Colby College, chartered in 1813, is the 12th oldest independent liberal arts college in the US and the 5th oldest in New England. The College has been coeducational since 1871, the first previously all-male college in New England to admit women. Colby has evolved into a highly selective liberal arts college enrolling some of the most academically talented undergraduates in the country. With a student to faculty ratio of 10:1, students have a great deal of access to professors and abundant opportunities for collaborative, original research with faculty. Grants, including INBRE, and support from Colby’s endowments provide summer research stipends for 60 undergraduate science and psychology students per year. These research experiences lead to student-coauthored papers and presentations, and over 70% of students go on to graduate work. Emphasis on the integration of teaching and scholarship has led to the development of research courses based upon faculty research programs. Faculty have active biomedically-oriented research programs supported by external funding from NIH, NSF, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Due to the increased interest in biomedicine the INBRE program has produced, Colby has enhanced its science curriculum through the hiring of new biomedical faculty, including a chemistry faculty member with an emphasis on drug action, as well as new faculty in bioinformatics and molecular neuroscience.
Student Supply Funds
At Colby, supply funds support academic year research projects in which students work under the direction of a Colby faculty mentor. Supply funds support over 20 student research projects each year.
Summer Research Fellowships
The INBRE Summer Research Fellowships Program pairs individual students with a federally-funded biomedical researcher of the student’s choice for a 10-week hands-on summer research experience. Funding is provided for lodging, food, and supplies for student participants.
Two Summer Research Fellowships are awarded annually to Colby students to work with a faculty member at an INBRE network institution. Another eight summer fellowships are available for students to work with Colby faculty.
Laboratory Training Course at the MDI Biological Laboratory
Each year, Colby students have the opportunity to participate in a two-week laboratory course at the MDI Biological Laboratory during spring break. The course focuses on using molecular biology techniques for genetic research. Past courses have included topics such as Imaging and Molecular Biology of the Brain, Workshop in Biomedical Imaging, and Crustacean Molecular Neurophysiology.