Student and Faculty Research

How to Get Involved 

Research for course credit 

You can enroll with permission from a faculty member in MBBC 0500, 0700, or 0701 to do independent, though directed, research with a faculty member for credit. You will work with that faculty member to design a project that either fits into their larger research program, or, rarely, is entirely designed by you independent of that research. If you are interested, please email a potential faculty research advisor midway through the semester before you want to do research. This is often early in your MBBC career (or even before declaring). Most students have reached out early in their junior year. This will start a discussion of whether the faculty member has space in their lab and, if so, what your project would be. This research project can continue for multiple semesters and optionally ends in a thesis. You should expect this to carry approximately the same time commitment as any other one-credit lab course at Middlebury. This averages around 10 hours per week, but some weeks will have more of a time commitment.  

Chemistry and Neuroscience both have forms to fill out to apply for research in labs affiliated with these majors. Info Here: CHEM and NSCI 

More information about a research class for credit, including deadlines, applying for funding, and how the credit will count towards your major, can be found here. 

Paid research assistantship during the academic year 

Some faculty members have funding for paid assistantships during the academic year. Typically you will have less autonomy over the project than if you did the research for credit. You can email faculty members to see whether they currently have open positions. Depending on the assistantship, the hours will usually vary between 2 to 10 hours a week. 

Paid research assistantships during the summer 

Some faculty members have research assistantships available during the summer. These are typically 8- to 10-week positions, with expectations that the student works approximately 40 hours per week. Each faculty member has their own way of hiring for these positions. Chemistry and Neuroscience run applications for these positions. Again, you will typically have less autonomy over the project than if you did research for credit. Contact faculty members early in the spring semester if you are interested.  

Volunteer lab work during the academic year 

Some faculty take on students to conduct volunteer work in the lab. Reach out to a faculty member the semester prior to your interest in starting in the lab to see if this may be an option. These types of positions are often more limited in terms of hours per week.  

Research Labs 

Below are Faculty members with research labs who sponsor MBBC independent research. Contact the listed faculty member for more information. Faculty with an asterisk are primary MBBC faculty. 

Biology 

• Catherine Combelles* (Reproductive biology) 
• Erin Eggleston* (Molecular Microbial Ecology) 
• Greg Pask* (Molecular neurobiology of insect sensory systems) 
• Emily Putnam* (Microbial genetics and food microbiomes) 
• Grace Spatafora* (Microbial molecular genetics) 
• Mark Spritzer (Behavioral neuroendocrinology) 
• Jeremy Ward* (Coral genetics and tick-borne pathogens) 
• Andrew Swafford  
• Sam Byrne (Environmental health and environmental justice) 

Chemistry 

• Bob Cluss* 
• Lindsay Repka* 
• Emma Guiberson* (Bacterial metabolism and metabolomics) 
• Kira Rahn 
• Molly Constanza-Robinson 
• Rick Bunt 

Neuroscience 

• Amanda Crocker  (Systems Neuroscience Lab- Pain circuitry and mitochondria functioning in disease)  
• Clint Cave  (Molecular mechanisms regulating progenitor patterning, neurogenesis, gliogenesis, and cell fate decisions) 

Computer Science 

• Michael Linderman (Genome sequencing informatics) 

Mathematics and Statistics 

• Alex Lyford  (Machine learning and Data Science) 

Physics 

• Michael Durst  (Biomedical Optics)