If you have not yet read the page titled, “Getting Started,” please do so before attempting to contact a faculty member.
Research labs for BIOS 310 and NEUR 310 may be found both on and off-campus. Most NEUR 310 students find off-campus labs. This is due to the distribution of the relevant labs, and is not a requirement by any means.
Please note: while the BIOS and NEUR 310 instructor can offer tips and assistance, it is the student’s responsibility to find, contact and secure a research advisor. The undergraduate research instructors do not have proprietary information on openings in labs. All openings received by the instructors are posted on the Neuroscience and Biosciences opportunities lists.
On-Campus Research Opportunities
BIOS 310 on-campus
Some on-campus Rice opportunities are posted on the BioSciences Opportunities site and listserv. You can join by clicking this link and “enrolling” in the BioSciences Opportunities Canvas site. Not all faculty post on this list, so it is prudent to contact any faculty member whose research interests you even if they have not posted research opportunities. To find out which faculty members are working in areas that you find intriguing, see the Biosciences Department Research Overview, select an area of interest, and click faculty photos to read their research summary.
NEUR 310 on-campus
As neuroscience research is a relatively new initiative at Rice, relevant research on campus is spread out among many departments. Below are links to departments that have historically done work related to neuroscience. This is not necessarily a fully inclusive list – if you find other faculty in other departments working on neuroscience related subject, feel free to contact Dr. Flynn to discuss the possibility of NEUR 310 credit.
Additionally, you can sign up for the Neuroscience Opportunities Listserv (an email newsletter), which will occasionally have advertisements for labs. Simply follow this link and fill out the form.
Off-Campus Research Opportunities
BIOS/NEUR 310 off-campus
If you have a particular research interest that is not found among the current Rice faculty, you are free to find a faculty member in the Texas Medical Center willing to host you (note that research outside of Houston will not count for BIOS/NEUR 310 credit but can count for BIOS 299 credit). A more detailed explanation of off-campus research, where to find it and what will qualify, can be found on the Off Campus Research page.
Not all kinds of research will be approved for course credit! For BIOS 310, your research should fall under the umbrella of something that could be considered biological laboratory or bioinformatics research (working with DNA, protein, cells, tissues, model organisms, ecology field studies, or using datasets from lab or field studies to answer biological questions). For NEUR 310, your research should have to with something that can be considered neuroscience, which is such a broad field that it is difficult to list exclusion requirements. If you have an interest in a particular lab or type of research, you should discuss this with the appropriate course instructor.
If you have secured an opportunity, visit the Registering for Research Credit page.
Off-Campus Experiential Education Opportunities (not necessarily research)
If you have secured an internship opportunity that may not fit into the requirements of BIOS 310 or NEUR 310, you can consider applying instead for BIOS 299: Experiential Education in Biosciences. Most activities relating to biology or science in general will qualify for BIOS 299. Some examples include, science policy, clinical research, science education, research in a lab or biotech company, environmental analysis for an environmental non-profit. Unlike the research courses, BIOS 299 activities are not restricted to Houston.
If you have secured an opportunity for BIOS 299 credit, visit the Registering for Research Credit page.