Directed Research: BCH 197

Undergraduate students interested in getting hands-on experience in a university lab environment, with the potential to earn course credit, should consider directed research with Biochemistry faculty. 

To get started, students are encouraged to:

1. Find a lab that fits them and their research interests.
   • To review a list of current department faculty and their individual lab sites, please see: https://biochem.ucr.edu/people/department-faculty.
2. Reach out and inquire.
   • Students should send a brief email to the professor they're interested in doing research with to introduce themselves and to ask if their selected mentor is currently accepting undergraduate students into their lab. 
3. Earn Course Credit (BCH 197).
   • After joining the lab and settling in, students may ask the supervising faculty member to approve their enrollment in research credit through BCH 197: Research for Undergraduate Students.
   • Note - Requirements for BCH 197 Include:
     • Students must reach AT LEAST junior status and have permission from their research mentor to enroll in BCH 197. 
     • Students can enroll in 1-4 units per quarter and repeat the course. 
     • To pass, students will need to research and submit a final report to their faculty mentor, by the end of the quarter they are enrolled in.

Award for Academic Excellence: The Leland M. Shannon Award

Each year, students enrolled in BCH 162, Advanced Biochemistry Lab, and who have attained top scores in the class, are eligible to apply for the Leland M. Shannon Award. 

Applications are accepted in mid-May and are reviewed by course instructors from each quarter. 

From all applications, a select number of students are chosen and receive:

1. An award certificate, which is presented during an informal gathering at the end of the Spring quarter.
2. A monetary cash award, distributed to student through their Banner student account.
3. Recognition as a Leland M. Shannon award recipients on the perpetual plaque displayed in the Boyce Hall lobby case. 

To learn more about this award and its founder, please visit: https://advancementservices.ucr.edu/scholarship/ScholarshipFundInfo.aspx?fund=600173

Award for Excellence in Community Service & Public Service: Dr. Edwin Ravi Alexander Award in Biochemistry

Year round, applications are accepted for the Dr. Edwin Ravi Alexander Award in Biochemistry from students who:

1. Are majoring in Biochemistry
2. Have Junior or Senior standing
3. Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their science and mathematics courses
4. AND who have significantly contributed to community and public service activities while actively engaging in their studies as a Biochemistry major student at UC Riverside

Application requirements include the following:

1. Submission of a formal letter to the Chair of the Department of Biochemistry detailing the community and public service activities that a student has engaged in while actively pursuing their undergraduate degree as a Biochemistry major at UC Riverside
2. Arrangement of three letters of recommendation that should be sent to the Biochemistry department chair.
   • Note: One of the three letters MUST be from an individual who has directly supervised your community/public service activities
3. Submission of official college transcripts to the department chair

All applications are reviewed by the department chair, in consultation with the Biochemistry Undergraduate Advising Chair, and award decisions are announced in January.

To learn more about this award and its founder, please visit: https://advancementservices.ucr.edu/Scholarship/ScholarshipFundInfo.aspx?fund=200720

Biochemistry Summer Internship Program

COMING SOON!

Marc U* (Maximizing Access to Research Careers for Underrepresented Undergraduates)

This NIH-supported program extending stipends to underrepresented students interested in biomedical research, allowing them to conduct and present their research, as well as participate in activities aimed toward increasing recruitment into PhD research programs. A summer Pre-Trainee program is available to sophomores and juniors, and a 2-year Training Program is available to Junior and Senior students.

Learn More