Welcome to the Biological and Biomedical Sciences Program (BBSP) at UNC
I invite you to explore the extraordinary opportunities available to you here to expand your horizons as a scientist and as a professional. Increasingly science is conducted at the intersection of disciplines, and the ability to communicate across disciplines is essential to a successful scientific career, whether it be in an academic research environment, biotechnology, teaching, government, scientific writing, or any number of the ever expanding possibilities. So whether you are already focused scientifically or are still developing your interests, interdisciplinary training is an important aspect of your scientific development and the BBSP is specifically designed to provide this.
I invite you to investigate what we have to offer you here at UNC via the BBSP. UNC-Chapel Hill is the nation’s oldest public university. It has a long tradition of excellence in teaching and research, and currently ranks fifth among the nation’s best public universities. The research endeavor is supported by numerous core center facilities and by an extraordinary growth in research on campus (research space has doubled in the past 10 years).
There is perhaps no better indication of the quality of the faculty and research than the awards received, and we are very proud that Dr. Oliver Smithies was co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Prize for ground breaking work on the principles for introducing specific gene mutations in mice. Our young faculty also have been recognized for their outstanding work by receipt of numerous top national awards.
I invite you to consider how our Training Initiative in Biological and Biomedical Sciences (TIBBS) program provides professional and career development opportunities throughout your graduate career. These include opportunities to participate in community outreach programs such as DNA Day, to participate in workshops to build your professional skills, and to enhance your teaching experience through a certificate program.
I invite you to visit our website and learn more about our graduate program, the faculty and UNC. We are more than just a collection of bricks and mortar – we are a scientific community working together to push forward the envelope of knowledge. I invite you to participate in that process.
Virginia Miller
Associate Dean of Graduate Education
