BioFIRE

Join BioFIRE to be part of a vibrant community of scholars and engage in scientific discovery during your earliest semesters at the University of Maryland.

See What BioFIRE Students Have to Say About the Program
See What BioFIRE Students Have to Say About the Program
  • Strong cohort that takes classes, studies and lives together: Take your first-year foundational science courses—including introductory biology, general chemistry and calculus—with other BioFIRE students and live together in Somerset Hall (commuters also welcome!).
  • Hands-on research: Work in faculty labs and contribute to ongoing research through the First-year Innovation and Research Experience (FIRE).
  • Community activities and traditions: Participate in study groups, tutoring, field trips, scientific lectures and other social activities.
  • Career exploration: Enroll in a one-credit fall and spring seminar to explore strategies for a successful transition to college and career options for biological sciences, biochemistry, chemistry and neuroscience majors.
479
BioFIRE students since 2015
80%
First-generation college students, from under-resourced neighborhoods, or from racial and ethnic groups historically underrepresented in STEM
82%
STEM graduation rate
(compared with 67% nationally)

As an anxious college student who was an immigrant, I had a lot of self-doubt about my ability to make it in college. BioFIRE provided me with solid ground—a safety net, a home on campus. 

Manuella Djomaleu (B.S. ’20, biological sciences)

Meet Our BioFIRE Academic and Peer Mentors