Undergraduate Student
Research Opportunities – Spring ‘24
Contact: Dr. Bill Martin,
Biological Sciences, Montgomery 448, wmartin1@niu.edu
To apply: Please prepare a brief
statement of academic background and personal interest in the
project(s). You may
email this to Dr. Martin (email above) or set up a time to discuss your
interest. Brief interviews via Zoom,
Teams or in person may be requested of any applicant as part of the screening
process. Students of all academic levels with an interest in research
experiences are encouraged to apply. Candidate
decision in early January 2024.
Project:
1) Title: Evaluation of student
learning, self-identity and demographics in an introductory Biology
classroom.
Duration: Jan
16th – April 30th
Commitment:
minimum 5 hours / week; some mutually agreed to collaboration hours,
1x project meeting per week with Dr.
Martin
Compensation:
$300/month
Requirements:
Students complete provided research steps and present at the on-
campus
CURE (Conference
on Undergraduate Research Engagement) event.
Your
background: Preference given to undergrads majoring in a
STEM field who have
successfully
taken Bios 208 or equivalent at another institution.
Details: Undergraduate
researchers (2 positions) will collaborate to build utility-value intervention
cues, referencing culturally relevant, best teaching practices and trial these
in this semester. This initial research involves
trial and discovery of effective interventions to establish baseline data for
future interventions and/or relevance assignments in the undergraduate Biology
lecture classroom.
2) Title:
Monitoring chloride levels in the South Branch Kishwaukee River watershed.
Duration: Jan
16th – April 30th
Commitment:
minimum 1-2 hours / week; some mutually agreed to collaboration hours,
1x project meeting per week with Dr.
Martin
Compensation: Students
may volunteer, or apply for credit in Bios 495 Directed Research in
Biology.
Hourly funding of $14/hour may become available.
Requirements:
Students complete provided research steps and present at the on-
campus
CURE (Conference
on Undergraduate Research Engagement) event.
Your
background: Preference given to undergrads majoring in a
STEM field.
Details: Undergraduate
researcher(s) (1-2 positions) will actively participate in a citizen science
collaboration to complete river and stormwater sampling on and near the NIU
campus. Students will be trained in
required water sampling and metadata (site conditions and sampling details)
collection techniques.
3)
Title: Perennial Food Crop
evaluation
Duration: April
15th – November 1, 2024
Commitment:
minimum 1-2 hours / week; some mutually agreed to collaboration hours,
1x project meeting per week with Dr.
Martin. Minimal work during the spring
semester, weekly
work
during the summer and fall semester.
Compensation:
Students may volunteer, or apply for credit in Bios 495 Directed Research in
Biology.
Requirements:
Students complete provided research steps and present at the on-
campus
CURE (Conference
on Undergraduate Research Engagement) event.
Your
background: Preference given to undergrads majoring in a
STEM field.
Details: Undergraduate
researcher(s) (1-2 positions) will actively participate in a citizen science
collaboration to evaluate perennial crop alternatives to annual soybean,
sunflower, and more. Additional
information on the Land Institute website.
Work will be completed on the NIU campus in conjunction with Edible
Campus. Students will be trained in
outdoor garden plot techniques.
Note: Dr.
Martin is a plant geek by training and in hobby. Please feel free to suggest plant related research
projects of your personal interest.
Additional projects will be finalized and announced in spring ’24 for
summer/fall student collaborations.
