UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HANDS-ON LEARNING The Timberlake Biological Field Station is an outdoor, handson laboratory and longtime working cattle ranch that advances environmental research, engages students in scientific discovery and promotes stewardship of the natural world. Students can research aquatic ecology, biology, chemistry, engineering, sociology, geospatial analyses, herpetology, hydrogeology, landscape management, plant ecology, sustainability, water quality and wildlife management. Every year, students from around the country spend 10 weeks conducting and presenting research as part of the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates program. Topics have included ways to improve water quality and ecology in the Colorado River and how cattle grazing can diversify monoculture fields of coastal Bermuda grass.
Scientific discovery. Undergraduate students find and name their own bacteriophages as part of the Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science program, administered by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science Education division. Students first dig in the soil to find new viruses, then they work through a variety of microbiology techniques and complex genome annotation and bioinformatics analyses. The program aims to increase undergraduate interest and retention in biological sciences through immersion in research.
Stargazing. Beneath the iconic copper dome of the Lamar Johanson Science Building, the Tarleton Planetarium provides a spectacular, immersive view of the stars. The facility features a Digistar 5 projection system, 5.1 surround sound and accurate images to bring the wonders of space to students, faculty, staff and visitors.
Undergraduate research. COST faculty work closely with students to provide opportunities to conduct research. These experiences enable students to build on their classroom knowledge by studying real-world problems and generating résumé worthy results for journal publications and conference presentations.
Internships. For many STEM students, internships provide an important mechanism to begin their professional careers. By working with companies such as Lockheed Martin and Bell Helicopter, students gain experience in a corporate environment that propels them toward success and often gets them hired (by the same company) shortly after they graduate. Internships also are available at the Tarleton research centers — the Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research, the Texas Analytics Institute and the Center for Agribusiness Excellence.
