majors. This program is more intensive than the traditional biology laboratory course, but it is also more rewarding. Students gain research experience and are contributing to a real scientific research project. Due to the nature of laboratory research, students will be expected to conduct some experiments outside of class time as needed due to the progression of their particular experimental sample.

Learn more about the NGRI lab.

The UNT-HHMI Undergraduate Research Program offers current UNT junior and senior biology and biochemistry majors the opportunity to engage in a paid research experience in the laboratory of an active UNT biology or biochemistry researcher for up to one year. Students will also receive stipends for printing research posters, travel to a conference, and laboratory supplies. Participants may be eligible for up to 3 semesters of support and will be paired with a research mentor

Learn more about the UNT-HHMI Undergraduate Research Program.

FOCUS Program

The FOCUS (Fostering Outstanding Cohorts in Undergraduate Sciences) scholarship program for first-year biology, biochemistry, and chemistry students is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation. FOCUS students are paired with faculty and graduate student mentors, which give them the opportunity to work in laboratories, an opportunity that is typically reserved for upper-level students. Students also take a seminar class on how to be successful in science careers during their sophomore year, which provides opportunities to learn about research methods and opportunities. The seminar also helps students learn how to fund their junior and senior years by teaching the students about departmental, state and national financial aid resources.

Learn more about the UNT-FOCUS Undergraduate Research Program.

Honor Societies

By joining Beta Beta Beta, an honor society for biology students, or Alpha Epsilon Delta, a preprofessional honor society, you may gain additional research and learning opportunities.

Non-UNT Research Opportunities