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Prospective Bioresource Research Students:

The Bioresource Research degree provides students with broad academic training, focused course work in a specific bioresource option, and a research/mentorship opportunity unmatched in any other OSU undergraduate degree program. BRR suits exceptional students who are looking for more than the usual OSU education. It serves all students who like hands-on learning, enjoy seeing the immediate relevancy of their education, like to make a difference, and want valuable work experience that will help them reach their goals.

Why choose Bioresource Research at OSU?

  •  Gain lab/field experience in cutting-edge areas of science.

BRR students do their own research projects with faculty mentors, obtaining state-of-the-art training in research techniques. With help from the BRR staff, students choose their own mentors and projects. BRR students are currently doing research with faculty in seven OSU colleges: Agriculture, Science, Forestry, Pharmacy, Engineering, Oceanography, and Veterinary Medicine.

  • Obtain a broad base of scientific knowledge and design a personalized upper-division curriculum.

With the assistance of their faculty mentors, students develop a list of relevant, advanced courses related to their option, research and/or career goals.

  • Choose from 12 Bioresource Research options:

Animal Reproduction and Development    Genomics/Bioinformatics
Applied Genetics                                    Pest Biology and Management
Biosystems Modeling                              Plant Growth and Development
Biotechnology                                        Sustainable Ecosystems
Environmental chemistry                        Toxicology
Food Quality                                          Water Resources

  • Every Bioresource Research graduate has found employment or placement in graduate school or professional schools.

This major prepares students for a wide variety of technical positions in academia, government and industry; for admission to graduate, medical, dental, or veterinary schools; or for teaching science in high school.
College graduates beginning their first serious job searches often hear prospective employers say, in effect, "Yes, you have a degree but what related, practical work experience do you have?"  As competition for positions that lead to permanent, well paying science careers increases, students are realizing the importance of fostering professional contacts and acquiring practical research experience.

  • The Bioresource Research major facilitates the development of problem solving and written and oral communication skills, the obtaining of fundamental knowledge, and the confidence to independently seek answers to questions and identify opportunities to improve situations.


  • Check with the BRR adviser, Wanda Crannell (wanda.crannell@oregonstate.edu) for availability of Multicultural Scholars Program (MSP) full-tuition scholarships. These competitive scholarships are for students new to the BRR major who are members of a group underrepresented in the agricultural sciences, or are first-generation college students. See the MSP web page: http://agsci.oregonstate.edu/brr/msp