An undergraduate research experience at Concordia allows students to perform experiments in a laboratory setting to discover God’s creation.
Imagine stirring two clear, colorless liquids with a solvent and reacting the mixture for an hour. A white, solid precipitate forms giving the appearance of a snow globe. After filtration, the researcher analyzes the solid with a variety of cutting-edge instruments to identify the structure of the newly generated product. Or imagine isolating from soil microorganisms that display antimicrobial properties using cutting-edge molecular and sequencing technology to identify new antibiotic producers.
Students enrolled in Concordia University Wisconsin’s physical science or biomedical science majors, or pre-pharmacy curriculums, have many excellent opportunities for undergraduate research at CUW working closely with heir professors. Whether it’s a one-credit elective course involving three hours of research per semester or a summer opportunity with a faculty member, physical science professors offer various experiences to help students obtain their goals. Students learn how to safely set up experiments and have a wide array of instrumentation to have unique hands-on experiences.
Research experiences catered to degrees
The general scope of the project depends upon the student’s major and goals after completing their degree. For example, chemistry majors may work on a project with a substantial amount of research over a two-year period. Meanwhile, a student entering pre-pharmacy oftentimes will be on a one- or two-semester project, giving them some research experience to supplement their pharmacy resume.
Furthermore, if a student plans to enter graduate school, the program can provide the required techniques for success with the goal of presenting their work at scientific meetings or publishing in scientific journals. Students entering industry have the skillsets to work in quality control, research, or production laboratories. Our university provides a quality education across any given field of discipline, always with the eye towards service to Christ.
Want in?
Concordia University Wisconsin is a Lutheran higher education community committed to helping students develop in mind, body, and spirit for service to Christ in the Church and the world. In the Department of Life and Earth Sciences, our vision is to provide you with a rigorous understanding of the world around you. By taking a “hands-on” approach to learning, we’ll help prepare you for vocations in research, education, graduate studies, and much more.
—This article is written by Scott Van Ornum, PhD, who serves as Chair of the Physical Sciences department at Concordia.