Education
Biotechnology training and student education provides programs and technical support for researchers, educators, and students of all ages. Participants come to our center to gain new insights and knowledge in theory and the newest laboratory practices under the guidance of our experienced professional research scientists.
CIB/ADVS Fall Semester Seminar Series
The Center for Integrated BioSystems, Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science, and College of Veterinary Medicine invite you to participate in our fall seminar series. Seminars take place on Thursdays at noon in the Merrill-Cazier Library, room 154 unless otherwise announced. Lunch will be provided.
High School
Biotechnology Summer Academy
Biotechnology Summer Academy exposes high school students to the numerous career opportunities available in biotechnology. Students are mentored by USU faculty who work in various disciplines. The week’s activities include communication workshops, lectures and demonstrations, laboratory training, field trips, mentoring and research.
The program is an intensive five-day internship involving a biotechnology-related project. Faculty from several departments at Utah State University volunteer their time, talents and labs to teach students and involve them in current research.
When will it take place? Registration for Biotechnology Summer Academy is closed for 2024. Please check back in early for 2025 for Academy dates.
How do I apply? An application form can be found in the program brochure and online.
Who should attend? High school freshman through seniors interested in bioscience, medicine and engineering.
Where is it held? The five-day program is held on the campus of Utah State University in Logan, Utah.
What does it cost? The fee is $300.00 and includes five days of room and board. Travel to and from the University is the student’s responsibility.
What will I gain? Experience and exposure to real-world issues in biotechnology. Students explore everything from plants, soils, food, nutrition, animal and veterinary sciences, to current topics in genomics and cloning.
Registration is Closed
Tours
The Center for Integrated BioSystems is happy to open its doors for tours to high school classes during regular business hours. Presentations are tailored to fit the needs and educational level of the students.
Why high school students and their teachers should tour the CIB?
- See the latest equipment and instrumentation utilized in biotechnology research.
- Hear from experts recent developments in the field of biotechnology and life sciences.
- Learn what research activities are being conducted in the CIB and life sciences community at USU.
- Learn about career opportunities available to graduates in life sciences.
- Experience a research lab environment and see life science professionals at work.
- Learn how a biotechnology product goes from a research idea to commercialization.
Summer Undergraduate Agricultural Biotechnology Research Experience
Are you interested in biological/agricultural research? Are you looking for an enriching and potentially life-changing experience this summer? If so, the Summer Undergraduate Agricultural Biotechnology Research Experience (SURE) program at Utah State University may be perfect for you.
- Create better varieties of crops
- Develop new biofuels
- Create animal models to study human disease
- Improve nutrition and health
- Many other exciting possibilities
The SURE program at USU summer internship program that will place you in a research laboratory with a faculty mentor where you will gain first-hand experience in scientific research. You will work on a real research project where you will learn laboratory techniques, how to interpret data, how to apply scientific principles to answer questions, and how to present your data to others. In addition to the lab experience, there will be weekly seminars to teach skills relevant to scientific research such as lab safety, science communication, research ethics, critical reading of scientific publications, potential careers in agricultural research and biotechnology, and data management.
On-campus housing is provided where you will live with other participants in the program who share common interests. You will also work daily with professional researchers and graduate students. There will be occasional recreational and educational field trips. Participants will also receive a $4100 stipend for the summer.
The SURE program is for students who come from institutions where there is little or no opportunity to gain research experience. We currently have recruiting collaborators at USU Eastern-Blanding, USU Eastern-Price, Snow College, Dine College, Salt Lake Community College, College of Southern Idaho, and Fort Valley State University. If you are at one of these institutions and do not know who is your recruiting collaborator, email Dr. Aaron Thomas (aaron.thomas@usu.edu) to find out. If you come from another institution and wish to apply, email Dr. Thomas to discuss your eligibility.
Program Brochure
Participants will be selected based on academic achievement, career goals, and scientific interest. Applications are due March 1, 2024, and participants will be selected by March 8, 2024. The program will run May 22 through August 6, 2024.
- A list of faculty with whom you would like to work. The table below lists those faculty who have expressed an interest in hosting students, along with links to their websites where you can learn more about their research. Select a few individuals who are doing work that looks interesting to you. Other faculty at USU may also host students if asked, so if you find someone else you would like to work with, who is not on the list, you may request that in your application and we will attempt to make that connection.
- An essay describing your interest the program (suggested length: 2-3 pages). Include the following points:
- Classes you have taken that are relevant to this program. How did those classes affect your interest in research?
- Your academic interests. What fields of research or science interest you the most, and why?
- What are your career goals and how will this program aid your progress toward those goals?
- Anything else describing your interest in the program.
- If you wish to work with someone not on the list, please also include in your essay an explanation of why you want to work with that individual.
- A letter of recommendation from a faculty member at your institution. This letter should be emailed to aaron.thomas@usu.edu with your name and “SURE letter of recommendation” in the subject line.
- A current transcript or other document showing the classes you have taken and the grades received.
Faculty Interested in Sponsoring Students
| Name | Department | Interests |
|---|---|---|
| Abby Benninghoff | Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences | Toxicology, cancer and gene regulation |
| Chris Davies | Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences | Immunogenetics and reproductive immunology |
| S. Clay Isom | Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences | Genomics and epigenomics of early embryo development |
| Young-Min Lee | Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences | Virology and vaccine development |
| Ying Liu | Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences | Cloning, reproductive biology, epigenetics |
| Iuri Viotte Perisse | Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences | Genetic engineering and molecular biology |
| Irina Polejaeva | Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences | Large animal transgenic models, animal cloning |
| Kara Thornton-Kurth | Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences | Nutrition and growth physiology |
| Zhongde Wang | Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences | Genome engineering, epigenetics and stem cells |
| David Britt | Biological Engineering | Nanoparticle interactions with beneficial microbes and plants for agricultural applications |
| Luis Bastarrachea | Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science | Food processing, food engineering, food preservation, food science |
| Korry Hintze | Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science | Nutrition and chronic disease |
| Silvana Martini | Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science | Sensory characteristics of foods |
| Prateek Sharma | Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science | Food chemistry and biochemistry, engineering, material science |
| Robert Ward | Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science | Food chemistry and bioactive nutrients |
| Amita Kaundal | Plants, Soils, and Climate | Tannins in plant species |
| Rakesh Kaundal | Plants, Soils, and Climate | Bioinformatics |
| Jennifer MacAdam | Plants, Soils, and Climate | Plant stress response |
| Jeanette Norton | Plants, Soils, and Climate | Soil microbiology and molecular ecology |
| Mirella Ortiz | Plants, Soils, and Climate | Weed Science, herbicide efficiency, plant physiology |
| Youping Sun | Plants, Soils, and Climate | Water conservation in landscaping |
| Shaun Bushman | USDA | Stress tolerance in rangeland grasses |
| Diana Cox-Foster | USDA | Pollinating insect biology |
| Zane Davis | USDA | Plant toxicology |
| Steven Larson | USDA | Plant genetic diversity and gene discovery |
| Heloisa Rutigliano | Veterinary Academic Programs | Immunogenetics and reproductive immunology |
| Jeff Mason | Veterinary Clinical and Life Sciences | Reproductive aging and orthopedic disease |
| Ralph Meyer | Veterinary Clinical and Life Sciences | Environmental reproductive toxicology |
| Mirella Meyer-Ficca | Veterinary Clinical and Life Sciences | Environmental toxicology, offspring health & reproductive potential |