We are looking into ordering graduation cords! If you are interested in receiving a cord, please fill out the google form by the end of the day tomorrow (4/15). Cords will be shipped directly to you. If you have questions, email Faith at faith3@umbc.edu. 

https://forms.gle/MubhpeiiQwF7AjbX6 

The Bioethics Panel, which was scheduled to be this Friday, has been moved to a new date. The event will now be held on April 30 at 7 PM until 9 PM. 

We hope this does not cause much inconvenience to you and we appreciate your patience. We are striving to make this Bioethics Panel as best as it can be! We look forward to seeing you on April 30 for this bioethics event on bioterrorism.

Thank you, again.

During today's meeting, we discussed how to read a scientific paper, and our E-board members presented a paper about bioterrorism, as that is the topic for the Friday April 30 bioethics panel (7-9 pm). 

How to read a scientific paper: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BCU4jFf2LR_mTkyDPR6tEvpk3kOEVrc2hskYD_pIRKg/edit?usp=sharing 

Elections are next meeting! To run for an office, you must fill out this google form by Sunday, 4/25. Additionally, you must either be able to attend the general body meeting on the 26th or send a video of why you are running for you desired position to faith3@umbc.edu by 4/25. Google form: https://forms.gle/KWuRdbBEpY3xEruv9 

Webex meeting recording: https://umbc.webex.com/umbc/ldr.php?RCID=fb17e5057f384215ac19278b343eb803 

The PowerPoint is attached in this post. 

We at BioCOM would like to welcome you back from Spring Break!

As the title says, this is just a reminder that there is no general body meeting this Monday. Our first GBM after the Spring Break will be next Monday.

We will see you next week!

Tomorrow at 12 PM will be our tour of Dr. Leips lab. Graduate students in his lab will be talking about their work with Drosophila melanogaster and aging. 

Here is their research interests statement:

"Our research is focused on understanding the genetic basis of natural variation in life history traits using the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, as a model organism. We are particularly interested in identifying genes that control age-specific changes in traits that contribute to senescence and ultimately limit life span. These traits include age-specific reproduction, immune response and energy storage. We are also actively studying the ecology of natural populations of Drosophila to identify the agents of selection acting on genes controlling these traits. Our goal is to combine knowledge of the natural history of this species with an understanding of the genetic architecture of these traits to help explain the maintenance of genetic variation in age-related changes in fitness in natural populations."

You can join the lab tour with this Webex link:

We hope to see you tomorrow!

During our meeting yesterday, Susan Hindle from the Career Center gave a great presentation on selecting and applying to grad schools. The meeting was not recorded, but I have attached her presentation slides as well as the guide for writing personal statements in this post. It's a great idea to follow the Career Center's myUMBC group to stay informed about their events and programs. Additionally, Susan sends out an email every Tuesday to CNMS majors with information about internship/research opportunities and events/programs relevant to science majors. Be on the lookout for those because they are a great resource. Susan's email is shindle@umbc.edu, and she will be happy to answer any of your questions. Hope to see you at our next GBM on 3/22, and enjoy your spring break!

This Monday, BioCOM will be welcoming the UMBC Career Center, which will be presenting information about applying to graduate school. If you are seeking a PhD, a master's degree, professional school or are simply unsure about what to do after undergrad, the Career Center will likely be a useful resource that will answer your questions and resolve your confusions!

As always, the meeting is this Monday at 12 PM and will be held through Webex.

The Webex link is:

We hope to see you there!

Tomorrow, we will be holding our second general body meeting of the semester. We will be providing a general overview for anyone who is pursuing a pre-professional pathway. We will be going over the pre-medical, pre-dental and pre-PA tracks. We will also be discussing some information about graduate school and pursuance of a PhD. 

The link to the Webex room is:

https://umbc.webex.com/umbc/j.php?MTID=mdb9ee3278f120ae4f6dd7d65892a7a61 

See you there!

Also, it's time to pick our topic for the Bioethics Panel! Complete this google form by Monday, and our topic will be announced at the next GBM. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScH0WNrH2Env9HWU-zDQbzcMUFmti6RfFS3my_ptn9_TNi6QA/viewform?usp=sf_link 

If you missed the meeting, the recording is available in our meeting recordings document or at this link: https://umbc.webex.com/umbc/ldr.php?RCID=7677d151dc05488aa13ed679a4410460 

Welcome to the Spring 2021 semester!

Our first BioCOM meeting is tomorrow and at the meeting we will be talking about tips to success in classes that everyone usually takes as a biology major. We have gifted board members, ranging from sophomore to senior, who will try to make these classes less stressful!

We will go over courses like BIOL-141 and 142, BIOL-302 and 303, etc.. We will also talk about other classes like CHEM-101, some GEPs that everyone will likely take and so on. If you have any questions, we will be happy to answer them.

The link to the WebEx room is below:

We will see you tomorrow at 12 PM!