It’s finally here – Winter Break!
You worked hard this semester and it doesn’t go unrecognized. Now is the time to get some well-deserved rest and re-charge before the spring semester begins.
It’s easy to binge-watch your favorite tv shows or go down the Tik Tok rabbit hole, but we’d like to challenge you to do some things that will truly restore you during your winter break.
1. Catch up on Sleep
Did you pull more all-nighters this past semester than you would like to admit? Now is the time to re-establish some good sleeping habits.
2. Do some light brainstorming for next semester plans.
If you found yourself too overwhelmed and busy last semester, consider what activities you may need to let go of. On the other end, if you feel you had too much time on your hands, consider some clubs or activities you may be able to get involved in this spring. Many organizations are still meaning virtually and Campus Life continues to offer regular online programming for students.
3. Take time to reconnect with family and friends.
Tell your friends you cherish them! Keep your support system strong and growing into the Spring semester. FaceTime the elders in your family and learn more about your family history and heritage. This discovery about your family roots can be the inspiration you need to keep pushing forward when the going gets tough.
4. Eat a good meal! Or two. Or three...
Take a break from your typical college diet and use this time to enjoy some healthy meals. Check out these easy meals for college students.
5. Spend an afternoon exploring the great outdoors!
Yes, it’s a bit cold in the winter, but all you need is some winter gear to enjoy some fresh air and nature. If you call Maryland home, many of the state parks are still open. And if you aren’t feeling as adventurous, even a walk around your neighborhood can do a world of good!
6. Research a graduate or professional school.
Whether you are just starting to think about grad school or are actually working on applications, many schools are offering virtual fairs or meetings to prospective students.
7. Set up an informational interview with a working professional.
Find out what a profession is really like and make connections with people in your future field by conducting an interview unrelated to a job search. Sample question: “What are the most important qualities for an aspiring pilot/engineer/dance therapist?” Keep a journal to record notes from these experiences.
8. Update and upgrade your resume.
Opportunities sometimes come up quickly and you want to be ready with that polished resume. Every college student needs a polished resume!
9. Plan an independent research or creative project and prepare an application for the UMBC Undergraduate Research Award (URA).
The URA provides up to $1500 to support research expenses such as equipment, travel, and materials. Here is a link to the full details.
Summer internships can provide both $ and valuable experience. The more competitive internships have deadlines in fall, but some are still open in January-March. If you have already missed a deadline, get all the information so you can apply early next year. Some internships are open to recent college graduates.
10. Work on your graduation game plan.
Winter break is an excellent time to create, revise or update your plan. Here are suggestions for a pathway you can take for graduation, and it includes a worksheet to start the plans on! Don’t forget to refer to your myUMBC profile for more academic information!
]]>Please see the latest updates on UMBC’s Retriever Ready website. Questions? Email covid19@umbc.edu.
Name:Arushi Dalal
Internship, Co-op or Research Site:Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET)
Position Title:Summer Research Intern
Major(s)/Minor(s):Biological Sciences, Pre-Veterinary
Current Class Level:Senior
Work Term:Summer 2020
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
This summer, my fellow interns and I worked on projects centering around the Baltimore Harbor. Specifically, my lab partner and I characterized bacteria in the Baltimore Harbor. Identifying changes in microbe presence reflects the Harbor’s water quality. Using gene sequencing and bioinformatics, we identified bacterial indicators and generated graphs to compare the microbial diversity. My days consisted of Zoom calls to discuss our progress on the project, meetings with professionals in the field, and work sessions to learn bioinformatics techniques. Throughout the internship, I also engaged in science communication and technical training workshops.
Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
I originally planned to take a course at IMET this past spring, but I really learned more about the Institute at the CNMS Careers Conference and an On the Road trip with the Career Center. After this, I knew I wanted to apply. I scheduled a resume review meeting with the Career Center and drafted my statement of interest. The application was due in early February and consisted of a brief form, statement of interest, resume, and transcript. By the time May came around and the pandemic worsened, I worried I wouldn’t have an internship for the summer, but shortly thereafter I received an email about my acceptance. I had a brief interview over Zoom, and then I got to work!
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?
I appreciate the emphasis IMET puts on science communication. I’ve never encountered an organization which put an equal focus on the way we presented our findings as to the research we were doing. I believe that’s what made our final presentations so good. I also enjoyed meeting new peers and science professionals, in addition to attending weekly seminars to learn of the research being done at the Institute and around the country. Despite the challenges this pandemic has brought, IMET was very accommodating to students who had internet connectivity issues and who were joining from different time zones. I really appreciate all that the organization did to arrange this internship program, especially given the circumstances this year.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I was originally a little apprehensive of how a virtual internship would turn out. I always envisioned science to happen in a laboratory. Nevertheless, for ten weeks, I learned coding skills and utilized bioinformatic techniques to analyze 4.5 million DNA sequences and identified five key bacterial species. These results highlighted that we must further study the microbial diversity at certain sites that had been sampled in our research. I’m grateful for the opportunity to conduct meaningful research and cannot wait to see how future interns will build upon this work.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
I recommend targeting specific organizations and familiarizing yourself with the work they do to see how it aligns with your interests, rather than applying everywhere and hoping one works out. I think what set me apart in IMET’s eyes was that I interacted with them at Career Center events and on their social media. I also reached out to them when organizing an event for a club, and I participated in their Open House activities. I did this not only because I wanted to intern there, but because I was truly interested in the work being done.
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Title: The Effect of Neuronal Network Plasticity and Refinement in Drosophila melanogaster
Nociceptors are sensory neurons that fire in response to sharp pain or heat, but unstimulating firing has also been observed in developing drosophila neuronal networks. We are investigating whether the frequency of this firing could play a role in signaling a synapse to be pruned.
Who is your mentor(s) for your project?
My mentor is Dr. Fernando Vonhoff from the Biology Department. I used to study in the lab break room with some friends who worked on that floor of the Biology Building. I knew some people who were familiar with Dr. Vonhoff’s work and the projects lined up quite well with my interests. The same friends told me how Dr. Vonhoff provided excellent guidance and freedom to those working under him and so I asked if there was anything I could do for the lab.
How did you become interested in this project?
I had previously done some neuroscience research and this project allowed me to not only work on investigating pruning at the scale of a single synapse but also more macro topics such as refinement of a developing neuronal network as a whole.
What has been the hardest part about your research/what was the most unexpected thing about being a researcher?
The hardest part of this project has been the day to day collection of data. It can be repetitive, but it takes a long time to investigate something substantial.
What has been the most rewarding part?
The most rewarding part has been learning new skills and being able to use them to further the project. There is a real feeling of being a part of the neuroscience community when you can perform an experiment that you’ve read in a paper and then actually use that data.
How will you disseminate your research?
Hopefully, we will have something to publish soon and I plan to present at the Spring URCAD event.
What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research?
I would tell them to read around a good bit to make sure you are interested in the work that you’ll be doing. It is also equally, if not more, important that you find a mentor who you will enjoy working with and who has the time to guide you. As far as getting into a lab, simply send out as many emails as it takes for someone to invite you in for an interview. It might take a month or two but there are so many opportunities on campus to get involved in research.
What are your career goals?
I hope to become a physician.
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