• Biology site map

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What is the BIOTA program?

General information

The BIOTA program at UNC is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program (STEP) to enhance the success of biology majors. The program's primary goal is to increase the four-year graduation rate of biology students. A secondary goal is to increase the number of students choosing biology as a major.

Achieve your goals

The ultimate reason for this program is to help you achieve your life's goals, what ever they are.

What the BIOTA program can do for you

To enhance your ability to graduate with a B.S. in biology within four years, the BIOTA program can do the following for you:

• $1000 per year: The BIOTA program will award $1000 scholarships each year to a select number of exceptional biology students during their freshman and sophomore years. These scholarships are awarded directly through the BIOTA program. This means that an application is required that is separate and independent of the UNC FAFSA.
• An hourly wage: Students who are interested in gaining research experience as part of their education can be paid to do so. For more information, contact your academic advisor or one of the BIOTA team.
• Success in biology curriculum: A sequence of specially-designed courses will help to bridge the gaps between high school, the university experience, and your future careers.
• Special applications classes: Supplemental classes will help you to make connections between the biology concepts that are covered in traditional courses and the application of those concepts in the real world.
• Building a community: One of the joys of attending UNC is being a part of the UNC community and making new friends who will be a part of your life for years to come.
  • Learning community: In the BIOTA program, building a community begins with the option of joining a learning-community of biology students who will take the same classes with you each semester.
  • Living community: Building a BIOTA community also includes the option of joining a living-community of biology students in the BIOTA wing of Wilson Hall, one of the campus residence halls. The BIOTA Living and Learning Community includes biology freshmen, sophomores, and upperclassmen who enjoy the convenience and camaraderie of living within a community of biology students. For more information, please browse to the Wilson Hall web link (http://housing.unco.edu/res_halls/wilson.htm). To request a BIOTA room, please contact Jenna Finley at the Residence Hall office (housing@unco.edu, 970-351-2721).
• Unparalleled access: You will have unparalleled access to your professors -- the people who actually do the teaching at UNC -- in the classroom, in the laboratory, and outside of regularly scheduled times. This is one of the hallmarks of UNC's attention to student-centered education.
• Customized advising: You will have an academic advisor who will help you plan and register for the right classes to match your chosen emphasis in biology. Your advisor can also provide career counseling, and in other ways help you to stay on track to meet your career and life goals.

Four-year plans for graduation

As a participant in the BIOTA program you will be guided to graduation with a B.S. degree in the Biological Sciences using four-year plans that have been designed specifically for you. Each of the four-year plans shown below is customized to the area of emphasis that you may choose to study.

• Biomedical four-year BIOTA plan (PDF)
• Cell & molecular four-year BIOTA plan (PDF)
• Organismal four-year BIOTA plan (PDF)
• Secondary teaching four-year BIOTA plan (PDF)

The BIOTA faculty team

For more information about the BIOTA program, or for general questions about UNC biology, please contact one of the BIOTA faculty team members.

• Dr. Rick Adams: rick.adams@unco.edu, 970-351-2057
• Dr. Gregory DeKrey: gregory.dekrey@unco.edu, 970-351-2493
• Dr. Catherine Gardiner: catherine.gardiner@unco.edu, 970-351-1843
• Dr. Robert Reinsvold: robert.reinsvold@unco.edu, 970-351-3076

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Applying for a BIOTA scholarship

Minimum eligibility criteria for the BIOTA program

Awarding of BIOTA scholarships is competitive and based on the relative merit of each applicant as demonstrated in the submitted application materials. To be considered for a BIOTA scholarship, student applicants must meet the following minimum criteria:

• Must be either a US citizen or permanent resident of the US
• Must be admitted to UNC
• Must declare a major in the Biological Sciences

Required application materials

• One letter of recommendation (see instructions below) with a completed recommendation form
• A personal statement describing the applicant's background and interests in Biology (see instructions below)
• Work history/experience/volunteer activities/extracurricular activities of the applicant (see instructions below)
• A completed application form

Required activities of BIOTA scholars

Recipients of BIOTA awards will be required to maintain good academic standing and participate in program activities. Failure in either respect will result in either: a) a one semester probation, or b) discontinuation of the scholarship. The following activities are required of all BIOTA scholars.

1. Maintain an overall GPA of at least 3.0
2. Maintain good progress in the Biological Sciences B.S. degree program
3. Attend 85% or more of BIOTA program functions
4. Meet with an assigned academic advisor at least twice each semester
5. Register for and pass the following supplemental biology courses which will count toward the biology B.S. degree:
   • BIO 102 (Success in Biology I) -- to be taken during the first freshman semester (1 credit)
   • BIO 103 (Success in Biology II) -- to be taken during the second freshman semester (1 credit)
   • BIO 112 (Applications in Biology) -- to be taken during the first freshman semester (1 credit)
   • BIO 114 (Applications in Organismal Biology) -- to be taken during the second freshman semester (1 credit)
   • BIO 211 (Applications in Cell Biology) -- to be taken during the first sophomore semester (1 credit)
   • BIO 221 (Applications in Genetics) -- to be taken during the second sophomore semester (1 credit)
6. Submit the following to the BIOTA coordinator (Dr. Gardiner) on or before the last day of each semester of participation in the BIOTA program:
   • A progress report
   • A letter of evaluation from the assigned Academic Advisor that verifies at least two advising sessions per semester
   • A letter of evaluation from the research mentor (if applicable)

Where to send application materials

If you have any questions about the program or the application process, please contact the BIOTA Program Coordinator, Dr. Catherine Gardiner, by e-mail at catherine.gardiner@unco.edu or telephone at 970-351-1843. Otherwise, please send application materials to:

Please send together your completed application form, personal statement, and list of work or volunteer activities and experiences. The completed recommendation letter and recommendation form should be sent by the recommender.

Submission deadline

There is no formal submission deadline for the BIOTA program, and applications will be accepted at any time. However, this also means that the first qualified students to submit their applications will have the best chance of being offered a BIOTA Participant position. So please apply early.

Instructions for application materials

Instructions for letters of recommendation

Letters of recommendation (also called letters of reference) are extremely important to your application. Choose the people that you ask to write these letters wisely. These persons should be able to comment from a position of experience on your potential for successful university-level work. Acceptable choices for recommenders include past or present science or mathematics teachers (high school or college), or high school counselors or administrators. Letters from friends, family members, or employers will not be accepted.

A good letter of reference will include the following:

• A statement of how the person knows you and for how long, as well as an indication of the person's educational background and professional expertise.
• Comments on your intellectual ability, creativity, time-management skills, work ethic, strengths and weaknesses, writing and verbal communication skills, leadership potential, and how well you play/work with others.

Each letter of recommendation should be placed into a sealed envelope by the author who then signs across the seal. The sealed envelope should then be sent directly to the School of Biological Sciences BIOTA Program. If you would like to streamline the recommendation process, make the job of writing your recommendation as easy as possible. After all, the people you ask to write for you are doing you a favor that takes time out of their extremely busy schedules.

How you can help your recommender to help you:

• Ask each potential recommender if they are willing to act as such on your behalf. Be sure to let them know the deadline for submission of the recommendation because this may influence their decision. If they decline your request, move on. If your request is accepted, provide them with the list of what we think should be in a good letter of reference (above).
• Provide self-addressed envelopes or preprinted address labels to assure that your recommender's letter is sent to the correct place.
• Supply a copy of your personal statement and other information about the BIOTA program so they can better understand what you are applying to. This is particularly important if you haven't kept in touch with them for a while.

Instructions for the personal statement

A personal statement can be used to explain who you are, the path that you have chosen to reach your goals (educational, career, life), and your accomplishments along the way. Take this opportunity to do some realistic reflection. It is particularly important to communicate why you want to go to college, why you want to go to UNC, and why you want to major in biology. Your letter can explain why the School of Biological Sciences should consider you over other persons for a position in the BIOTA program. In addition, the personal statement serves as a tangible example of your communication skills.

The format for your personal statement should conform to the following:

• No more than two single-sided pages or one double-sided page
• Double-spaced and typewritten using a font that is no smaller than 11 point Times
• It should be addressed to Dr. Catherine Gardiner, BIOTA Coordinator, in the School of Biological Sciences
• It should be signed by you at the bottom

Instructions for the work history and extracurricular activities

List, in chronological order, any work or volunteer experiences, and any extracurricular activities that you have participated in during the past five years. Indicate the duration (e.g., months, years) and number of hours per week that you devoted to these activities.