Research Opportunities for Undergraduates

The Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources (DEENR) provides a wide variety of research opportunities for students in the 704 major. DEENR undergraduate student researchers study lizard endocrinology, ethnobotany and herbal medicine, resistance of diatoms to infection, bioinformatics of algae, gecko behavior, archeology, and cataloging native bee diversity.

Here are a few examples of EENR undergraduate research projects from this year:

Daria Pazdzior works in Henry John-Alder's lab investigating how sex steroid hormones affect lizard growth rates. The best thing about her research experience? "Tending her own zoo of lizards." READ MORE

Ravi Upadhyay works with Dr. Tovah Salcedo in the Bhattacharya lab to investigate the toxicity of Heterocapsa circularisquama, a red-tide dinoflagellate that episodically decimates shellfish in Japan. Ravi is conducting experiments to study potential life-history trade-offs involved with viral resistance and toxicity. He will continue his education post-Rutgers studying medicine. READ MORE

Tracy Brynildsen is completing her honors research project on a study of the behavioral responses of lizards to manipulated testosterone levels. Tracy analyzes videos using a custom set of key strokes to record the frequency of behaviors such as licking, attacking, fleeing, and mounting. This research experience is an asset to her career plans to become a veterinarian. READ MORE

Students can earn independent study credits for their research projects. Other students are paid by project grants; in other cases students receive funding through several Rutgers University programs designed to support students interested in research (see links below).

ARESTY Research Program

Student to Professional Internship Program

Rutgers Student Employment

If you are a student interested in finding research opportunities, please consult the links provided below or send an email to deenr@rci.rutgers.edu.