A new academic program for fall 2009 will give students a taste of multiple majors to prepare them for careers in high-demand fields.
The Proteomics and Functional Genomics Scholarship Program (PFG) combines various sciences and utilizes bioinformatics to solve scientific problems with new technology.
Students will draw from biology, biochemistry and computer science while using algorithms to search massive gene sequences for patterns, such as the likely future occurrence of a disease.
“It’s a program that’s designed for academically talented but financially needy students to study chemistry, biology or computer science,” program director Beatrice Holton said.
Students accepted into the program can receive up to $10,000 toward their education based on their financial need with an opportunity for renewal the next year.
“Our goal is not only to help students through their course work, but also to provide opportunities for them to get a taste of research,” Holton said.
The PFG program targets students interested in research and post-graduate work while providing experience in the sciences throughout the students’ academic career.
Although students in the program have different majors, they will have a chance to share knowledge as they will all be housed on the same dormitory floor.
“I thought I would be nice to be around other people who are motivated and share the same interests as me,” chemistry major and PFG scholar Joshua Davis said. “I feel like other students will push me and make me want to learn more.”
Holton sees the living arrangement as another resource designed to help students learn outside of class.
“We are trying to make them into a community so they get to know each other and how the biology majors can help out the computer science majors and how the computer science majors can help out the biology majors,” Holton said.