Independent Research

Course Goals 

• Provide students with an opportunity to conduct independent research in the disciplines affiliated with Molecular Biology and Biochemistry. 
• Provide students the opportunity for close (one-on-one) contact with the faculty advisor for their research. 
• Promote opportunities for interactions among students across disciplines. 

Research Informational Meeting 

For research students, the Biology Department BIO 500/700/701 Course Director schedules a general information meeting in the Fall. This covers budget applications, due dates, registration, and all lab safety courses. It is expected all MBBC 500/700/701 students who are doing research or plan to do research attend this meeting. See the Biology Department Website for more details.  

Funding Research Projects

If you are in a Biology Department Lab: 

Prepare and submit a budget and full budget justification at the beginning of the semester detailing the expected expenses of the research project. This will be approved by the advisor and department chair. A photocopy of the budget will be made by the department coordinator before being returned to the student.  It is your responsibility to read and adhere to all of the funding guidelines presented on the “Funding Your Research” and “Preparing Your Budget” pages. 

If you are in a Chemistry, Neuroscience or other department Lab:

Seniors - Prepare and submit a budget for SRPS funding.  

Helpful Resources and Forms 

• Biology Funding request form 
• SRPS Information 
• Biology and Neuroscience Purchase request form 
• Chemistry Order Form 
• Reimbursement form 
• Info on creating a Biology budget (useful for SRPS as well) 

Deciding to do a Thesis 

If you make satisfactory progress on an independent study project that requires more than one semester to complete and you wish to write a thesis and present your research in a more public forum, you can register for MBBC 0701 with the approval of your faculty research advisor during your senior winter or spring. The typical schedule for thesis work would involve enrolling in MBBC 700 during the fall semester of your senior year (or if in a chemistry lab, CHEM 0400) and MBBC 701 during the spring semester.  Other schedules are possible, however, and should be discussed with your faculty research advisor. 

Enrolling in MBBC 0701 and conducting your work in the context of a senior thesis changes the nature of the expectations placed on you. The forms and dates involved in MBBC thesis work depend on the department of the lab you are in. 

• Guidelines for completing a Senior Thesis 
• Departmental Honors in MBBC 

For Chemistry 

Enroll in CHEM 0400 the semester prior to Thesis (Usually Fall). The Chemistry faculty member overseeing CHEM 0400 will advise on the Thesis Declaration Form, Thesis committee formation, relaying of important dates, and scheduling presentations. MBBC Theses pursued in Chemistry labs will present their public presentation with Chemistry Thesis students. 

For Biology and Neuroscience and all other non-Chemistry Departments 

MBBC students with non-Chemistry faculty research advisors will follow Biology guidelines and dates for their thesis. BY filling out the thesis declaration form and enrolling in MBBC 0701, you are agreeing to accept the additional responsibilities of a Thesis. Because thesis work is a distinct class, note that a decision to pursue a thesis is subject to the same add/drop deadlines of any other course— you cannot therefore decide NOT to do a thesis after the drop deadline of the semester in which are enrolled in MBBC 0701 without petitioning the Administration Committee! 

• Biology and Neuroscience Thesis Declaration form 
• Biology Instructions for final thesis submission 
• Fillable Thesis title page 

Deadlines 

Note that Deadlines are dependent on whether you are pursuing research in a Chemistry Lab or Biology Lab or Other (all others follow Biology) 

Chemistry Deadlines:

Biology Deadlines:  

Additional Contacts 

Biology 500/700/701 Course Director ‘24-25 
Eric Moody 
McCardell Bicentennial Hall 327 
ekmoody@middlebury.edu 

CHEM 400 Course Director ‘24-25 
Lindsay Repka 
McCardell Bicentennial Hall 451 
lrepka@middlebury.edu 

NSCI 500/700/701 Course Coordinator ‘24-25 
Amanda Crocker 
McCardell Bicentennial Hall 353 
acrocker@middlebury.edu