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Honors Program

This program is designed to provide undergraduate students with an in-depth research experience. An undergraduate research experience is highly recommended for entry into many graduate and professional programs and is an excellent way for a student to find out if they like doing research. Culmination of the Honors program will consist of an undergraduate thesis and an undergraduate seminar.

Entrance Requirements

To enter this program, students must have an overall GPA of 3.25 and a minimum of 3.0 GPA in biology courses (at least six units of upper division biology excluding BIO 106, 108, 194, 195, 197 and 199).

Curriculum

The curriculum for the Honors Program is designed to be coupled with the BA or BS degree programs. The Honors Program requires the following courses, completed with a grade of 'B' or better, for the BA or BS degree:

(2 units) Bio 198A Honors Proseminar and Research

(2 units) Bio 198B Honors Research and Seminar

What does all of this mean?

A student in the Honors program signs up for these two courses (one in the Fall, one in the Spring). In the Fall, the course (198A) consists of 1 hour of lecture and discussion on such things as how to do research, how to present at a conference, how to get into graduate school, etc. This is also the time when each student is matched up with a faculty supervisor/mentor and the student begins their independent research. The fall semester culminates with each student presenting an oral and written research proposal. [Here are the guidelines].

In the Spring, the student focuses on completing their research. The spring semester culminates with each student preparing a written thesis, as well as a poster and oral presentation about their research.

Honor's students (2008-2009)

Honor's students (2007-2008)

Nicole Agcanas: "" Thesis supervisor:

Kirsten Courtade:Thesis supervisor: Dr. John Spence

Alecia Greenlee: Thesis supervisor: Dr. Nathan Trueblood

Rachel Ilegan: Thesis supervisor: Dr. Shannon Datwyler

Daphne Massey: Thesis supervisor: Dr.

Deshara Merkerson: Thesis supervisor: Dr. Nathan Trueblood

Linda Sok: Thesis supervisor: Dr. Nick Ewing

 

Honor's students (2006-2007) Course website

Sydney Chun: "Distribution of Antibody to Group A Streptococal M Protein in Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections " Thesis supervisor: Dr. Christine Kirvan

Sarah Cummings: "Seed viability in Eriogonum apricum var. apricum and E. apricum var. prostratum, the Ione and Irish Hill Buckwheat". Thesis supervisor: Dr. Mike Baad

Beth Glidewell: "Morphometrics as a method to verify sexual dimorphism in convict cichlids". Thesis supervisor: Dr. Ron Coleman

Sandra Johnston: "Predicting behavior responses to human activities in wintering sandhill cranes, Grus canadensis" . Thesis supervisor: Dr. Ron Coleman

Manu Mehta: "Analysis of protease sensitivity of an amyloidogenic human apolipoprotein A-I Mutant in the lipid-bound state" . Thesis supervisor: Dr. Linda Roberts

Pang Moua: "The effects of Datisca glomerata on two breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and BT-474" Thesis supervisor: Dr. Mary McCarthy

Kim Nelson: "Protein biochemistry of cichlid fish eggs" Thesis supervisor: Dr. Ron Coleman

Lorae Simpson: "Hybridization of Penstomen newberryi var. newberryi and P. cardwellii" . Thesis supervisor: Dr. Shannon Datwyler

River Ybarra: "Investigation of a neuronal surface binding target of cross-reactive antibodies to a group A Streptococcus in Syndenham's chorea" Thesis supervisor: Dr. Christine Kirvan

Honor's students (2005-2006)

Jessica Rutherford: Using Phage Display to Identify Human Brain Cell Surface Antigen Leading to Cross Reaction In Sydenham’s Chorea. Thesis supervisor: Dr. Christine Kirvan

Aaron Langenbeck: "Effects of temperature, nutrient addition and moistening agent on germination of yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) achenes" Thesis supervisor: Dr. Jamie Kneitel

Chris Fernandez: "The role of avian frugrivores in the dispersal pattern of toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia)", Thesis supervisor:Dr. Jim Baxter

Maricel Cubangbang: "Structural Analysis of Danio rerio apolipoprotein A-I by ans-binding and limited proteolysis", Thesis supervisor: Dr. Linda Roberts

Elaine Manzanilla: "The pattern of expression of the plasma membrane proton pump LHA2 during tomato root colonization by endomycorrhizal fungi", Thesis supervisor: Dr.Nick Ewing

Janelle Wilde: "Are there high anti-streptococcal antigen titers and lysoganglioside cross-reactivity in post-streptococcal disorders?", Thesis supervisor: Dr. Christine Kirvan

Breanna Wallace: "Importance of glycosylation of Xenopus laevis cortical granule lectin in the block to polyspermy" Thesis advisor: Thesis supervisor: Dr. Thomas Peavy

 

Honor's students (2004-2005)

Baksh, Leah. Do CCK1 receptors play a role in the transduction of lipids in the mouse gut? Thesis supervisor: Dr. Adam Rechs and Dr. Raybould

Bommarito, Bianka. Temperature preference in reproducing substrate spawning cichlids. Thesis supervisor: Dr. Ron Coleman

Cazares, Alejandra. Transcriptional regulation of smooth muscle cell differentiation by Serum Response Factor and Myocyte-Specific Enhancer Factor 2b. Thesis supervisor: Dr. Thomas E. Landerholm

Gandy, Brittney. PCR amplification of the gene for vitamin D3 24-Hydroxylase for use in breast cancer studies. Thesis supervisor: Dr. Mary McCarthy-Hintz

Hilber, Samantha. Egg size through successive spawnings in the convict cichlid. Thesis supervisor: Dr. Ron Coleman

Olinger, Elaine. Role of transcription factors: Serum response factor and myocyte-specific enhancer factor 2b in coronary smooth muscle cell differentiation. Thesis supervisor: Dr. Thomas E. Landerholm