Choosing the physics major at Emory

Dr. Connie Roth's Phys 397R: Research & Careers in Physics students have assembled a wonderful resource for first year students who are considering majoring in physics.

http://www.physics.emory.edu/faculty/roth/freshmanFAQ/

Thank you, Grace, Paulina, Paul, Wei, Mary, Mina, and Dr. Roth! Now we know.

SURE 2009 at Emory: Calendar and Info for Participants

Hello all! Here's some information you've been eagerly waiting for:

SURE 2009 Calendar: http://tiny.cc/SURE09_Calendar

Info for SURE 2009 Participants (housing, transportation, etc.):
http://tiny.cc/SURE09_Incoming

A delightful metaphor for mentoring in the sciences

Graduate student Kacie Kinzer (New York University's Interactive Telecommunications Program) produced an awesome project that immediately made me think of the importance of asking for guidance as you find your way to your goals.

Check it out at ttp://www.tweenbots.com.

So... be a good little robot and ask lots of people to help you get unstuck and point you in the right direction :)

Summer Program in Computational Neuroscience at The University of Pennsylvania

Dates: June 1 – August 14, 2009

Applications accepted on a rolling basis until April 20, 2009


PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

Applications are invited for an intensive summer program of hands-on training to introduce undergraduate students to the principles and techniques of computational neuroscience. The summer program will be directed by Drs. Michael Kahana and Joshua Jacobs, of the University of Pennsylvania, in collaboration with over 22 Neuroscience faculty from Penn and allied institutions. 
 
An initial short course will introduce students to the basic methods of using computational techniques to model and analyze neuronal activity.   After the course, students will carry out research rotations in U. Penn laboratories, under the supervision of the faculty.  Lectures, chalk talks, and social events will continue throughout the summer.

All undergraduates with an interest in computational neuroscience are encouraged to apply.  Applicants are encouraged from a variety of backgrounds:  biology or psychology students seeking an introduction to more quantitative approaches, or students from engineering, physics, and related fields who seek exposure to neuroscience.  The goal of the program is to foster training that integrates experimental and theoretical approaches to understanding neural function.

Housing is available, if needed, on the Penn campus, and a stipend will be provided to cover living expenses.

HOW TO APPLY:

To apply, please gather these application materials:
  1.  A completed application
  2.  An (unofficial) transcript
  3.  A resume/CV describing your research and professional experience

and send them via email to compneurosci@psych.upenn.edu.  Download application and review available faculty at http://memory.psych.upenn.edu/compneurosci/.

If you have any questions, please feel to contact Drs. Kahana or Jacobs at compneurosci@psych.upenn.edu

James Watson @ Emory: April 14 (today! very soon!)

Event Open To Emory Community

"The Doing of Science" by Dr. James D. Watson

TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2009, 1 – 2PM

Location: Glenn Memorial Auditorium

Summer research: Nanoscholars Program at CAU

The 2009 Nanoscholars Undergraduate Summer Program at Clark Atlanta University will begin June 7, 2009 and will end July 17, 2009. It is open to all undergraduate students majoring in one of the natural or physical sciences, who will have completed their freshman year, have an interest in the nanoscale and plan to attend graduate school upon graduation. Each participant will have a personalized research project as well as have both a graduate student mentor and faculty advisor. This summer’s Program will include seminars, short courses, regular laboratory meetings and research presentations. Interested students may apply by completing the application found on this web site. Participating students will receive a stipend of $3,000.00 and you will be required to commit a minimum of 40 hours per week to the program’s activities. Room, board and round-trip transportation to Atlanta will be provided.

Program Dates: June 7 - July 17, 2009

Deadline: April 30

See flyer: http://www.cfnm.cau.edu/graphics/SummerNanoScholars%20Flyer.JPG

Additional info and link to online application available here: http://www.cfnm.cau.edu/ed_prog.html

Emory: Students visiting/doing research in developing countries this summer

Those of you scheduled to do a summer research fellowships in a developing country should attend the workshop being offered by the Emory Global Health Institute on April 18.

You can find the announcement here: http://www.globalhealth.emory.edu/fundingOpportunities/wac_and_photog_workshop_2009.php

SHORT DEADLINE!!! HIV/AIDS summer undergraduate research at Emory Vaccine Center and Grady Clinic

Funds are available for several positions in HIV/AIDS research at the Emory Vaccine Center. There is a very quick turn-around to this application.

Eligibility: Undergraduate students (still enrolled in college when the program starts)

Program Dates: May 26 - July 31, 2009 (participants would be part of the SURE Program)

Applications due via email: April 17

Notifications: will be made by April 24; acceptance of offers due by April 30.

Application Materials:
Application Form (available as rtf file or doc file): program description and application form you can type into, save, and return by email; also lists other requirements (short essay, letter of recommendation) and available mentors.

Science Writing at Emory

Did you know that there is a science writer's group at Emory?

The Science Writers Association at Emory (SWAE) is dedicated to providing an open venue for young scientists to improve their communication skills through writing, editing, and publishing and will achieve this through the production of a student-operated, periodic science publication. This publication will feature high quality science writing and news reporting by graduate students across diverse disciplines at Emory.

But note that they will consider undergraduate authors as well.

Check out their website at http://www.students.emory.edu/sciencewriters/, where you can also read their publication, in scripto.

Pre-Meds: this one's for you

A little bird just flew into my office with the following pre-med advise:

Every pre-med student should visit the American Association of Medical Colleges website: http://www.aamc.org/students/applying/about/start.htm and seriously consider buying their book Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR™). $25 buys you specific information about the schools you are considering, including detailed admission requirements (coursework, experiences). 

Going to the source makes sense, don't you think?

Emory University 2009 Research Job Fair

Friday, 03/27/2009
09:00 AM to 04:00 PM
Location: Emory University Clairmont Campus Student Activity and Academic Center
MUST REGISTER HERE: https://www.hr.emory.edu/Fair09.nsf/appreg?openform

Whether you are a new graduate, soon to graduate (Spring-Summer 2009) or an experienced researcher, this job fair is for you! Between 30 and 40 faculty scientists will interview for current and/or anticipated laboratory openings.

This Job Fair will only focus on hiring candidates who have degrees or experience in one or more of the following areas:

Animal Care/Behavior
Bacteriology
Biochemistry
Bioinformatics
Biology
Biostatistics
Chemistry
Epidemiology
Genetics
Microbiology
Molecular Biology
Neuroscience
Physics
Public Health
Virology
Zoology

Explorations in Statistics: An Undergraduate Summer Program

Explorations in Statistics: An Undergraduate Summer Program
University of California, Berkeley
June 13-20, 2009
http://www.stat.berkeley.edu/~summer
Deadline to apply: April 6, 2009

Over the course of our seven-day program, we will explore scientific questions using statistical approaches ranging from simple summaries to more sophisticated modeling approaches.

Through computer labs, students will receive a basic introduction to statistical computing, providing them with the skills to perform fundamental data manipulations, conduct exploratory analyses and create informative visualizations.

All program participants' round-trip travel to Berkeley and their room and board will paid by the program. Explorations in Statistics is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.

Student applications available at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/explorations_in_statistics_research

Reference forms available at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/explorations_in_statistics_research_reference

All undergraduates are eligible. Women and underrepresented minorities are strongly encouraged to apply. Students entering the junior or senior year in Fall 2009 will be given preference.

Recovery Act Funds for Administrative Supplements Providing Summer Research Experiences for Students and Science Educators

Researchers with active NIH funding may request supplements to support research experiences for high school students, undergraduates, and teachers.

Please visit the complete announcement at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-09-060.html.

A list of NIH centers participating in recovery act awards appears here http://grants.nih.gov/recovery/ic_supp.htm. Please review your Center's statement, as some may not be participating in summer supplements, and contact your program administrator before you begin your application:

“Inquiries and discussion of plans for responding to this Notice are strongly encouraged. For scientific or technical questions relating to research that would be supported by this solicitation, contact the Program Administrator assigned to the parent grant. For administrative questions related to this solicitation, contact the Grants Management Specialist noted on the Notice of Award for the parent grant.”

Note that these funds do not carry the usual limitations of NIH supplements (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-190.html), i.e., awards are limited to participants from low income, socially, culturally, or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds.

Postgraduate Research Participation at the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research

Description: opportunities to participate in research concerning biologics

Discipline(s): bioengineering; biostatics; life sciences; medical sciences; physical sciences; related scientific disciplines

Eligibility: No Citizenship Requirements. Must have completed graduate degree within last three years; others considered on a case-by-cast basis

See full program description at http://see.orau.org/ProgramDescription.aspx?Program=10200

Nanoscholars Abroad Program - South Africa (June 7- July 31, 2009)

Deadline extended to Friday, March 20, 2009!

The Center for Functional Nanoscale Materials, a NSF Center for Research Excellence for Science and Technology, is inviting applications for the 2009 Nanoscholars Abroad Program.   The 2009 Nanoscholar Abroad Program begins June 7, 2009 at the CFNM, Atlanta Georgia, and continues through July 31, 2009 with the return of the participants from Cape Town, South Africa.  Participants will spend two weeks at the CFNM in Atlanta before departing for the iTHEMBA LABS in Cape Town, South Africa for the remaining six weeks of the program.  Each participant will work on a personal project, which is concerned with some aspect of an ongoing collaboration between CFNM researchers and iTHEMBA LABS scientists.  While in South Africa participants will be supervised by senior scientists at the iTHEMBA LABS and will also have a senior scientist from the CFNM as local counselor.

Participation in this program is open to undergraduate students, who are majoring in one of the science or mathematics disciplines and who plan to attend graduate school after graduation.  Applicants should be rising sophomores, juniors or seniors with a major in the sciences or mathematics and should be in good academic standing at their home institution.  Interested students should apply as early as possible by completing the application found on http://www.cfnm.cau.edu/applications.html.  

Each participant will be provided with round trip transportation from their point of origin to the CFNM in Atlanta as well as round trip transportation between Atlanta and Capetown, South Africa.  While in Atlanta participants will be provided with room and board and while in South Africa participants will be provided with housing and a per diem allowance.  In addition, participants will receive a stipend of $3,200 dollars (US) for their participation in the program.

Please ikhan@cau.edu or cfnm@cau.edu if you have additional questions.

Biotechnology careers

Speaking of biotech, www.biolink.com has info on biotechnology employers by region. Here's their listing of biotech companies in Georgia (you can search by any state or region): http://www.bio-link.org/centersGA.htm
and here's a series of scenarios of jobs available in this industry: http://www.bio-link.org/students.htm

Along those lines, Georgia Bio highlights Georgia's life science industries, and this page http://www.gabio.org/content.aspx?pageid=89 includes a listing broken down by area (e.g., Food, Agricultural, & Nutrition; Biofuels & Bioenergy; Bioinformatics, etc.)

Biotech research opportunity for *some* North Carolina laboratories

See the full item here: http://www.ncbiotech.org/undergrad_biotech/

Any public or private four-year college or university in North Carolina may apply, except Duke University, North Carolina State University, and UNC-Chapel Hill. $5000 research award, with work to be completed by May 1, 2010.

Application deadline is March 11, 2009, at NOON.

Summer Research @ Univ. Alabama, Birmingham

Deadline: Applications must be postmarked by March 13, 2009

Available projects in these areas: Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Center, and the Departments of Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Environmental Health Sciences, Genetics, Medicine, Microbiology, Pathology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Physiology and Biophysics.

The Summer in Biomedical Science (SIBS) Undergraduate Research Program will provide the opportunity for young people who are sophomore or junior level college undergraduates to be instructed in the techniques of modern biology while becoming integrated members of a vibrant clinical and scientific community. Ten (10) students who have finished their sophomore or junior year of college will be accepted into the 8-week paid summer program (June 1, 2009 - July 24, 2009) to work with UAB faculty members on mentored research projects. SIBS students will receive a stipend of $2,000 for their participation in the program. Campus housing will be provided, but travel expenses will not be covered.

For more info: http://peir.path.uab.edu/sibs/cat_index_19.shtml

Motherload of scholarship opportunities for individuals

This listing is hosted at Michigan State University and some items are likely state-specific. Still, worth a look.
A giant THANK YOU to Jon Harrison, who maintains it (lovingly, I'd argue: each item has a freshness date).

http://staff.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/3subject.htm

Who woulda thunk it? Science internships attract students to research careers

This article highlights what we know: that hands-on research draws students into science careers.

Researchers observed that, during the first 2 weeks of the internship, most of the students were hesitant to participate or to touch instrumentation in the laboratory. After completing the training the students developed the confidence to carry out a semi-independent project involving the isolation and characterization of a known gene.

None of the students had science as a career choice before the internship; after participating, however, many decided to pursue careers in science. To date, more than 60 students have been provided with internships and 20 students have entered graduate schools, most in molecular biology-related fields, including 10 at the doctoral level in molecular environmental science. Notably, most were first-generation college students.

See the whole item here: http://www.genengnews.com/news/bnitem.aspx?name=50251596