Student Resources

The UWRF Biology Department encourages students to be independent thinkers, to challenge traditional wisdom and to behave ethically and socially by following an environmentally sound lifestyle that will produce responsible global citizens. We strive to prepare our graduates to be effective and highly competitive employees and employers. We do this by offering a solid, broad-based foundation in the biological sciences and by promoting scholarship and lifelong learning. The Biology Department enhances UWRF by offering general education and service courses, as well as maintaining institutional, regional and global professional collaborations that provide additional educational opportunities

Vision

The Biology Department’s vision is to create a teaching, learning and working environment that:

• Attracts and retains the region's best science students.
• Provides an inviting, safe, and modern physical learning environment that meets the curricular and research needs of our students and campus.
• Demands academic excellence.
• Inspires intellectual curiosity and promotes critical thinking.
• Develops personal responsibility and self-confidence.
• Embraces thorough and open debate.
• Teaches and fosters ethical behavior and professional integrity.
• Values and supports hands-on learning.
• Trains effective communicators.
• Becomes an idea incubator that promotes entrepreneurial thinking.
• Demonstrates by example the value of collaboration.
• Retains, values and rewards engaged faculty mentors.
• Provides faculty the time and resources to remain professionally competitive as teachers, scholars and mentors.

To apply, you'll need to fill out a Student Internship Proposal Guidelines Form which includes the following:

• Description of the internship - the employer, range of duties and application to the major
• Student academic status
• Timeline and number of hours
• Credits to be earned and how they will be applied to your required coursework
• Earnings, if any will be obtained
• Supervision and evaluation - indicate academic and work supervisors and how you will be evaluated

The signed form must be turned in to the department chair prior to the start of the internship. Once the proposal has been submitted, you will obtain a permission number to register for BIOL 379. To earn credit, you must register for the course during the term in which the internship work is completed. The course is offered every semester, including winter and summer sessions.

When the internship is completed, you will be graded based on a report and any other requirements described in the proposal guidelines form. An evaluation by the internship work supervisor is required and should be submitted to the faculty supervisor who determines your grade based on the agreed upon criteria.

• Michigan State University Plant Genomics Internships
  • Michigan State University offers a 10-week mentored research experience utilizing wet-lab or computational-based approaches to address fundamental questions related to the biology of plants or photosynthetic micro-organisms. The REU program offers research seminars, professional development workshops, networking opportunities, graduate school advice, career discussions, presentation opportunities, and social activities. The application deadline is early February, with program dates mid May through late July. Housing and meals on campus are provided as well as a $5,750 stipend.
• University of Nebraska - Lincoln Summer Research Program
  • The University of Nebraska - Lincoln offers an intensive summer research experience that provides mentoring and research experiences while allowing scholars to preview graduate school life. Areas covered include applied plant systems, beneficial insects, bioenergy systems, biomedical engineering, materials science, minority health disparities, molecular plant-microbe interaction, plant and microbiome, redox biology, virology, and more.
  • Scholars stay in suite-style housing, enjoy an on-campus meal plan, and have travel costs covered. The program also features workshops for GRE prep, writing a personal statement, creating a research poster, and more. The stipend range is $5,000-$6000, and program duration is early June to early August. Application opens in November.

• Minnesota Department of Health
  • The Department of Health in Minnesota offers internship opportunities for college students. Work experience may include conducting secondary data analysis and preparing reports and/or data briefs on results.
  • To search for positions and apply visit the Minnesota Careers website and select Agency: Health Department or enter the Job ID in the search bar.
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
  • The State of Wisconsin has a Student Diversity Internship Program that offers paid internship opportunities for students wishing to explore different careers based on their unique interests. Work may include conducting botanical surveys, water sampling and data entry queries and analysis.
  • Apply online at Wisc.Jobs.

• Eau Claire City-County Health Department
  • The Eau Claire City-County Health Department (ECCCHD) provides opportunities for aspiring environmental health professionals to gain work experience as an Environmental Health Aides. Based on interests and qualifications, selected applicants are assigned to a specific focus area within ECCCHD’s many environmental health programs; with occasional opportunities being available to shadow and assist in other programs. These positions can include working in the ECCCHD’s public health laboratory, a code compliance program, and the housing program as well as assisting with various projects with GIS applications. These flexible part time positions are perfect for a college student or working professional to explore working for a local health department. Summer hours are likely to consist of up to 36 per week for each position with potential for a more limited schedule extending beyond summer for select positions.
  • Apply on Handshake.
• Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
  • The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has numerous seasonal student positions each year. Sampling aquatic plants and water quality, teaching recreational fishing, ecology, and conservation, working as part of fisheries survey crews, collecting data on state forest land, surveying and mapping land,  establishing long term monitoring plots, processing samples in a lab, and recording data are just some of the diverse internship opportunities offered throughout the state of Minnesota.
  • To search for positions and apply visit the MN DNR Website or the Minnesota Careers website.
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
  • The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has a number of seasonal positions for biological monitoring each year. They are looking for Student Workers, Technicians, and Temporary Biologists in St. Paul and Brainerd to monitor groundwater, collect fish samples and habitat measurements, maintain field equipment, and keep records among other duties.
  • To search for positions and apply click on the links above or visit the Minnesota Careers website amd select Agency: Pollution Control Agency and Job Function: Student.
• Minnesota Zoo (Zoological Gardens)
  • The Minnesota Zoo offers unpaid and paid internships in many of its divisions. A Minnesota Zoo internship provides workplace experience and the opportunity to learn about careers in zoology, education, communication, conservation, and public service. Applications are accepted year-round from junior and senior students. All internships run 10 to 14 weeks, 30 to 40 hours a week.
  • College students who are accepted as interns at the zoo have a unique opportunity to gain practical workplace experience, complete a meaningful independent projected related to their internship placement and fulfill an academic requirement within their program of study. A student intern must be receiving academic credit from, or be fulfilling an academic requirement of an accredited institution of higher education.
  • For more information, visit the Minnesota Zoo website or search for openings on the Careers in Minnesota website under Agency - Minnesota Zoological Gardens, Job Function - Student.
• North Dakota Parks and Recreation
  • The North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department offers various seasonal job opportunities for students including park attendants, park rangers, and park interpreters. However, there are a number of different positions that are available.
  • View the open positions on the North Dakota State Government website.
  • Contact Kennedy Luedeman with any questions.
    • Email: keluedman@nd.gov
    • Phone: (701)-890-6471
• Prior Lake - Spring Lake Watershed District
  • The Prior Lake - Spring Lake Watershed District hires Water Resource interns each summer. Interns monitor the District's conservation easements, assist with projects, support the District's education and outreach efforts to the public, complete water quality monitoring, and assist with erosion and sediment control site inspections.
• St. Croix Wetland Management District (WMD)
  • The St. Croix Wetland Management District, headquartered out of New Richmond is part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wildlife Refuge System. They are looking for students to assist with a diversity of projects including plant inventory, seed collection, monarch butterfly surveys, invasive species control, and fence installation and maintenance for grazing public lands.
  • More information about the St. Croix Wetland Management District.
• US Fish and Wildlife Service
  • The US Fish and Wildlife Service offers various opportunities for student trainees. Duties can include compiling GIS map data, invasive species and fish pathogen monitoring, data management of databases, data assessment and validation, and/or geographic data discovery.
  • Apply at USAJOBS.
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
  • The State of Wisconsin has a Student Diversity Internship Program that offers paid internship opportunities for students wishing to explore different careers based on their unique interests. Work may include conducting botanical surveys, water sampling, and data entry queries and analysis.
  • Apply online at Wisc.Jobs.
• Wisconsin Wildlife Federation Conservation Leadership Corps
  • The Conservation Leadership Corps training program provides excellent training to students who are interested in conservation and environmental policy. The training program focuses on leadership, policy communication and advocacy, policy analysis and development, and policy presentation skills.
  • All costs are covered by the WWF and a small scholarship will be given to each student upon completion of the program. The application deadline is May 31. The program is focused on current high school seniors and college students that have at least one additional year of college remaining.

• NASA
  • NASA Internships are competitive awards to support educational opportunities that provide unique NASA-related research and operational experiences for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students, as well as educators. These opportunities serve students by integrating interns with career professionals emphasizing mentor-directed, degree-related tasks, while contributing to the operation of a NASA facility or the advancement of NASA's missions. The application can be found on the NASA Internships and Fellowships website.
• Oceans Research
  • Oceans Research provides an opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to join its team of researchers in Mossel Bay, South Africa. During a month long experiential learning course, students gain hands-on practical training in conducting field research on South Africa's marine megafauna, including the white shark. Students are an integral part of the research team; collecting data while gaining valuable insight and training in the latest methods and seamanship to equip them with the skills necessary to be successful marine researchers.
• Organization for Tropical Studies
  • The National Science Foundation's LSAMP (Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation) and Organization for Tropical Studies offer summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Costa Rica. Students selected for the program live at one of two stations that provide unparalleled access to tropical forest ecosystems, mentoring by tropical ecology researchers, and training in field research methodology. The program covers the cost of room and board, international travel, and provides a stipend of $550/week for eight weeks of research.
• Student Conservation Association
  • Get real conservation experience with the Student Conservation Association. They provide expense-paid internships including a living stipend, housing and round trip travel for 3-12 months in all fifty states. Programs include young adult, gap year, and field experience opportunities ranging from exploring sustainability to leading conservation crews and projects.
• Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge
  • Turpentine Creek is a GFAS Accredited Sanctuary in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, committed to rescuing abused, abandoned and unwanted exotic cats. They offer six month post graduate internships in the fall and spring during which students provide daily care of tigers, lions, bears, leopards, and other exotic cats. In addition to cleaning, feeding, and medicating the animals, interns provide habitat maintenance and construction, animal husbandry and enrichment, record keeping, tours, and receive behavior management training. Housing is provided on the refuge as well as a weekly stipened for food.

This scholarship supports students intending to spend a fall or spring semester performing international scientific research. Credits will be earned based on the research performed.

The scholarship is available to all qualified students studying science and agriculture. However, students must be enrolled in the UW-River Falls Semester Abroad: Europe program, or another UW-River Falls education abroad program such as Experience Scotland or an approved independent study program. Scholarship recipients must carry out a semester-long, adviser-approved research project while abroad.

Students must submit a research project proposal agreed upon by both a UWRF faculty mentor and a foreign mentor. The proposal must include an indication of the research facility where the student will work abroad and the project in which they will participate. Recipients must provide a research report, scientific publication or present their research at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research or at a discipline-specific conference upon the completion of their semester abroad.

Preference for the scholarship will be given to students with a financial need who haven't had a previous study abroad experience.

Laboratories Participating in the Scholarships:

• The Animal Breeding and Genetics group at Georg-August-University Göttingen in Göttingen, Germany, focuses on the genome-based analysis of genetic progress in livestock breeding programs.
• The group of Dr. Riva at the University of Milan, Veterinary Medicine, in Milan, Italy, is focused on the innate immune response of domestic animal species.
• Vrije Universiteit, Brussel, in Brussels, Belgium has a Molecular immunology group offering an SAE program placement research project for a biology/microbiology/biotechnology student.

This scholarship supports entering sophomore students (current first year) majoring in biology who intend to pursue studies in the field of cellular or molecular biology. Apply here.

• Preference will be given to students with demonstrated financial need.
• Preference will be given to students with a minimum cumulative 3.50 GPA.

The scholarship is not renewable but after receiving this scholarship recipients are encouraged to apply for the J.E. Butler Upper Class Cellular and Molecular Biology Scholarship.

This scholarship supports entering junior students majoring in biology who wish to pursue a professional career both in science and in appreciation of the fine arts and history.

Student must be a biology major, who intends to pursue studies in cellular or molecular biology as part of a post-graduate program, either in basic research or as part of a professional program related to human or animal health. Preference is to studies on eukaryotic organisms rather than bacteria. Depending on the nature of the applicant pool, preference will be given to students interested in pursuing graduate research as opposed to those only wishing to become practicing physicians or veterinarians.

• Student must be an entering junior.
• Preference will be given to students with demonstrated financial need.
• Preference will be given to students with a minimum cumulative 3.5 GPA.
• The scholarship is renewable for one additional year based on the following criteria, which would be reviewed annually by the selection committee, together with the recipient's academic adviser:
  • Maintained 3.5 GPA
  • Evidence of strong laboratory skills
  • Progress toward degree which includes courses in cellular or molecular biology, biochemistry, immunology, virology and genetics. The focus of their training must remain cellular or molecular biology within the limits described above.
  • Involvement in an undergraduate research project focusing on cellular or molecular biology preferentially in the field of immunology, and presentation of their independent research findings at least once during each scholarship year.
  • Demonstrated academic interests outside of science (a well-rounded liberal arts education would include courses in history and philosophy, music, the arts and foreign language).

If a recipient fails to meet the renewal criteria, or changes to an unrelated major, the scholarship shall be made available to another UWRF student according to the purpose and criteria in this section.

The Biology Club is an on-campus student organization made up of students who share a passion for wildlife and the ecosystem. The group encourages scientific discovery, research and social interaction with those interested in the biological sciences. Students work with faculty to advocate for resources for students in and out of the biology majors, and strive to help make UWRF more innovative and sustainable. Biology Club meetings are held Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. in 423 Agricultural Science.

The Pre-Health Society is an organization for students interested in health sciences. The group provides numerous volunteer and work opportunities, hosts speakers and attends various events throughout River Falls and the Twin Cities. The goal of the organization is to help its members enter their desired graduate programs for health care. The Pre-Health Society meets Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. in the Chippewa River Room, UC.

The Resource Management Club is a volunteer-based organization that provides many hands-on experiences related to post-graduation fields. The club hosts events including invasive species removal, easement monitoring, duck house building, skiing/hiking outings at state parks, wildlife monitoring and more. Volunteer events can be counted as Honors student hours as well as help build a resume.

The club works with various local NGO and government organizations including Trout-Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, Prairie Enthusiasts, DNR, National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife. Guest speakers from a variety of career fields are also brought in to talk about internship opportunities and career pathways. In addition to all these opportunities, students can earn professional certificates including chainsaw safety training, herbicide applicator training for prairie, forest and wetland, and prescribe burning certificates during their time in the club. The Resource Management Club is open to the needs of its members and organization events are tailored to give students valuable experiences.

The UWRF Pre-Veterinary Club is designed to gather students with an interest in veterinary medicine to share ideas, network, and participate in activities that broaden their understanding of the veterinary field. The club attends the national American Pre-Veterinary Medical Association (APVMA) symposium each year and brings in a wide array of zoo veterinarians and admissions office speakers from various veterinary colleges. The club also hosts a panel discussion so students may ask questions about the job or application process. The club is very active in community service, fundraising, and other social networking activities including picnics, intramurals, movie nights, and bowling. Meeting dates and times can be found on the organization's Facebook page.