TCU’s Biology Department prides itself in making meaningful research experiences available to interested undergraduate students. The department offers a fall semester course (BIOL 40021) entitled “Introduction to Biological Research” that is designed to heighten students’ awareness of research opportunities within the department. Beyond this, students can receive up to six hours of credit for performing independent research in the form of three different courses (BIOL 40803, 40900, 40033), two of which carry writing emphasis credit in the TCU Core Curriculum. Students may receive funding to support their research by applying for a Murphy research grant, named in honor of Dr. Clifford Murphy, a long-time Biology faculty member.

Undergraduates have made significant contributions to the research programs of the department as evidenced by the following:

i) Undergraduates have won a disproportionately large number of awards for which they are eligible. Most notably, the Boller Award which is given each year to the Honors Program student with the best presentations during Honors Week, has been won by a total of seven Biology majors: Matt Conrad (1992), Letitia Simpson (1994), Robert Gaines (1995), Paul Whatley (1998), Vanja Tepavcevic (1999), Todd Alonso (2001) and Kaveh Nezafati (2005).

ii) Undergraduates have served as coauthors on presentations at scientific meetings as well as on publication with great regularity.