BIOLOGY 1AL
HHMI COURSE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
2007-2011
The pace of progress in biological research is tremendous, which places a huge challenge on keeping undergraduate instruction in the Biological Sciences up to date. This challenge is especially acute in laboratory courses. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute has given UC Berkeley a $1 million award to be used to update undergraduate training in biology. We intend to devote all these funds to a focused program designed to update the Bio 1A laboratory class. This multi-year project will begin this summer and involve a highly interactive team of talented undergraduates, staff, HHMI Teaching Fellows, and Professor Rine. The goals include increasing the research component of the lab class, so that the class contributes substantial data to campus research projects. In addition, we will sequence a bit of the genome from every student in the class, explore the function of human genes, and discover new viruses. Finally we will bring biological computing into the curriculum, enhancing the quantitative training in biology. Undergraduates selected to work on this project over the summers will have an unparalleled opportunity to work with a highly select team of students and scientists to develop the curriculum, bringing the frontiers of science into the classroom.
We will accept application through April 21st and hope to fill the positions by April 25th.
Undergraduate Course Development Aide Position for Summer 2008
Commitment:
Full time (40 hours/week) for 10 weeks at $10.68/hr = $4272.
Starting May 27th to August 1st.
Job description:
Looking for a summer job unlike anything you’re friends are doing this summer? Feel like your coursework would be so much better if your professors would just listen to suggestions from the students? Want a hands-on course in real, modern biology? Spend 10 weeks this summer working to develop a new curriculum for Bio1AL that updates current labs and replaces others with primary research. Work with a team of experts and fellow undergraduates as we generate ideas for improving the course and then implement them. Troubleshoot the new labs, and provide valuable insight into what works and what doesn’t. Learn a lot of biology, get a chance to improve a course at UC Berkeley, and get paid to do it.
Duties:
Improving Bio1AL will take place over several years. Each summer, 3-4 new labs will be developed. The new labs will replace old labs during the following fall and spring semesters. By the end of the summer, the new labs must be fully developed, with all background and text for the lab manual written. Each lab must also be tested to ensure that the level is appropriate and the scope feasible in a 3 hour period. Undergraduate aides will be a critical link in meeting our goals. Your duties during the summer will include providing ideas for making the labs understandable to fellow undergraduates, giving feedback on the labs, performing the labs to make sure they work in the allotted time, and writing protocols. Since this is the first summer of a multiyear project, we are especially interested in students willing to try new things, and comfortable juggling multiple ideas and responsibilities.
Please complete the following questions and email to Dr. Jacob Mayfield at jamayfie@berkeley.edu
Name:
Lab Section number and GSI:
Write a brief personal statement:
Why do you want to participate in this project?
What suggestions do you have for improving Bio1AL?
Please include the name and email address or phone number of a reference, including their relationship to you.