BALL STATE OFFERING CERTIFICATE IN BIOTECHNOLOGY THIS FALL
MUNCIE, Ind. - Ball State University is stepping up efforts to prepare students for careers in the fast-growing area of biotechnology.
This fall the university will offer the state's only biotechnology certificate program. The one-year program is open to biology or biochemistry undergraduate and graduate students.
Ball State students have been recruited as research associates by biotechnology firms for several years because the university already offers courses in the field and encourages student participation in research, said Carolyn Vann, biology professor and program director.
Biotechnology is the scientific manipulation of living organisms, especially at the molecular level, to produce useful biomedical or agricultural products.
Recombinant DNA techniques, protein purification, and cell culture are major techniques that will be covered in the classroom, Vann said.
Creating the certificate program will better prepare students professionally for opportunities in the rapidly expanding field of biotechnology.
"The number of companies involved in biotechnology has increased dramatically," Vann said. "We receive hundreds of calls each year from companies in Indiana and around the country looking to hire our students for research jobs."
Upon completion, participants will receive certification verifying the successful mastery of the program requirements. Admission to the program is competitive and class size is limited, allowing close mentoring by faculty. Students also are supported in obtaining competitive internships in industry.
Courses will be team-designed and taught by at least seven faculty members in the biology department in collaboration with individuals in industry and other academic departments. Most courses are laboratory-based to provide students with practical research experiences. A new faculty member is being sought with excellent teaching and laboratory skills to aid in the program development.
"By allowing our students to complete the new biotech program and receive a certificate, they will be much more marketable," she said. "We believe there may only be a few such certificate programs in the country and those students are being heavily recruited by major biotech firms across the country."
Applications are now being accepted for fall semester. Additional information about Ball State's newest program may be found at http://www.bsu.edu/biology/biotech on the World Wide Web.
(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, contact Vann by e-mailat [email protected] or by phone at (765) 285-5155. For more storiesvisit the Ball State University News Center at www.bsu.edu/news on the World Wide Web.)
Marc Ransford3/14/01
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