• Alumni
  • Parents
  • News
  • Events
  • Library
  • Business Office
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Quick Links
Austin College Logo

Sherman, Texas

Visit

Apply

Scholarships

Get Info

MENU
  • About
    • Fast Facts about Austin College
      • Mission
      • History
      • Kangaroo Mascot
      • Austin College Page Plaid
    • Major Grant Projects
    • Office of the President
      • About President O’Day
      • Contact the President
      • Essays & Speeches
      • Past Presidents
    • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
      • Action Timeline | 2016 to the Present
    • Administration
    • Board of Trustees
      • Trustee Profiles
    • Institutional Marketing & Communications
      • Media Kit
        • 175th Celebration Logos
      • Online Magazines & Newsletters
        • [at]ac | E-Newsletter
      • IMC Professional Internship Program
    • News & Events
    • Campus & Visitor Information
      • North Texas Area
  • Admission & Aid
    • Scholarships and Financial Aid
      • Scholarships for New Students
      • Scholarships for Current College Students
      • Applying for Aid
      • Work Study
      • Loans
      • Federal Verification of FAFSA Data
      • Forms & Documents
      • Policies
      • Tuition & Payments
      • VA Education Benefits
      • Financial Aid Staff
      • Net Price Calculator
      • Financial Aid FAQ’s
      • Financial Wellness
    • Apply Now
      • Freshmen Students
      • International Students
      • Transfer Students
      • Application Dates & Deadlines
    • International Students Application
      • Requirements
      • Scholarships & Financial Assistance
      • Admitted International Students
    • Transfer Students
      • Transfer Application
      • Transfer Scholarships
      • Transfer Student Orientation
    • Visit Campus
    • Meet Your Counselor
      • Meet the ‘Roo Navigators
    • Why Choose Austin College?
      • College Planning for 11th Grade Students
      • Making the Most of Summer
    • Austin College en Español
      • Solicitud
      • Apoyo Financiero
    • Austin College Advantage
      • Discover Austin College
    • The Word on AC
    • The Finish in Four Guarantee
    • After AC
    • Refer A Student
  • Academics
    • Majors, Minors & Programs
      • Social Justice and Community Engagement Program
    • Center for Student Success and Access Services
      • Tutoring Services
        • Resources and Links
        • Review Sessions & Workshops
        • Meet Our Tutors
        • Become a Peer Tutor
      • Student Success
        • First-Generation Students
      • Access Services
      • Navigate AC
    • Applied Learning
    • Centers & Programs
      • Center for Career & Professional Development
        • Handshake
        • Career Exploration
        • Internships
        • Job/Internship Search
        • Employer Services
        • Graduate/Professional School
        • Graduate Outcomes
        • Online Resources
        • Career Center Events
        • Career Alumni Connections
        • Contact Us
      • Center for Community & Regional Development
      • Center for Environmental Studies
      • Center for Southwestern & Mexican Studies
      • Faculty Development
        • Sabbatical Series
        • Thursday Lunch Topics
        • Reading Groups
        • Johnson Center Activities
        • Additional Resources
      • First-Year Experience
        • Mission Statement
        • First-Year Seminar
        • Peer Mentors
        • First-Year Information (FYI)
      • Office of International Programs
        • International Education Week 2021
        • Global Living Learning Community (GLLC)
        • Support Services for International Students
      • Posey Leadership Institute
      • Student Research
        • ENSURE Program
        • Sciences Summer Research Program
        • Student Research Dissemination Awards
        • ACUMEN
        • Responsible Conduct of Research
        • AC Scholars Conference
        • Scarbrough Summer Research
      • Writing Center
    • Faculty
    • Fellowships & Scholarships
      • Honors Convocation in Sherman, TX
        • Homer P. Rainey Award
      • Departmental Honors Program
        • Honors Program Nomination Procedures
        • Honors Program Requirements
        • Honors Thesis Formatting
      • Phi Beta Kappa
        • Membership Archive
        • Membership Criteria
      • Fulbright Grants
      • Peace Corps Prep Program
        • How to Apply
        • PCPP Benefits
        • PCPP Curriculum
        • PCPP Campus Committee
        • Peace Corps Alumni
    • Academic Affairs
    • Registrar’s Office
    • Grad School Opportunities
      • Physician Assistant (PA) Program
      • Health Science Programs
        • Texas Tech Early Decision Program
        • Health Professions Advising Guides
        • Health Sciences Scholarships
        • FAQ’s About Health Sciences
        • Health Sciences Advising
        • Resources
      • Law
      • Engineering Pathways
      • Ministry
      • TTU Grad Program
      • Gateways to Grad School
        • Partner Programs
        • Partner Universities
        • Texas Tech Health Sciences Programs
    • Graduate Teacher Program
      • Program & Policy Information
      • Teaching/Course Certification Requirements
      • ATP Forms & Documents
      • ATP Advisors
      • Noyce STEM Program
        • Noyce STEM Summer Internships
        • Noyce STEM Scholarships
      • Thinking Camps
    • January and May Term 2024
      • Travel JanTerm/MayTerm | Liability Release
      • January Term 2024 Expo
      • Travel JanTerm/MayTerm | Medical Release and Info
      • Travel JanTerm Scholarships
        • Travel JanTerm 2024 Scholarship Application
      • January Term Photo Galleries
    • Military and Veteran Services
      • Veterans OnwardTM*
    • Summer Term
  • Campus Life
    • Campus Police & Safety
      • Campus Emergencies
      • Severe Weather
      • Rules & Regulations
      • Crime Prevention
      • Campus Police Staff
    • Campus Services
      • Campus Bookstore
      • Dining Services
      • Post Office
      • Information Technology
    • Career Center
    • Counseling Services
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Scope of Care
      • Counseling Center
      • Signs & Symptoms
      • Web Resources
      • Contact Us
      • Texoma Resources
      • Student Wellness
        • By Choice Students
        • Greek Organizations
        • FAQs About MSB
    • Health Services and Treatment
      • Austin College Community Health
        • COVID-19 Protocols
        • Information for Visitors
      • Clinic Hours & Health Services
      • Immunizations
      • Health Forms
      • Student Insurance
      • After Hours Assistance
    • Religious Life
      • Presbyterian Traditions
      • AColyte
      • Worship & Bible Study
      • Many Spiritual Traditions
      • ACtivators
      • Religious Life Staff
    • Residence Life on Campus
      • First-Year Experience
    • Student Emergency Resources
    • Student Life
      • Campus Activities
      • Clubs & Organizations
        • ACtivators
        • Esports
        • Recreational Sports
      • Documents & Links
      • Greek Life
      • Student Life Staff
      • Student Life Publications
      • Student Publication
        • AC Observer Job Descriptions
      • Transportation Opportunities
    • Service Station
      • Board Profiles
      • Great Day of Service
      • JanServe
      • First We Serve
      • Aramark Appreciation
      • Alternative Spring Break
      • Austin College Tutoring (ACT)
      • Tostan
      • Thrift Store Drive
      • RooBound
      • Servant of the Year
    • Student Assembly
      • Student Assembly Representatives
      • Student Development Fund
      • Resolution Database
    • Title IX Office
      • Mandatory Student Training
      • Reporting
      • Policy Definitions
      • Grievance Procedures
      • Texas Compliance
      • Title IX Staff Training
    • Student Awards
    • Student Photo Gallery
  • Athletics
    • acroos.com
    • Legends
    • Athletics “A” Association
    • Support Athletics
  • Giving
    • Make a Gift
    • Annual Giving
    • Estate Planning
      • Oscar & Anna Laura Page Meditation Garden
    • Donor Resources
    • Contact Us
Info For...
  • Alumni
  • Parents
  • News
  • Events
  • Library
  • Business Office
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Quick Links
Home » Academics » Academics Home » Sciences at AC

Sciences at AC

Prepare for the future with hands-on experiences in the classroom, field, and lab.

What are the Sciences?

The goal for sciences at AC is to provide an inquiry-based undergraduate education. Our philosophy of teaching encourages undergraduate participation in original research, which is a graduation requirement for chemistry and physics students.

Specific goals of the division are to:

Intellectual & Practical Skills Expand
  • Provide students with the intellectual skills to understand current concepts in their chosen field of science, through lectures and discussion in class and reading and discussion of original scientific literature.
  • Provide students with the practical skills that will enable them to use basic laboratory and field protocols for data collection, and to use modern scientific instrumentation.
Training & Preparation Expand
  • Train students to be effective written and oral communicators, including the use of posters and presentation opportunities on and off-campus.
  • Prepare students to be leaders in their chosen fields through specific, targeted activities designed to develop leadership skills. The STEM Teaching and Research Leadership Program (STAR Leadership Program) works toward this goal. Courses incorporate leadership activities into classroom and laboratory components in all disciplines and at all levels, from first-year to senior.
Leadership Activities Expand

The leadership activities focus on five areas necessary for effective leadership:

 

  • Communicating Ideas
  • Collaborating
  • Problem Solving
  • Foresight and Planning
  • Acting Responsibly

How these leadership skills are imparted differs from course to course, but students receive exposure to all five areas during their four years at Austin College.

Biology Lab

Austin College Weather Station

Sciences Departments & Programs

  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Environmental Studies
  • Mathematics
  • Computer Science
  • Physics
Jade-Rutledge-sm

Jade Rutledge ’09

Jade Rutledge is currently an Aquatic Scientist for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. She conducts environmental and conservation reviews of water rights applications. She also facilitates environmental flows stakeholder groups throughout the state. Prior to this position, Jade worked on education programming at a variety of national and state parks in Oregon, Alaska, and… [Read More]

Erin Eckart

Erin Eckart ’18

I graduated from Austin College in 2018 with a major in Public Health and a minor in chemistry. I will begin pursuing my MPH in epidemiology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in the fall of 2018. I am interested in studying maternal and child health, as well as cognitive decline. After grad… [Read More]

Kenan-Ince

Kenan Ince ’11

My excellent education in mathematics at AC inspired me to apply to graduate school to become a professor at a small liberal arts college similar to AC. I spent five years at Rice University in Houston getting a Ph.D. in math. My research focus was in knot theory, the study of mathematical knots. Mathematical knots… [Read More]

Arthur-Yang

Arthur Yang ’15

Arthur Yang graduated in 2015 with a major in Chinese and a minor in chemistry, where he worked in a lab for three years.  He currently is a medical student pursuing an MD at UT-Medical Branch in Galveston.

Amy-Glazier

Amy Glazier ’17

Major: Physics – Minor:  Math and Chemistry  Bio: From a young age, I was drawn to the stars, and by the time I was a teenager, I knew that I wanted to study astronomy. Knowing how beautiful and mysterious the universe is, knowing that we are all made of stardust, knowing all humans are more… [Read More]

Joseph Helsing

Joseph Helsing ’10

After graduating in 2010 from Austin College I was accepted into the Computer Science and Computer Engineering PhD program at the University of North Texas in scenic Denton, Texas. In the Spring of 2011 I was picked up by Dr. Armin Mikler and joined his Computational Epidemiology Research Lab (CERL). By the Fall of 2011… [Read More]

Andrew Horton

Andrew “A.J.” Horton ’11

After graduation from Austin College, Andrew received his Master of Science in Ecology from Colorado State University in 2014. He currently serves as an Environmental Investigator for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. His work involves conducting technical inspections of large facilities that generate air pollution, including gas refineries, metal refineries, natural gas pipelines, and… [Read More]

Science Division Opportunities

  • Center for Environmental Studies
  • GreenServe
  • OutReach Paraguay
  • STEM Leadership Program
  • Student Scholarship Conference
  • Thinking Green

Research Opportunities

Find opportunities for research through CREATE during the year, and special opportunities are available during the summer months through the Sciences Summer Research Program.

 

Research topics range from atoms to outer space. Students use lab instrumentation, including the 60 cm telescope in the Adams Observatory. Research laboratories are used year-round.

IDEA Center

 

Adams Observatory

 

 

Field Laboratories

Austin College owns five pieces of property in Grayson County that serve as research areas, field laboratories, and nature preserves. The Barry Buckner Biological Preserve and Research Area is a diverse 115-acre site containing native deciduous forest, pine forest, sandstone outcrops, and successional communities. The Lee Harrison Bratz Field Laboratory, located on the sandy soil of the East Cross Timbers vegetational area, is a 76-acre site that consists primarily of deciduous forest, including both upland and bottomland vegetation.

 

Sneed Environmental Research AreaThe Clinton and Edith Sneed Environmental Research Area, a 100-acre site in the Blackland Prairie vegetational area, is adjacent to Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge; this property includes a small native prairie plot and three ponds. The Sneed ERA is the site of an extensive effort to restore native prairie vegetation. The Garnett Prairie is a 60-acre tract, also in the Blackland Prairie zone; it includes a 10-acre tract of intact native prairie. The McCarley Woods Nature Preserve is a 12-acre site that is primarily upland hardwood forest.

January Term opportunities:

  • Tropical Ecology in Trinidad and Tobago
  • Introduction to Organic Chemistry Research
  • Going Green in Europe
  • Ecology and Conservation in Panama
  • The Space-ious Southwest
  • Mythbusting: You can do it too
  • Unity 3D Game Design Workshop
  • Prairie Restoration
  • East Africa Explorer
  • The Science and Culture of Wine
  • Building Arduino Robots
  • The Ideas of Science Fiction
  • Birds, Humans, and the Environment
  • Prohibition, then Craft Beer?
  • A Deliberate Life
  • Exploring Health Professions
  • Natural History of the Hawaiian Islands
Sea Turtle Biology in Trinidad
JanTerm in Panama
The Science of Wine
Mythbusting
Prairie Restoration
JanTerm in Europe

GET IN TOUCH

903.813.2000
Austin College
900 N. Grand Ave.
Sherman, TX 75090

Contact Us

GET SOCIAL

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn

GET LINKED

  • Human Resources
  • Campus Offices
  • Faculty/Staff Directory
  • Outlook Email
  • Title IX Office
  • Campus Conduct Hotline
  • Health Services

GET CONNECTED

Subscribe

Connect to AC

Request Information

Copyright © 2021 - All rights reserved | Site Map | Privacy Policy | Consumer Information | Site by thrive-logo