R. James KirkpatrickDean

Welcome to the

College of Natural Science

CNS is one of 16 discipline-specific colleges at MSU

NATURAL SCIENCENursingOsteopathic MedicineSocial ScienceVeterinary MedicineJames Madison CollegeLyman Briggs College Residential College in Arts and Humanities

Agriculture & Natural ResourcesArts & LettersBusinessCommunication Arts & SciencesEducationEngineeringHuman MedicineMusic

CNS is Among MSU’s Largest Colleges

• 4,500 undergraduate students

• 1,000 graduate students• 250 faculty• 1,200 entering freshman

in 2009• Most CNS students are

studying in a biological sciences major

CNS majors are in one of three types of departments

Physical Sciences

Biological Sciences

Mathematics

Physical Sciences

- Geological Sciences- Physics & Astronomy- Chemistry

Biological Sciences- Biochemistry & Molecular Biology- Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics

- Food Science & Human Nutrition- Human Biology- Microbiology & Molecular Genetics- Physiology- Plant Biology- Zoology

Mathematical Sciences

- Mathematics- Statistics & Probability

What about pre-med or other health

majors?

Definition: Students pursuing admission to professional health school are

called “preprofessional.”

Instead, students select any major which matches their career interests and identify themselves as preprofessional.

You must declare a major at MSU before reaching 56 credits.

At MSU, preprofessional majors are NOT degree programs.

What should your major be?

• Interests • Strengths• Opportunities

Choose a major based on

(but it is helpful)

SCIENCE DEGREE NOT REQUIRED

– You might decide later not to go to a professional health school

– Only 50% of applicants are accepted to professional health schools!

Have a “Plan B”

To Get into a Professional Health School…

Make Yourself A Competitive Applicant

Here’s how to be competitive…

The basics…

• Complete all required pre-admission courses

• Cumulative GPA > 3.5• Science and math GPA > 3.5• Achieve high scores on admission

tests (MCAT, DAT, PCAT, GRE)

Keep an eye on your futureat all times…

1. Obtain health care experience related to your field of interest

2. Obtain community service experience

3. Develop strong relationships with your advisors and instructors

Two final advantages MSU can give you:

1. Hands-on research experience2. Leadership experience

CNS Leads MSU in Research

CNS faculty bring in more external research funding than any other college at MSU

Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB)

A superconducting linear accelerator that will produce isotopes that normally exist only in the most extreme environments in the universe.FRIB will greatly expand the usefulness of isotopes in a broad range of applications from modeling stars to understanding the workings of nanoscale electronic devices.

Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC)

Explores scientifically diverse approaches to converting various plant feedstocks – agricultural residues, wood chips, and nonfood grasses – into liquid transportation fuels.

SOAR Telescope

Used to detect the presence of elements, carbon and oxygen — considered the building blocks of life – in a number of ancient stars and star systems, data that continue to yield more information on how these elements originated

Behavioral Development

Professor Kay Holekamp's laboratory focuses on mammalian behavioral development. Her students are currently investigating how social, ecological and hormonal differences change the way hyenas behave and how successfully they reproduce.

Experimental EvolutionInstead of investigating using the comparative method or by studying fossils, Professor Rich Lenski’s approach is to watch evolution as it happens - in the context of experiments that are replicated and performed under controlled conditions using bacteria.

Climate ChangeProfessor Jen Lau researches community ecology and evolutionary biology to explore how plants respond to changes in climate and invasive species. One of her projects looks at how elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations alter the evolution of plant populations.

Professor Elena Litchman is studying how climate change will impact aquatic ecosystems, phytoplankton communities in particular. She is determining how various aspects of global change may increase the frequency and severity of Harmful Algal Blooms.

Students and Research

Goldwater scholarships are national scholarships awarded to students showing promise to develop significant scientific research careers

All three of MSU’s 2009 Goldwater Scholars were CNS students

All were involved in undergraduate research

University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum

• 2009 Grand Prize winner in Science was Maulik Dhanda, a Medical Technology major

• CNS students received 10 of the 12 first prizes in Natural and Physical Sciences

Gain leadership experience through

student groups

Every department offers opportunities for involvement through student groups

Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics Students Association

Won the 2009 Collegiate Challenge for the Gift of Life-Michigan and recognition from the Michigan Secretary of State

Recruited the most organ donors of all colleges in Michigan

They have won the award 4 out of 5 years

Making a difference while getting experience

Charles Drew Science Scholars

The Drew program provides academic assistance and support for high-achieving undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds.

The program promotes the students’ preparation for postgraduate work and a career in the sciences

RISE: Residential Initiative on the Study of the Environment

A residential program for students interested in stewardship of our environment.

Our point…

Create your own

Natural Science

learning adventure…

Take advantage of MSU’s size, expertise and vast capabilities.

Enhance your studies with research and extra-curricular activities

Take advantage of MSU’s size, expertise and vast capabilities.

Enhance your studies with research and extra-curricular activities

College of Natural Science

http://naturalscience.msu.edu