Course Description
Student rotations in the research laboratories of participating Integrated Life Sciences (ILS) faculty members. Not for thesis or dissertation.
Athena Title
Research Techniques in ILS
Non-Traditional Format
Three 6-week rotations where students can request a rotation with any of our 250+ ILS-affiliated faculty members that are drawn from 14 departments/institutes.
Prerequisite
Permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall and summer
Grading System
S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory)
Course Objectives
This laboratory is designed to introduce first year ILS graduate students to research methodologies and the research interests of the faculty. The purpose of this course is for the student to become familiar with potential research projects available for their dissertation or thesis work, and to identify a dissertation advisor for their graduate research. Students are expected to complete a minimum of three lab rotations during their first semester in residence.
Topical Outline
Students will undertake independent research projects under the advisement of three different participating ILS faculty members over the course of the fall semester of their first year. The student arranges to spend a minimum of 5 and maximum of 7 weeks during the term as a member of the research groups of participating ILS faculty. These periods are referred to as "rotations"; during each rotation the student is provided workspace in the laboratory, attends regular research group meetings, and discusses with students and/or post-doctoral fellows in the lab his/her own research project. Typically, the student arranges with the faculty member to have a mini-project in order to gain hands-on experience with research techniques used in the lab. Students are required to carry out rotations with at least three ILS faculty members from any of the participating ILS departments. After the third rotation, students are expected to have identified a permanent major professor and to have been accepted into a degree-granting research program. Grading is S/U and is based upon regular engagement with other members of the laboratory and demonstration of effort on any assigned mini-projects, but is not based on actual completion of a mini-project or acquisition of any specific experimental result, nor on whether the student ultimately decides to work with that faculty member for his/her graduate research project. The ILS Graduate Coordinator or other designated faculty member acts as the instructor for this course and will assign the final grades in consultation with the rotation advisors for each student.