The primary reason I chose to attend Western State College was it's remarkable undergraduate research program. The mountains were just a nice bonus! This program is made possible by an endowment (~$2,000,000) and funds the Thornton Undergraduate Research Program in biology. The program provides up to $10,000 in funds for research supplies as well as $3000 in scholarship funds for the student. I took full advantage of the Thornton Undergraduate Research program, receiving funds for no less than four different projects totaling ~ $20,000 in research funds.

The Thornton Research Program and the amazing faculty in the Department of Natural and Environmental Sciences at WSC provided with me with the opportunity to develop as a student and a scientist. The experiences, especially in undergraduate research, I had while at WSC provided me with a suite of skills and confidence that has eased my transition into graduate school. Choosing to attend WSC was without a doubt one of the best decisions I have made and provided me with unique learning opportunities not available elsewhere.

Butterfly&I

Thornton Funded Projects & Educational Opportunities:

The Vocal and Nesting or Boreal Owls in Southwest Colorado - provided 70% of funding for equipment & 100% of scholarship (Advisor: Dr Pat Magee, Thornton Chair)

Distance Sampling Workshop - St. Andrews University, Scotland, UK - 100% funded

A Comparison of Natural Ejaculate Characteristics and Sperm Morphometry Between Greater and Gunnison Sage-Grouse - provided 90% of funding for equipment & 100% of scholarship (Advisor: Dr. Patrick Magee, Thornton Chair)

The Life History and Conservation of the Queen Alexandra's Birdwing Butterfly (Papua New Guinea) - provided funding for vaccinations and anti-malarial meds

STEP TO INITIATING AND COMPLETING AN UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PROJECT AT WSC

1. Identify a faculty member interested in a field that you are interested in. Some faculty already have a specific research projects in mind while others are open to a broad spectrum of research interests. This step is the most important but is entirely up to you.

2. Prepare your research proposal. This can be very lengthy and difficult process especially if scientific writing is alien to you. Some advisors will do most of the footwork for you and others won't. The more effort you insist upon and put in at this stage the more you will learn and the more satisfying your project will be.

I have included links to download proposals I've prepared for the Thornton Committee to act as guides to those preparing their own.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD EXAMPLE PROPOSALS TO THE THORNTON COMMITTEE:

3. Dot your i's, cross your t's, and sign your proposal and wait for word from the Thornton Committee's decision.

4. Some minor or major changes may be recommended from the Thornton Committee be sure and address these issues.

5. Order your supplies and prepare for your research project.

6. Collect your data.

7. Analyze your data (this would be a good time to become friends with a statistician see Dr. Andy Keck).

8. Write up your report with results for the Thornton Committee. This is an important step for two reasons. First, this provides an opportunity to learn to write in the scientific style. Secondly, it provides proof of both the successes and failures (both are inevitable) of your research project.

9. Present your research at a Thornton Seminar Series (contact Prof. Becky Sears) or at another conference (GREEBS, Tri-Beta Regional Conferences are good suggestions).

10. Publish your results. The journal BIOS of the Tri-Beta Biological Honors society publishes peer-reviewed literature of undergraduate research and represents an excellent option for students at WSC.