Ecology and Evolutionary Biology program offers unique opportunities for undergraduates to conduct research in EEB laboratories, and many undergraduates publish work in top journals. Among the many opportunities to conduct undergraduate research include: conservation issues in tropical rainforests; climate change and its influence on natural communities; evolutionary dynamics of genes and genomes in populations and species; mutualistic and negative plant-animal interactions in both natural and managed ecosystems; exotic plant and animal invasions into Texas ecosystems; and supervised research projects at the Houston Zoo or zoo affiliates (e.g., Steven F. Austin State Park).
Research opportunities for undergraduates are available in most of the program’s labs. Visit the various lab web sites for more information on what type of research is currently being done in each lab to see what interests you.
EBIO 306 - Independent Study for Undergraduates
Variable Credits Fall & Spring
Program of independent study for students with previous training in the biosciences. Includes a research paper. Students are expected to spend at least three hours per week in the laboratory for each semester hour of credit. If taken for two or more hours, counts as one required lab course but not as a Group A or Group B course. If receiving two or more credits, students will be required to participate in the university annual undergraduate symposium in the spring semesters. Biosciences Group B.
Instructor permission required
Prereq - BIOS 213 or EBIO 213.
You can even have a research project at the Houston Zoo. Look here for information.
EBIO 403/404 - Undergraduate Honors Research in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Credits 5.00 Fall & Spring
Only open to undergraduate majors who meet specific requirements and with permission of the research supervisor and chair. Registration for BIOS 403/404 implies a commitment to participate in research for at least 2 semesters.
Department permission required
Students must obtain the Special Request for Registration Form and the signature of the supervising faculty member in order to register for this course
The Ecology & Evolutionary Biology has a history of publishing articles with undergraduates as co- and first-authors in peer reviewed journals.
Recent publications with undergraduate authors*
- Ohm, J.R. And T.E.X. Miller. (In press) Balancing anti-herbivore benefits and anti-pollinator costs of defensive mutualists. Ecology
- Snyder, K.T., Freidenfelds, N., and T.E.X. Miller. (2014) Consequences of sex-selective harvesting and harvest refuges in experimental metapopulations. Oikos. 123:309-314
- Rudolf, V.H.W. and M. Singh (2013) Disentangling climate change effects on species interactions: Body size mediates interaction of temperature and phenological shifts. Oecologia 173:1034-1052
- Parson, W, Zhong, B, and V.H.W. Rudolf. 2013. Mating status and kin recognition determine cannibalism rates. Animal Behaviour 85: 365-369