Science and Technology Honors Program

http://www.uab.edu/sthonors

Assistant Dean, Honors College & Science and Technology Honors Program: Mark O. Bevensee, Ph.D.

Associate Director: Joe L. March, Ph.D

UAB Honors Faculty Fellow - Science & Technology Honors Program: Jason T. Kirby, Ph.D.

Student Counselor: Sydney Sherwood

The Science and Technology Honors Program at UAB revolutionizes the undergraduate experience. Acceptance to the program places students in the company of fellow scholars and world-renowned researchers. Science and Technology Honors (STH) students synthesize ideas from multiple disciplines to tackle real, meaningful scientific problems. The unique, four-year STH curriculum of coursework, seminars, mentored research, and leadership challenges builds community and sharpens scientific thinking.

This unique program is the only one of its kind in Alabama. It is designed for the best and brightest students whose academic and extracurricular achievements demonstrate intellectual curiosity, energy, creativity, and leadership abilities. Graduates of the STH Program are well prepared for graduate study at the Master’s or Doctoral level as well as for professional school.

Mission

To prepare scientific leaders of the next generation by engaging students in interdisciplinary classroom, leadership, research, and innovation experiences which culminate in the dissemination of new scientific knowledge.

Vision

• UAB’s Science and Technology Honors Program will recruit a diverse group of talented undergraduate students, involve faculty from across the university as teachers and mentors, and provide a unique educational experience for students.
• Through interdisciplinary courses and laboratory research experiences, STH students will be exposed to the power of integrating multidisciplinary approaches and will apply this perspective to research and innovation problems.
• STH students will be trained in scientific thinking and communication and will conduct and disseminate original research or scholarship under the supervision of a faculty mentor.
• STH graduates will be well prepared for graduate and professional study and will show evidence of leadership in academic, economic, and policy areas related to science and technology during their careers.

Benefits

Students in the STH Program work closely with research faculty and participate in original scientific research. During the first two years, the program prepares students with the knowledge and skills they need to get started in research. Beginning as early as the freshman or sophomore year, students work closely with a faculty mentor on an individualized project, learning about research and innovation through apprenticeship. STH students are encouraged to attend national conferences and to publish their research in scientific journals.

The program is a closely knit community with approximately 50 undergraduate students admitted each year. The small number encourages collaboration among students, interaction with faculty, and sharing of ideas. Students receive priority registration and take science and technology focused sections of core courses such as English Composition II (EH 102). In addition, STH students can earn graduate credit, providing an advantage when pursuing an advanced degree.

Coursework

The academic portion of the Science and Technology Honors Program builds upon UAB’s research strengths in science and technology. Special interdisciplinary courses such as Introduction to the Scientific Process (STH 199), the Interdisciplinary Seminar (STH 299), Big Ideas in Science and Innovation (STH 240), and Current Challenges in Translating Science into Benefit (STH 340) examine topics from many scientific and technical perspectives, illustrating how scientists integrate multiple fields of study when approaching research and development questions.

Students discover the methodologies and techniques used in a variety of research areas, including biology, cell biology, chemistry, molecular genetics, computer and information systems, engineering, neuroscience, psychology, physics, and more. In their Research Approaches (STH 201) course, students get hands-on experience in laboratory techniques and generate original data for presentation at the UAB Expo.

Exclusive seminars such as the Interdisciplinary Seminar (STH 299) put students face to face with UAB’s best known researchers who share their insights and experiences from the lab and the field. The entire curriculum is designed to encourage independent thinking, questioning of ideas, innovative problem-solving, and skill in scientific communication. STH coursework also integrates seamlessly with honors programs in science and technology majors.

The program culminates in a two-year intensive research experience under the direction of a UAB faculty member. Students build upon the methods they have learned in their courses and seminars to propose and conduct an independent research or innovation project in collaboration with their faculty mentor. This project becomes the student’s Honors Thesis. The Honors Thesis is prepared for publication in a scientific journal and for presentation at a national conference. Thus, many STH students will both publish a scientific paper and present at a national conference before graduating from UAB. Students in the program must complete thirty (30) credit hours of honors coursework, which includes at least 6 credit hours of independent research under the direction of a faculty mentor to complete their Honors Thesis research requirement.

The Honors Thesis may also take the form of a capstone or clinical innovation project developed in consultation with and approval of the program director.

• A capstone project draws together students' experience and is useful for students planning career paths other than bench research. Students will delineate the scope of the project, resources needed, and the anticipated product. The project could be proposed by a team of students with the scope adjusted and the expectation that several students will contribute.
• The clinical innovation pathway allows students to develop expertise in applied innovation within medical settings through a series of courses that provide exposure to clinical settings and guide them through a client-centered design process. The final product may include a working prototype, patent application, or business plan, depending on the scope of the proposed project. Students will have the option to develop an idea into a project either as an individual or as part of a team.

Who Should Apply

This program is best suited for students who are intensely curious about science and excited about the prospect of becoming a generator of new knowledge in their field. In addition to curiosity about science, successful applicants generally have a strong academic record and plan to pursue a career in science or technology. STH students typically have a GPA of 3.5 or higher in their high school academic courses and ACT or SAT scores at or above the 90th percentile in math and science. Because the program values diversity and strives to accommodate talented students, applications are reviewed individually and applicants are personally interviewed.

Students interested in applying to STH must first be admitted to the UAB Honors College. Following admission to the College, interested students may then submit an application to the STH Program. This application and accompanying recommendation must be received by the published deadline. For more information on applying to the Honors College or its Specialized Programs, visit http://www.uab.edu/honors.

STH Signature Courses

Each student in the program takes the following STH Program coursework during their first two years in the program to prepare for their independent research experience:

• Introduction to the Scientific Process (STH 199). Fall semester of freshman year. Students work in teams to analyze current scientific problems under investigation by UAB faculty, learning about how scientists approach problems and conduct their research, including ethics and institutional review of human and animal research.
• Research Approaches (STH 201). Spring semester of freshman year. Systematic training in foundational research methodologies and applying methods in research laboratories. Students choose among biotechnology training, advanced chemical analysis, or engineering design and materials analysis.
• Interdisciplinary Seminar (STH 299). Fall semester of sophomore year. This course illustrates the synergy achieved by interdisciplinary analysis of problems. Example topics include High Voltage Innovation, Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, Energy Generation and Conservation, Disorders of the Central Nervous System, Creating a Culture of Sustainability, Data Modeling, and Immunotherapy.
• Leadership Project Planning (STH 151) and Prime Time Leadership (STH 250). Spring semester of freshman year and fall or spring semester of sophomore year, respectively. This two-course leadership preparation sequence teaches students to apply leadership and teamwork skills to analyze a problem or need and develop a plan, to address the need, and then to carry through the resulting project. Students develop measurable outcomes, communicate with stakeholders, document the project's outcome, and prepare for a public presentation of the project.
• Big Ideas in Science and Innovation (STH 240). Sophomore or junior year. This course will integrate skills developed in STH 199, STH 201, STH 299, and EH 102/202 to examine current controversies and challenges in science and technology. Students will analyze scientific research and explore the "conversation" between scientists and other constituencies regarding the interpretation and application of the findings.
• Current Challenges in Translating Science into Benefit (STH 340). Junior or senior year. This course will build upon students’ research experiences by exploring the spectrum of basic to applied research in which each investigation is embedded. Through reading original scientific papers and using technical databases, students will explore "wicked problems" and develop innovative solutions.

Curriculum

To graduate with High Distinguished Honors in Science and Technology, students must complete thirty (30) semester hours of honors coursework including the following courses:

a

Students should take an honors section of EH 102 focused on scientific and technical communication (usually designated by "STH" following the course title) either in the fall or spring semester of the first year, depending on whether they come to UAB already having earned credit for EH 101. Students who come to UAB with credit for both EH 101 and EH 102 should instead take the cross-listed course EH 202, usually in their first semester. In any case, a student should take either EH 102 or EH 202 at UAB but not both.

b

Students may satisfy the statistics requirement by earning credit for any statistics course approved by the program director, e.g., PY 216 Elementary Statistical Methods or BME 423 Living Systems Analysis and Biostatistics. Alternative credit through AP or IB may also be accepted if approved by the program director.

c

Students must have a minimum of six (6) research credit hours comprised of any combination of STH 398 and/or STH 399. Research credit may be earned in fall, spring, and/or summer semesters in any increments as chosen by students at their convenience. In some cases, students may be allowed to substitute up to three (3) of the six (6) required research credit hours with equivalent research credit course(s) in the department of their major with approval of the program director. All honors research credit applies to the thirty (30) hours of honors credit needed to complete the program.

d

Students completing a capstone or innovation thesis instead of a traditional research thesis may substitute STH 394 and/or STH 397 in place of research credit hours. The number and type of hours needed to fulfill this requirement will depend on the thesis plan developed with and approved by the program director. In all cases, a cumulative total of 30 credit hours of honors coursework must still be earned.

Optional STH Electives

Proposed Program of Study for Science and Technology Honors Students^*

Explanation of Footnotes

*

Students choose 6 hours of honors elective coursework to reach the overall total of 30 hours of honors coursework required for completion of the program.

†

Students should take an honors section of EH 102 focused on scientific and technical communication (usually designated by "STH" following the course title) either in the fall or spring semester of the first year, depending on whether they come to UAB already having earned credit for EH 101. Students who come to UAB with credit for both EH 101 and EH 102 should instead take the cross-listed course EH 202, usually in their first semester. In any case, a student should take either EH 102 or EH 202 at UAB but not both.

‡

Biostatistics (PUH 250) is highly recommended to fulfill the statistics requirement, particularly the honors section. Students may also satisfy this requirement by taking any statistics course approved by the program director, e.g., Elementary Statistical Methods (PY 216) or Living Systems Analysis and Biostatistics (BME 423). Alternative credit through AP or IB may also be accepted if approved by the program director.

§

Students must have a minimum of six (6) research credit hours comprised of any combination of STH 398 and/or STH 399. Research credit may be earned in fall, spring, and/or summer semesters in any increments as chosen by students at their convenience. In some cases, students may be allowed to substitute up to three (3) of the six (6) required research credit hours with equivalent research credit course(s) in the department of their major with approval of the program director. All honors research credit applies to the thirty (30) hours of honors credit needed to complete the program.