Get Your Degree in Plant and Environmental Biotechnology
Application of cutting edge molecular biosciences to the solution of practical problems is what we define as Biotechnology. The major was created to impart several learning outcomes to students. The first was a rigorous foundation in chemistry and biology with a background in mathematics and physics as well. The second was a core of upper division molecular biosciences including biochemistry, molecular biology, bioinformatics, the ethics of biotechnology, and genetic engineering. This would provide a well rounded understanding of high level biological sciences. In addition this would give students advanced interdisciplinary training in the sciences leading to in depth understanding. This is tested when students select a mentor from among a group of accomplished faculty with excellent track records, take on and solve a practical problem in the mentor’s research laboratory, and present their work for judgment to an all-College assembly of faculty in the Student Research Symposium. This requires creativity and it is in this mentored experience where students learn critical thinking and develop their problem solving skills. In the research laboratories students also learn to use state of the art scientific instrumentation which become second nature and gain self-confidence. They learn to communicate to with both specialists and a wide audience as they have extensive interactions with faculty and postdoctorals on a daily basis. Extensive mentoring and peer review judging of student work is a unique feature of this major. The major is a 21st century major because it relates to both cutting edge molecular biosciences and application to serve human needs.
Open Doors to New Careers and Opportunities
While students enter the program at the University of Hawaii as Bachelor of Science degree candidates, they tend to graduate in a blaze of glory. These opportunities are the major selling points of the program. Students tend to struggle through the early years of challenging courses. They are then invariably transformed by their mentored research experience and close interactions with mentors, graduate students and postdoctorals. Their thinking becomes clearer, they gain a sense of self-confidence, and they learn to communicate by speaking to faculty and postdoctoral daily. The program boasts numerous winners of the Student Research Symposium such as the student below who subsequently won a scholarship for doctoral study at Columbia.
Or the student below who won twice, went to medical school at Creighton, did her residency at UCLA and is now a practicing internist.
or the student who became a presidential scholar and was UH valedictorian
or the student who graduated to become a biotechnology aide for Senator Akaka.
Mentoring of Our Students
As implied above, we know each one of our students. How do we know them? We mentor each of our students which hopefully lasts a lifetime. We presently have several second generation students, children of our students from many years ago.
For further information, contact Dr. Harry Ako, Program Coordinator, AgSci 218, 956-2012, and hako@hawaii.edu.
