Internship Opportunities: Josh Swore

Senior Josh Swore spent his summer on the Gulf coast studying marine biology and learning what it takes to become a research scientist.

Northwestern College biology major, Josh Swore, recently completed an eleven-week summer research training program in the biological sciences at the University of Florida’s Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience. Swore was one of eight participants selected to participate in the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program which is funded by the National Science Foundation.

During his time in the REU program, Swore applied state-of-the-art molecular biological approaches to study the biochemistry of the nervous system of ctenophores, one of the simplest animals to have a nervous system. His research provides important information about how nervous systems evolved—critical for understanding the function of nervous systems in more complex animals.

In addition to conducting original research, Swore participated in career development workshops focusing on scientific ethics and communication, visited with graduate departments on the Gainesville campus of the University of Florida, and participated in field trips to Florida’s diverse aquatic ecosystems including the Florida Keys, inland freshwater springs, the Gulf coast at Cedar Key and local beaches and marshes. The culminating event of his summer experience was an Undergraduate Research Symposium during which he and his fellow REU interns presented the results of their summer research.

Swore, of Grand Rapids Mich., is currently a senior and plans to pursue either an MD or PhD degree following his graduation from Northwestern. His parents, Tim ‘85 and Bonnie ‘86 are both Northwestern alumni.

About the Research Experience for Undergraduates and Whitney Laboratory

The goal of the REU program is to provide science students with a realistic experience conducting original scientific research. The program was developed to address a critical national need to increase the number of students pursuing careers in the sciences.

The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience is a biomedical and biotechnology research institute of the University of Florida. It is made up of ten different internal labs that use marine organisms for basic biological research that can be applied to human health, natural resources, and the environment. The Lab provides training for future experimental biologists, educational programs for kindergarten through university level students, and monthly lectures for the general public. To learn more about the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience visit their website at www.whitney.ufl.edu.