Are you interested in:

• Exploring the intersection of different STEM disciplines?
• Going to graduate school in a STEM field?
• Gaining a greater understanding for life as a professional researcher?

Then the STEM Research Minor might be for you!

By earning this minor, students will learn more about interdisciplinary STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) research, design their own research projects, practice oral and written scientific communication skills, interact with professional scientists, discuss scientific literature, and conduct research and scholarship in STEM fields.

Required Courses:
All courses in this section must be completed.

• STEM 105: Integrated Inquiry Seminar (2 credits, Writing Enhanced, Fall only)
  This course is designed to introduce students to scientific communication and research design. Students learn about searching and reading the primary literature, types of scientific communication, research proposal preparation, peer review and ethics of scientific research. During the course, students prepare a written proposal for novel scientific research that they share in an oral presentation at the end of the semester. (Alternative course for the minor: STAT 310 – Data Collection & Statistical Communication.)
• STEM 202: Interdisciplinary STEM Research Seminar 2 (1 credit, Spring only)
  Students attend bi-weekly presentations of STEM research given by invited scientists. Speakers highlight research at the intersections of agriculture, biology, biochemistry, chemistry, mathematics, physics and statistics. In the week prior to each presentation, students will read and analyze an article from the primary literature written by the next week’s speaker.
• STEM 301: Interdisciplinary STEM Research Preparation 1 (1 credit, Fall only)
  Working with a faculty member and other students in the course, students plan a diverse seminar series for the following Spring Interdisciplinary STEM Research Seminar courses. Students review research articles, invite speakers from outside of Truman to give presentations, and prepare to lead discussions of the guests’ research in the Spring.
• STEM 302: Interdisciplinary STEM Research Seminar 3 (2 credits, Spring only)
  Students host speakers at the biweekly seminar series and lead and participate in discussions about the speaker’s research.

Elective Courses:
Choose two courses from Part A and one from Part B

• Part A: an introductory majors-level sequence in any approved STEM discipline (7-10 credits). See Catalog for more detail.
• Part B: a credit-bearing, high-impact research experience in a STEM field (1-6 credits). This can include
  • Research done for credit at Truman (see Catalog for course options) OR
  • STEM 392: Evaluation of STEM Research AND Research done at Truman or other universities/centers (not for credit)
    • Examples of research experiences include: TruScholars, research with a faculty member resulting in a Student Research Conference (SRC) presentation or external conference presentation, McNair INDV completion, departmental honors research and presentation, or summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) or Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)