The following e-mail message was sent to all current Biology majors on 6 April 2007:

Lots of important information for you...

Special lecture:
The Life Sciences & Management Program is sponsoring a lecture by Dr. Art Caplan, Director of Penn's Center for Bioethics. The lecture, entitled "A Long and Winding Road: The Evolution of Bioethics from Bedside to Boardroom" will be given Monday, April 9th, at 4 pm in Logan G-17. Dr. Caplan served as chair for the Advisory Committee to the United Nations on Human Cloning, the Advisory Committee to the Department of Health and Human Services on Blood Safety and Availability, and has been on numerous other national and international committees. This promises to be an interesting talk on how bioethics influences medical decisions. All members of the University community are welcome so bring your friends!

Research funding opportunity:
The Ecology and Evolution Faculty in the Department of Biology invites a final round of applications for research support from the Binns Williams Fund.  The Andrew N. Binns/Paul C. Williams Scholarship Fund for Research in Ecology and Evolution was established in 2004 with a contribution made by Mr. Paul Williams, a member of the University of Pennsylvania’s Board of Trustees and the SAS Board of Overseers to the Biology Department in honor of Andy Binns, who was then department chair.  Andy intended the funds to be used for research in ecology or evolutionary biology by graduate students or undergraduates.  We expect to make 3-5 awards of $1000 maximum this spring.  Priority will be given to individuals who have not yet received Binns Williams funding.  
 
Applications for support should be submitted by email as single Word or PDF file to the Biology Graduate Office (gasiorow@sas.upenn.edu) by Monday 23 April. Format for applications is as follows: 1) a cover sheet with the proposal title, your name, expected graduation date, advisor’s name, amount requested, and other pending or current support; 2) research proposal text (maximum two pages including figures, text single-spaced using 12 point font and 1 inch margins); 3) literature cited; 4) itemized budget with justification. Budget must be only for expenses that are clearly part of the proposed work.

Research opportunities in ecology and evolution at Penn!
The following labs have opportunities for undergraduates to assist with or develop their own research projects:

Dr. Dustin Brisson's lab: projects related to the ecology and evolution of Lyme disease include Lyme disease vaccine, population biology of infectious disease, and molecular evolution. Contact Dr. Brisson at dbrisson@sas.upenn.edu

Dr. Brenda Casper's lab: projects include lab and field research investigating the relationship between soil microbes and plant roots. Contact Jennifer Doherty at dohertyj@sas.upenn.edu

Dr. Brent Helliker's lab: lab and field research projects investigating how gas exchange in plants and soil microorganisms impacts the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Contact Emma Aronson at emmala@sas.upenn.edu

Summer Internships elsewhere...
Summer Research Training Fellowships at University of Rochester are available to study molecular ecology of endosymbiotic bacteria and insects. Starting dates are flexible but the program will be 6-8 weeks, spanning June through August. The fellowship includes travel expenses, housing, and a stipend. Some experience in PCR is desirable and you must have some interest in entomology, microbiology, ecology, or evolution. For more information and to download a copy of the application visit http://troi.cc.rochester.edu/~wolb/FIBR/education.html

One NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates position is available to study the importance of food abundance to the evolution of life history characteristics in red squirrels. The successful candidate will work as part of a data collection crew near Kluane National Park in Yukon (Canada) and will also collect data for an independent project. Possible research projects include spruce cone preferences of left- and right-handed squirrels and nest attendance of females with many smaller or few high quality offspring. More information is available at www.redsquirrel.msu.edu To apply for this position, send an e-mail to Dr. Andrew McAdam at mcadama@msu.edu and include the following attachments: a cover letter indicating your interest in the project, specific questions you are interested in answering, and a statement of why you are suited for the position; and a resume with contact information for your references. Non-Michigan State University students are also asked to provide the name of a mentor from your home school to provide additional assistance during the next academic year.

Summer internship in lobster ecology at Bigelow Lab for Ocean Sciences. These studies continue work on early life history and recruitment of American lobster in New England. The projects are field-based with long hours and are physically demanding (one involves diving to monitor hatechery-based enhancement of lobster nurseries). Divers must supply their own equipment and be scuba certified (dry suits are recommended!). Internships begin in mid-May and extend through early October. Housing and a stipend are provided. To apply, complete the questionnaire available at http://www.bigelow.org/wahle_intern_2007.pdf and send it with your resume, unofficial transcript, and two letters of recommendation to:

Charlene Bergeron
Wahle Lab/ Lobster Internship
Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
West Boothbay Harbor, Maine 04575
email: cbergeron@bigelow.org
tel: 207 633 9670
fax: 207 633 9641

Looking for a job...

Undergraduate research assistant needed for laboratory studying pathogenesis, host-pathogen interactions, and quorum-sensing of the enteric pathogen Vibrio cholerae. Responsibilities would include cloning of expression constructs, DNA and protein analysis, genetic screens for bacterial virulence factors, and preparation of media and reagents. Students will work with post-doctoral fellows and senior graduate students, progressing to independent study (BIO 399/499).

Students in Biology or related majors with course work relevant to molecular biology or biochemistry are preferred, but all students with interest in the field of pathogenesis/host-pathogen interactions and good work ethics are encouraged to apply. We will train as necessary.
For more information, please contact:
Ansel Hsiao
ansel@mail.med.upenn.edu
215-573-4105

The Summer Academy in Applied Science and Technology (SAAST) at the School of Engineering seeks applicants for the position of RTA -- Residential Teaching Assistant -- for the Biotechnology program. Students do not need to be engineers but molecular biology experience is required (course experience, such as BIOL 425 or similar, is acceptable).

SAAST is a three-week, intensive summer program for high school students interested in science and engineering that runs from July 8-27. For more information about SAAST, please see http://www.seas.upenn.edu/saast/.  For more information on applying, please go to http://www.seas.upenn.edu/saast/rta/.  The deadline has been extended but for best consideration, interested students should apply as soon as possible.

Any other information, contact Dr. Christine Brisson, brisson@seas.upenn.edu

Field coordinators for sea turtle projects in Costa Rica with PRETOMA. Responsible for coordinating field assistants, communicating with project directors, and recording all technical data. Work includes measuring and tagging all adult turtles, relocate nests to hatcheries or mark them in situ, monitoring hatcheries and nests around the clock, and conducting post hatching excavations. Additionally, responsible for cooking duty, camp upkeep, and construction of camp and hatchery (shoveling sand, hammering nails, plant control, and other strenuous physical activities early in the morning and late at night). Food and lodging expenses are covered but you are responsible for travel expenses to and from the project sites. For more information, visit their website at http://www.tortugamarina.org/

Other events:
14th National Conference on Science and Social Responsibility: Promoting the Integrity of Science sponsored by Student Pugwash USA April 12-15 at National Academies Keck Center. This conference provides students with the opportunity to meet with policymakers and discuss ways to promote scientific integrity in the application of science and technology. Guest speakers include Rita Colwell, former head of NSF, and John Gibbons, science advisor to the President 1993-98. For more information, visit http://www.spusa.org