Resources and Facilities
The Department of Natural Sciences is housed
in the new Ivan Hilton Science Center. New
laboratory spaces, with state-of-the-art safety
and teaching features provide students with
hands-on, student-centered learning environments.
The Biology discipline prides itself on its ability
to place students into bioscience careers.
Data suggests that our graduates are highly
sucessful in being admitted and completing
medical, dental, and veterinary schools nationwide.
The discipline attributes this success
to intensive biology laboratory experiences
with cutting edge technology, and, instructors
committed to individual student progress.
Facilities include physiology, microbiology,
biomolecular, greenhouse and plant biology
laboratories. A computer laboratory is
available for classes and student use. Students
majoring in Biology are taught the practical
use of common scientific instrumentation
they will encounter in their careers. All
Biology students are required to complete an
undergraduate research project that provides
students with a realistic perspective of Biology
and the conduct of investigations. Many of the
faculty have active research programs that hire
undergraduate students and provide further
training.
Chemistry has modern laboratories for
chemistry classes and research. Chemical
measurement instrumentation includes a highfield Nuclear Magnetic Resonance device,
x-ray diffraction equipment, gas and liquid
chromatographs, mass spectrometers, IR, UV,
and visible spectrophotometers, and laser
spectroscopy facilities. Students who major
in Chemistry are expected to become fully
competent in the use of the instruments by the
time they graduate. Undergraduate students
gain a practical perspective on Chemistry
through involvement with research projects.
Chemistry has been highly successful in placing
its graduates in exciting careers in industry
and government, while many students proceed
to advanced graduate studies in Chemistry at
other institutions. Most Chemistry faculty
have research grants that can hire undergraduate
students.
The Natural Resources Management discipline
is comprised of the Environmental Geology
and Forestry programs. The Forestry major
is the only one accepted by Federal and state
agencies in New Mexico. Furthermore, the
Watershed Management concentration in
Environmental Geology provides a new, cutting-edge program in an emerging technical
field of great importance to New Mexico and
the western United States. The Environmental
Geology major focuses on classic geological
principles applied to environmental problems
like groundwater pollution, geologic hazards,
mine tailings and reclamation, and other topics.
Las Vegas is located near to many types
of natural resources. Within minutes of campus,
students can be in short-grass prairies,
forests, lakes, streams, and alpine tundra ecosystems.
Consequently, NRM programs are
focused on extensive student field experiences.
The area is geologically rich in fossils, mineral
ores, and geologic hazards, while having many
abandoned and active mines. NRM students
are in demand by federal and state agencies,
which need personnel trained in the unique
social, ecological, and geological conditions in
the southwest. NMHU is also the home of the
New Mexico Ecological Restoration Institute
that is leading New Mexico in the restoration
of forests, ranges, and stream systems.
Numerous opportunities for undergraduate student
involvement in research and field projects
exist at NMHU. |
