BIOLOGY

The twenty-first century will see unparalleled advances in the biological sciences that will greatly impact the way we live. The areas of functional genomics and proteomics will drive discoveries in molecular medicine, gene therapy, and tissue engineering. Drug discovery will be facilitated by the elucidation of new target molecules and many pharmaceutical compounds will be produced using biological processes. Environmental management, remediation, and restoration will also advance as a result of new techniques and perspectives that emerge from the century of biology. Biologists will be at the forefront of the advances that will drive progress in medical, agricultural, environmental, and related industries.

The biology program will equip biologists with the deep biological understanding along with chemistry, mathematics, and physics background needed to solve biotechnological problems in the coming decades. The program will prepare graduates for professional careers in government and industrial research laboratories, and in the biotechnology and health-related industries. Those wishing to continue their studies in graduate or health professions programs will be exceptionally well qualified to do so.

Biology Learning Objectives

Upon graduation, Rose-Hulman Biology students will be able to

1. identify questions of interest to the scientific community.

2. develop and implement a strategy to answer open-ended questions or achieve a goal through scientific investigation or experimentation.

3. develop evidence-based conclusions through a process of informed evaluation and judgement.

4. communicate with a range of audiences through a variety of media.

5. demonstrate integrity with respect to ethical and professional responsibilities.

6. exhibit growth as a person and professional using appropriate learning strategies.

7. use examples from molecules to ecosystems to illustrate core concepts of biology.