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BCES Research & Grants

Undergraduate Research Opportunities in Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Science


Clockwise from top left: Northern students and professors at the NM-INBRE Conference in Santa Fe, March, 2016, and NM-AMP  Conference, Las Cruces, October, 2015.

At Northern, providing undergraduate student research opportunities has become a priority for many of the College’s STEM disciplines. Students can participate in original research projects including paid summer fellowships made possible by funding (in part) through:

  • The Alliance for Minority Participation (AMP)
  • The annual National Institutes of Health (NIH) NM-INBRE (New Mexico IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence) network via NMSU,
  • The NIH "BUILDing SCHOLARS network via UTEP
  • Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)

These research and grant opportunities allow students to work alongside experienced faculty and fellow students in Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences and other STEM programs to present and compete at international conferences, and to prepare for graduate and career opportunities. Scholarships are available.

Current Research

Academic Research, Creativity & Scholarship Symposium (ARCSS) / Spring 2017

SACNAS at NNMC on Facebook
SACNAS is a society of scientists dedicated to fostering the success of Hispanic/Chicano and Native American scientists (college students and professionals). Learn more: http://sacnas.org/

BUILDing SCHOLARS (Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity Southwest Consortium of Health-Oriented Education Leaders and Research Scholars, is a center of excellence established at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) with support from the National Institutes of Health-Common Fund. The goal is to implement a suite of programs and activities that will positively transform the training of the next generation of biomedical researchers from U.S. Southwest groups. Northern New Mexico College is a pipeline institution to UTEP.

Simultaneously, we encourage and prepare students to compete for external research summer positions. In the past our students have participated in summer research experiences in Universities such as Michigan State, Iowa State, Illinois Institute of Technology and the New Mexico Consortium.

Our Biology program had allowed students to participate in local, National and International Meetings and Conferences where they presented their research in a poster presentation. The Annual Plant Biology, SACNAS, ABRCMS, and the ASCB are the most common choices among students. Hands-on experiences are essential for students preparing for graduate school and are one of the most effective ways to enjoy and learn science.

Departmental Research intersects the following areas:

  • Neurobiology
  • Behavioral biology
  • Ecology and Evolutionary biology
  • Cell biology and Genetics
  • Molecular biology and Genomics

Northern offers over 50 bachelor's, associate and certificate programs in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math); Nursing and Health Sciences; Liberal Arts and Humanities; Arts, Film & Media; Business Administration; Teacher Education and Technical Trades.
Northern New Mexico College is the most affordable 4-year college in the Southwestern US. Choose us for our value, our quality degree and continuing education programs in diverse areas of study, and our experienced faculty. We provide students with unique opportunities for academic, personal, and professional growth, small class sizes, personalized attention, and strong hands-on experiences from day one.
The Northern Foundation remains committed to stimulate leadership, promote equity, and grow resources and philanthropy in the Española Valley and surrounding rural areas. Over the past twenty years, we have granted $1.3 million to support over 1,250 NNMC students.