The project is designed to expose undergraduate biology students to investigative research throughout their college education. All of the biology labs are being revised to include investigative components. In addition, in their junior year, biology majors take a research techniques course. Some majors then undertake an independent research project. The labs and the research projects encourage students to be active participants in scientific investigation, rather than being passive observers. To conduct investigative laboratories and to support student research projects in structural biology, the project requires a research quality compound microscope and dissecting microscope equipped with an interchangeable automatic camera system and color videocamera and monitor. The compound microscope will have the capability of brightfield, phase contrast, and Nomarski optics, as well as low UV and visible light epifluorescence.
