Biology is the study of life and any living creatures, including their structure, function, development, derivation, evolution, and distribution. Our program provides our students with a variety of affiliated programs, such as Global Infectious Disease (GID), Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience (IPN), Georgetown Environment Initiative, Center for the Environment, Program on Science in the Public Interest, Post-bac Program for Pre-meds, and Sigma XI Science Honor Society. Undergraduate students are given the opportunity to do research. The majority of undergraduate students conduct research in the laboratory, in the field, or computationally under the direction of faculty mentors in the Department of Biology, in the Medical Center, or at local research institutions. Other students commit themselves to developing lesson plans and engaging high school students in biology. All graduate students in the Department of Biology learn how to teach in a pedagogy course. They are provided with the opportunity to achieve a certificate in teaching apprenticeship. They are able to attain the certificate through participating in workshops sponsored by the Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship. Faculty have received credentials in pedagogy, attended conferences on biology education, and have published on teaching innovation. Through our outstanding and skillful faculties, the mission of the Department of Biology is to enable students to make creative and careful use of their knowledge.