The Scientist Among Engineers

End of an Era (or something like it...)

2009-04-30T11:14:00.000-07:00

Last night , I couldn't keep myself from sitting at the fountain, thinking about the past four years of college. Is it really here? I can't believe that sometimes.
As scary as it to go out into the real world, I'm strangely excited about it. I'm not sure about my job status yet, I'm still going on interviews, I'm still looking for apartments. But I've made my peace with WPI. It was the best experience to travel to a new country, learn about different people, work and play, and live the WPI fast-paced life. But here we go, we're moving on.

Thank you to everyone who's been in my life these four years- whether we are friends or foes today, it was good while it lasted. I hope to see you all have a bright future. My friends- we're doing that once-a-year-reunion in random places in the world- no excuses :)

Thank you all WPI faculty and staff- you've given me a wonderful experience I won't forget. I wish everyone who's graduating the best of luck. I can only hope to take the best things from here on toward my future. Since this is my last entry, I also wanted to thank everyone who's been following my life. Thanks for reading this blog and wishing me well, when you ran into me. I guess it wasn't too hard to figure me out.

Best wishes
~Shree

Status...

2009-04-22T10:49:00.000-07:00

So I didn't really talk about this before, because I was trying to stay on the DL a little, but I got some interview calls recently. Good thing I did a mock interview way ahead of time, and did some fair amount of prepping before my time. Here's the order they were in...

1) atrocious. That's the only word for the first one....you know how they say, it's all great to be prepped about the questions, but it's the curve ball you have to be prepared for...yeah. They asked me physics questions. All I could do was say..."Uh, I'm majoring in Biotechnology.....". I don't even know what to say to someone else for the future on how to deal with something like that....plus I was so nervous, I couldn't think about any of the normal questions he asked me...so that was a disaster. We'll see what I hear from them...I'm not expecting anything

2) Much better. Aside from making a fool of myself by appearing too eager and arriving 30 minutes early, not too much of a disaster area. I have a call back for a second interview...so I'm pretty pumped :) Note to self: carry printed copy of poster so you can talk about your MQP, if your poster is about ready...not only is it good prep for Project Presentation Day, it helps keep your mind on track when you talk.

3) Went well too! Phew! What a relief- this one is for a very competitive position though, so once again I'm not expecting a miracle. But at least I didn't stumble upon my words, or say or do anything embarrasing. From here on, it will just be a battle for who they thought was the best. Note to self: make sure to thank EVERYONE you meet at the company...I emailed a thank you letter to the secretary as well. Besides, she was super nice :)

Well, that's it for now folks. Let's see what the future brings....

It's here, it's here!

2009-04-13T07:37:00.000-07:00

So project presentation day is in like 10 days...wait, does this mean I'm done with MQP???? YESSSSSSSS. Well, almost.
Of course many of you know we have to make MQP posters for the big day, and mine is pretty close to completion. The real project poster is due by 17th- or 20th at the latest. So it's crunch time for me to get the ball rolling and finish up! Obviously this weekend is my personal deadline to finish it up so I don't have to look at it anymore...:P
Looking back upon that, my MQP was one of the best things to have happened to me. I owe a lot to my lab members and above all, my project advisor who took me under his guide, not knowing much about me, except my performance in his class and my interest in genetics (and jazz....we both love jazz ^_^) It really teaches me to never be afraid of trying anything new- because the way I saw it a year ago,I had nothing to lose by asking him for an MQP project.
The amount I've learnt by being in a lab could never compare to what textbooks teach. For every incoming freshmen or upperclassmen who have any interest in life science or bioengineering- my best advice would be to get into a lab as soon as possible. Even if it's workstudy or volunteer and all they make you do is autoclave- believe me, these are worthy skills to learn.
I realise I have a long way to go now, but I've been encouraged in this scientific direction thanks to my lab. And even though I'm sick of this MQP and want it to be over, I know that if I had another year, I would draft up several more projects to get the hidden answers.

So good luck to you in MQP and whatever projects you undertake-whether solo like me or with project partners, it's an unbelievable opportunity and we should all take full advantage of it.

Looking for Jobs?

2009-04-03T08:02:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am. So after this follow-up business, I was actually dumb enough to NOT pick up a call from an unknown number, and I missed the chance to talk to a certain employer. Now I'm leaving them messages but have been unable to get to talk to them so far. So yeah, lesson number one: Don't Screen Your Calls....

After a lot of writing of cover letters and e-mails, I'm a little bummed I haven't heard anything back yet. I hear it's a bit of a long screening process though, so everyone is telling me to sit tight. Yeah, if I don't hear back by like Tuesday I'm probably going to be sending some gentle reminders to some companies I liked a lot :P

In cases like these though, the CDC is a great place to stop by for a quick question. I'm definitely going to ask them for a little advice on the matter-I'm sure they deal with this kind of thing a lot. Perhaps they can help me curb my enthusiasm? I'll let you know....sit tight, I guess :P

Following Up

2009-03-30T09:39:00.000-07:00

So the Career Fair last week was really well put together and I met a LOT of great companies. Soem things I learned: don't be afraid to talk, approach as many people as you can, and try and get as many contacts as you can. I just wrote a series of cover letters over the weekend (the CDC is willing to review cover letters, btw) and sent them out Sunday night so that they get them on Monday morning at work. And guess what? I've already heard back from some of them that they will be considering me for interviews.

Things look hopeful and I am a little less stressed out now...I just need to keep this positive attitude and keep up correspondence with them. It certainly seems like my preparation my reading up on companies and practising talking to representatives worked out well, so I would highly recommend that in the future.

Wish me luck!

Coming Soon...oh man.

2009-03-23T08:54:00.001-07:00

Ok so Bio Fair is on Thursday-and I scheduled for a resume critique with one of the Bio Companies coming this week to prepare myself. Here's the final check list of things to do for the fair:

-Fresh copies of new resume after critique with bio company
-Check out handouts on Interviewing from CDC because interviews would be held next day after the fair.
-Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. I have to make sure to be able to talk about every single thing on my resume, esp. my MQP!
-Check out the companies coming on Job Finder, look up what they do, what positions they have open-apply to some positions if possible, so I'm already in their system. They are much more apt to listening to someone who already knows what they're about and shows interest in working for them. There's like 20 I want to meet so good thing I got started on this one already. If you didn't though, don't worry- make sure to at least read their description on the JobFinder website to learn a little about them.
-Think of 2-3 questions to ask every company that are relevant.
-Clothes!!!! I hate figuring out what to wear the last minute, so I already have some outfits picked out. Now I have to make sure they're ready and good to go by thursday :) Actually, even for the resume critique, even though we don't require to wear formal clothes, it might be a good idea to go a little business casual with khakis and a nice shirt.

So yeah, lots of things to figure out, but they're all manageable-good luck to those who are going!

Spring is here...yes?

2009-03-19T08:18:00.000-07:00

Well, the last term certainly kicked off with...uh, no bangs, actually. How was the last break at WPI you ask? Unfortunately, rather uneventful. I stuck around Worcester to continue working on my MQP-big surprise, it's not over yet. However, it turned out to be quite a good thing because my job search process is now in full swing. Over break, since the CDC was open, I was able to set up a mock interview and other appointments with counsellors. I wrote a number of cover letters and sent them out to different companies using CareerSearch to look for those companies first. I also found out the CDC website has a multitude of links to different science careers, where they constantly update jobs and events-that was really helpful to look for positions too. If you're interested, follow http://cms-dev.wpi.edu/Admin/CDC/jobresources.html

A mock interview, by the way, is one of the most useful things you could do with your time. I definitely thought I was a confident interviewee and would ace the process. But the whole interview was taped, and when I saw myself, I noticed a large number of mistakes I was making constantly-I realised if I was an employer, I wouldv'e been very unimpressed. It is incredibly helpful to sit down and review what you did, make notes, and improve yourself next time. I would also highly recommend going through the "Interview" handout and Career Guide the CDC has- they have a lot of helpful tips, general questions you'll get asked at most interviews, recommendations and so on. DEFINITELY go through your own resume, and recite to yourself your job descriptions, your classes, your activities and make sure you are able to describe them in a concise manner.I found out that despite having given probably like 50 presentations over my college career, I was still unable to give solid answers that were well put together from the top of my head when asked specific questions- so it certainly helps a lot to rehearse.

Next week the fair is coming up and I am super excited! There's like 20 companies I want to meet, so this weekend is major prep time. Good luck to all of you who are going (you should go, by the way). And let's see how it goes... :)

The Last Time

2009-03-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

The other day my Dad called to ask if I thought I could fit in all my stuff in two cases to take back home....and all I could think was, how am I supposed to pack up four years into two suitcases?
I can't believe this is the end of my college career. Definitely feels like yesterday I was this naive little freshman who thought the walk from Stoddard to Kaven Hall was quite the hike, and was completely unaware of the world "down the hill". To reflect upon these last few years, it's suffice to say life has turned out to be surprisingly eventful and exciting.
Of course, well into senior year, the easiest thing to do is complain about WPI. But I'm going to take a different approach. Even though this is a small, tech-school where people are obsessed with their career paths and gung-ho about their ambitions, it has been an incredible learning environment to grow up in. I had known my love for science, but after being so exposed to research, engineering and the medical fields, I realised I'm still a kid, and yeah, maybe I don't want to be some big scientist who cures some big disease- but that's ok. I'll do what I want.
On the other hand, I know I would've hated going to a liberal arts school. As much as I love the arts and music, the fastly emerging 'alernate lifestyle' culture would've made me either a wannabe hippie or protest by wearing brand names all the time (which would've made me bankrupt of course). I guess I love WPI because it made me not care about that stuff, which just seems superficial and boring.
I also realised the brutal reality that is the lack of an American Dream- you know, the reason why everyone wants to be here. The car, the house, the dogs, the family. Me, I want none of that. I said once freshmen year to my good friend "I don't know if I want the picket fences, or if I want to travel the world without boundaries". To which of course she replied, "Are there picket fences in India?" But humor aside, maybe she had a point. After all, what I was looking for was nothing but a dream.
Right now, I don't know if i'll get into Cambridge (I'm willing to bet I won't, though). I don't know if I'll find a job in the US. I don't know if I'll be on the East Coast, or West Coast, or back home among the 1 billion. But it's that excitement or uncertainty that keeps me going everyday.
So heading into my last term of my college career, I want to say thanks to all the people who came into my life while I was here. My friends, some of who I still talk to, and some of whom I avoid when I walk on campus- thank you for the good times and sorry if things never worked out better. My professors- some good, some not so good- you have added such great value to my life, even if it was to show me how to pipet,I don't think any words can thank you all :) My co-workers- thank you for all the career advice, personal advice and listening to my occasional rants about the evils of globalisation-I appreciated every moment. My boss(es)- thank you so much for teaching me pretty much the ways of life-you have been, more often than not, like an older sibling or parent who I ran to with my 'big girl' problems. And the random kids who smiled as they passed by- thanks for making my day better every now and then.

Thank you, WPI.

Applying for Internships/Jobs as an International Student

2009-02-24T12:19:00.001-08:00

So many of you who have by now figured out who I am (yes I know...) probably know that I'm also an international student. Turns out, we have to go through a bit of a formality when applying for internships or jobs- not much of a big deal, but I thought it would be helpful to find out about it anyway. Thus I went to the information session on How to Apply for OPT/CPT (Optional Practical Training/Curriculum Practical Training). Here's some things I found out:

CPT:
-The internship has to be an integral part of your major. So if you're bio like me, you can't do like a summer job at a law company filing papers or something like that...
-You can only apply after freshman year (so the Spring of freshman year is fine to apply, becuase you will have completed one year of study in the summer)
-Has to be at least 12 weeks
-Must have internship before you file for CPT, but the process can be as quick as one day
-It's called a 'summer co-op' and goes on your transcript, because technically it has to be part of your academic training in the US
-Here's what you do: CDC has co-op packet, take it, fill it out and bring it to the International House with your advisor's signature on it and after it has been approved by the CDC. The IH will issue an I-20, after which you prepare for your internship, get a social security number (office is in Worcester), and figure out transportation to the workplace for the summer. Yeah, it's really simple

OPT:
-Okay, this is what I would have to apply for and it's little bit more complex, but not too much paperwork overall.
-can be pre-completion or post-completion of studies
-process takes 8-10 weeks, so prepare and file for it early. If you plan on starting work in like June, make sure your papers are in by March at the latest.
-Here's the process: Complete applcation and form I0765. Bring passport, I-94, all previous I-20 forms, two passport style pictures, and a cheque or money draft of $340 for the processing. OPT can be applied for 90 days before graduation, but cannot be accepted 60 days after.
-Give all details if you have a job
-You will be issued an employment authorization document

Of course, a lot of students are also interested in work visa and green card applications. So there is another info session on that material on Wednesday, Feb 25th, 4-5.30 in SL406.
Some students however, are more interested in returning to their country for internships or full-time positions. There is a NACE virtual career fair in the summer- follow this link to register: http://asp.symplicity.com/nacelinkvcf/

Other questions can surely be answered by the CDC or International House, so don't hesitate to ask :)

How about Biology...

2009-02-18T12:25:00.000-08:00

As I finish up senior year at WPI, it’s the time where I get a little reflective on the time I spent here. Needless to say, it has been a very valuable experience that gave me a superb education. But one of the many questions that pops up is: why biology?
I knew that biology was a passion for me since I was introduced to science. When I first got here though, I was determined to go to medical school. More exposure to the world of doctors and that kind of lifestyle made me realise, however, that I really did not want to deal with stressful days all my life, and treat health as a business. That’s when I decided to focus my energy on biology itself.
As a senior, I realise how truly diverse this field can be. I am talking about going to school for conservation, but there are a hundred other options for me. I can go into agriculture, pharmaceuticals, food production, cosmetics, reconstructive surgical procedures, bio-related drugs, genetics, environmental work- and these are just to name a few. I always have the option of doing research, or getting an MBA and joining the corporate side of things. It’s such a great field to be in, where I can hop around and do what I please, that I hope to never be bored.
I know that a few years ago, I would always get a little discouraged by seeing students who were so completely focused on their field, and had what they called their ‘five-year-plan’ all figured out. My best advice to all of you out there would be- don’t get discouraged! There is such a variety of things to do with science, that if you really love it, you will find your own way. A friend of mine who is the same major was told by someone that this wasn’t a field where you could joke around and be flaky all your life. I agree-but it’s also a field where you can be diverse. So if you want to go to Africa and play with tigers one day (like me), you can do that. Or if you love being focused for hours in lab and following procedures, and coming up with expeirments, you can do that. Or if you love biology and computers, you will probably enjoy bioinformatics. Even if you like surgery and making bio-products, but don’t like medicine- you can do something in biomedical engineering. These three fields-biology,biomedical engineering, and biochemistry- leave nothing unturned in the world of science. So whatever you want to do with science, I say, go for it, despite whatever someone tells you or however many people seem to be going in a different field. Ask questions from all your professors, make connections with upperclassmen, and make your own path to your future :)

How'd it go...?

2009-02-09T07:35:00.000-08:00

So if you're a life sciences major like me and you went to the Career Fair, you were probably left with a lot to desire. There weren't a lot of major biotech firms, but I did have a chance to interact with some of them. As I was explaining my research to one of the company representatives, I realized this- I have no clue how to explain my research to a non-technician in my field! This is really REALLY bad news. Most fairs have human resources representatives who I need to be able to explain my work to, and on top of that, for both my MQP presentation and interaction with future employers, I should have a clear idea of what to say. Not just, "Uh, I work in a genetics lab with RNAi"...I mean, I didn't even know what RNAi was until about a year ago.
I have to be honest, I was never so glad that the Life Sciences Fair is a little later. This gives me some time to refresh my memory about what I'm doing, practice explaining it to non-biotechnicians, and get very proficient in speaking fluently about my research. I've decided I will be setting up a meeting with a CDC counselor to help me out. They are really good at holding mock interviews, which isn't necessarily what I'm going for yet, but it would be nice to practice interaction with a prospective employer.
Also, it's almost mid-February so it's about time I start looking for work. I think I'll hit Career Search on Job Finder, so I can start with companies by area. I'll be applying to Cambridge first, but it would probably be a good idea to narrow down to a few fields, instead of just biotechnology- because this is the center of it! From there, I'll probably cover New York and San Diego as well.
Keeping my fingers crossed!! ^_^

How I am Preparing for the Career Fair...

2009-01-29T15:15:00.000-08:00

Time goes by so quickly it's not even funny. Next week is the Career Fair on the 4th and 5th! The first day is internships only, so I guess that's not really relevant to me. But the 5th is a day I really have to be prepared. I know that I've been talking about applying to graduate schools but I realize that these programs are really competitive and so I decided to look for jobs as well. Besides, being in the workforce might give me a better idea of what I want to do before I really get into a serious graduate program and get more specific with my field of study. So there are some things I need to get prepared:

-I just got my resume critiqued, and even though I hadn't really changed it much from the last fair, it turns out there were a whole lot changes I had to make, because this time I'm looking for a full time job, not an internship. Now I need to implement those changes.

-Log into Job Finder and update my resume before the fair. A lot of companies don't take a hard copy of your resume, but will ask you to apply through JobFinder, so it's a good idea to keep it updated.

-Research the companies that are coming this year through JobFinder (there's a list once you log in to your account), and check out the ones I'm interested in. It's always nice to approach companies and have a little bit of background information on them and already know what they do- it's a good first impression to make.

-Dress nice!!!

I know that this isn't really a biotech fair, and the life sciences fair is in March,but this is definitely a great way to get prepared and get experience talking to people and knowing how to approach them well. Hopefully there will be some good people I meet and if not, it'll be good preparation anyway!

Good luck and be prepared!! :)

Things They Don't Tell You...

2009-01-22T13:13:00.000-08:00

If you're a girl who's pretty involved at WPI, you probably know what WIN is. If you're not...well, you still might know. For those who that don't, Women's Industry Network is WPI's very own women's networking organization that holds hundreds of female WPI students as members. It holds dinner events once a term where students get clubbed into sections based on their majors with two professionals that are in the same field as them- for example, I sat at a table with biology majros at school and professionals in the field of bio/biotech. It's a very helpful event that sets you up with people that can give a lot of advice and guidance on what to do in school, out of school how to get a job- that sort of thing.

Last night's event was super helpful- we had professionals talking about things such as exempt vs. non-exempt employment, taxes, work insurance, health care plans, savings plans, time off, renting vs. buying homes, paying off student loans, etc. Now I know it all sounds super boring, but amazingly enough, it is now that I begin to realize these are all things I'm going to have to think about like...now! Whether or not we want, time takes it toll and we have to make real-life decisions. Once we're in the real world, it really is surprising how many options there are and all that can be overwhelming. This was all advice that people don't tell us- all real life situations that we have to face by ourselves.

I'm glad WPI holds events like this that can be so helpful to students in their future when they enter the work force.One such event is "Life After College" that will be hosted by the CDC in the Odeum today, 5-6pm. If you see this post before then- you should definitely try to stop by!

Back From Break

2009-01-15T13:20:00.000-08:00

As this 'lovely' weather rolls around (fallen on ice anyone? I have...of course), I can't believe this is the last winter break I just spent at WPI. Good thing I took a much needed vacation. But I was also, fortunately, back a couple of weeks early to do some MQP work, and graduate school applications. The first one is hopefully going to be sent out tomorrow-so glad I finally wrote those essays.
I realised that I didn't have the time to get all my essays reviewed, but since I'll be applying to some schools with later deadlines, I have time to make appointments at the CDC to get the later ones reviewed. Also, I plan on getting some help to apply to jobs now that spring is not far away. The spring career fair is actually coming up on Feb4th and 5th. The first day is for internships, but the second day is more vital for me, with internships and full time jobs being looked for.
The next thing is to get more organized and start putting deadlines for myself so I can send out all the application materials, get my MQP in line, and start a thorough a job hunting process.
Last C-Term ever....almost done :P

Things I Didn't know...

2008-12-12T09:42:00.001-08:00

In my mad search for wanting to travel/work/study abroad, I finally checked out some of the CDC resources...and I was pretty taken aback at some of their guides. For people like me interested in the envrionment and biotechnology, there are career guides listing types of jobs and locations and companies. There's even quite a large guide called "Living and Working Overseas". For some people I know who are looking to travel as well, there are smaller guides on volunteer programs that are an alternative to peace corps, which may be not exactly what will make you find your way, but would be a wonderful starting point. I've actually talked to a lot of international people who would like to be working for companies from their country but in the US, and there is rather large directory of such foreign firms in the US as well.

When it comes to finding jobs outside the country, it's difficult at a school like WPI, where most engineering majors tend to stay pretty local after graduation. It's also difficult for life science majors, where Boston seems to be the meccah of biotechnology and bioengineering. Many other options exist for me though- even within the US, if that's what it comes down to. And that is good to know. If I want to travel, I recently found out that San Diego is also a big bio-science hub, so California (which, let's face it, might as well be a whole new country) is definitely an option.

But as far as living and traveling and working abroad goes, it's great to have a good starting point. Luckily life science majors have some time before they can start job hunting, and hopefully that time will give me the leverage I need to get where I want.

2008-12-02T13:37:00.001-08:00

Remember how I said I started writing a few weeks ago? that's all I got so far....I don't know why I have no time to do this. On the other hand, I keep meeting people who have written like ten personal statements already and are almost all set with their applications...whatever will I do...

But I did find out today that the CDC can even evaluate your personal statement- I definitely did not know that. I mean, I'm going to have them check out my resumes and things before I include material from that into my applications, but I certainly didn't think they would read my essays too...that's great news. Because I'm going to need a ton of feed back!

It seems like since applications for grad school are due for most US schools, people are scrambling to get theirs done. Good thing I have some time...things to do this week are:
-Finish writing personal statement (FOR REAL!)
-Ask Registrar's office for multiple copies of transcript
-Reminder emails to professors I asked for recommendations (believe me, professors are worse than students and more often than not also wait until the last minute to get papers in on time...especially busy ones, like the ones doing biology research...)
-Make appointment with counselor as soon as I finish personal statement for advice and feedback

Yay! Maybe setting goals will get the ball rolling for me :)

Starting to Write...

2008-11-20T09:42:00.001-08:00

SO last weekend, I decided I needed to get a start on writing my personal statement...take a guess where I went to start that...in Harvard. Probably the most random decision of my life- I went into Boston just for a change with no specific purpose in mind, and I wandered around Harvard Square with a cup of coffee hand, and then..well, I decided why not go into Harvard, find a quiet spot and get to work. Definitely got some good work done, and it was pretty relaxing. Writing about yourself can get tedious though, which it did....so I quite after a while.

Haven't really looked at it otherwise, but I have looked at the rest of my application yay! I'll be applying to the Cambridge Gates Scholarship. Cambridge apparently has the most funds to give away so if you ever want to apply there, make sure to apply to this program- it covers all their trusts and funds through one application and all you have to do that's extra is a personal statement and a couple of write-ups about your exracurricaulars and all that jazz. I'll be applying for a Masters, so I'll have some time to write these things up, because the deadlines are later than for a PhD. SO I guess that's what Thanksgiving break is for...and here I was thinking it would be about enjoying my tofurkey (yes I know it's wrong not to eat a turkey on Thanskgiving-I'm spending it at a vegetarian house, so please don't judge)....

Talking about yourself is weird....

2008-11-14T09:09:00.001-08:00

So I've given out reference letter forms to my three referees...hope to get them back in time. I've given them over a month to write them, which is pretty good timing I hear.

Started working on my personal statement- this is the weirdest thing I've ever had to do. Talking about myself to complete strangers, my dreams and aspirations and past experiences...yes, different from a blog because I'm talking myself up a little, trying to convince someone why I'm worth it. So I looked back at some past journal entries, essays and looked up some tips on how to write these essays. It's a step toward getting started right? I also realised my application is going to go nowhere sitting on my desk in the office I work in- so I've finally got ahold of them, looked through them and started filling them out, even though it's incredibly intimidating.

Apart from all of that, MQP is eating my life- there are so many mistakes to be made in labs, so no wonder Bio students take at least a year or more to complete their MQPs. Good thing I'll be taking off from here soon....

I definitely need to look for jobs though. I'm going to update my resume and look through JobFinder this weekend...let's jope I find something :)

2008-11-04T09:13:00.000-08:00

If anyone ever says to me senior year is a breeze...um, they're LYING. I've been living in lab for so long now...yes, living, becuase I might as well be...I have had barely any time for anything else. Thankfully I managed to get some research done on schools and will be getting my reference letters out to professors this week. Good thing most of those school deadlines are later for Europe and Australia...yay!
The next thing I need to work on is my personal statement...like asap. I got a lot of good suggestions from friends. One said write down your thoughts every morning or night for a few weeks, and look for the most consistent pattern. Another said just write-everything...it doesn't have to be a statement, just write about yourself and aspirations and stuff. Then narrow it down from there...pretty good ideas. Now if only I could get started on them...

My Fall Break...not much of a Vacation...

2008-10-25T21:58:00.000-07:00

So...since I've been really indecisive about my future I decided to sit down and really research a lot about zoology programs around the world. I e-mailed all the professors in related fields I know, and asked for their advice. So far...I've come up with some good schools I'll be applying to...sweet!

Also, since I was sticking around Worcester, I went into lab...oh, everyday. It's a lot of work but it's super exciting because it looks like I've made a lot of progress toward something that might be a big deal in the future in terms of finding cures for diseases and whatnot...that's helping society right? Kind of, eventually...and it makes me happy. This 'breakthrough' of sorts of course means now I'll have to be in lab all the time...even weekends(which I've been doing this break, btw). I guess it's okay though..especially if it turns out to give me a sweeeeeet MQP and a scientific paper (keeping my fingers crossed).

Next week when school starts I'll make sure to look up European schools and scholarships at the CDC office...there's tons of binders I always mean to look at and I never do. Need to stop procrastinating...it's crunch time for applications...wish me luck!!

:)

Taking Steps...Slowly

2008-10-08T10:00:00.000-07:00

So um, I realize that even if I want to be outside the US, taking a job will mean facing the real world (yeah...not so ok with that). So maybe that's plan B, let's say. I woke up this morning thinking about what I like, and I really like wildlife conservation and management. But I think I'll start at zoology first. I've been looking at some programs around the world-some in UK, some down under, and they all seem pretty interesting. The application deadlines are a little later than most US schools, so I got a few weeks to really delve into the matter- good thing we got a term break coming up :)

I also didn't see that the CDC has a lot of resources I could use-in the office itself. So if I want to check out some bio-related programs, I could take one of their several binders or books on masters' programs related to zoology and environment and things like that- sweeeeeet :D

Anyways, so I guess I am taking the right steps towards what I want to do...it's just...slower than most people. But I guess that's ok. I'd rather take a little time and get into the right program than rush things and end up in a school or program I don't like.

Steps Toward the Future...

2008-09-29T09:55:00.000-07:00

So recently I decided that I have no definite idea of what I want to go to graduate school for. I like research, but I don't really want to spend the rest of my days in a lab, working crazy hours everyday and never seeing the sun. I like communicating with people, so does that mean I should head straight for an MBA, and get a job with a biotech company? But what about learning more about neuroscience, which I love?

Moreover, I really just want to do nothing more than to travel around and see different countries. Biotech is in fact, a pretty big field in a lot of places, especially in Europe. So what do I do next to achieve work experience and travel experience in one go?

Well, I walked into the CDC with an appointment about this, and got a lot of information for where I can go for resources. Apparently the Career Search option on Job Finder (if you don't have an account yet, go to the CDC website and create one-it's super-helpful!) to look for companies anywhere, and I mean, ANYWHERE, around the US or around the globe. I can choose the specific areas of biotech jobs I'm looking for-like pharmaceuticals as opposed to neuroscience companies or non-profit organizations. I can look for all the places I want to go- so in the US, I've decided to stick to MA, NY and CA, and I can limit my search to that as well. Outside of the US, I'll be looking in different areas in Europe and some in select countries in Asia.

This past summer in June, there was a biology conference held in San Diego (apparently this is an annual thing), about which I can find information at bio2008.org, so I'm going to find the lsit of sponsors, and target the global companies I'm interested in. I checked it out already and it's a great place to start searching about all the companies that attended, whether in or outside US, because it seems like this conference was massive.

It's going to help also to stay local and make sure to apply to several companies around here. Even if I decide not to stay here, it's going to get me a lot of experience of how to approach applying and networking, and most importantly at this point, how to interview.

I know that intially I was going to approach the CDC for grad school application advice, and I just want to mention that they have great resources on that stuff too. If you're confused about anything like that at this point, definitely make an appointment. It's always best to start early, because there's a lot of research to do about schools or jobs, and the older we get, the busier we get also. So make sure you're ahead of the game. And good luck!

Career and Grad School Fair...helpful or not?

2008-09-24T07:17:00.000-07:00

For the past three years at WPI, there is only one thing I had heard about the Fall Career Fair from life sciences students...there are no bio-related companies...ever. That is why I was definitely more than just hesitant to go this year, even as a senior. But then I saw the list of grad schools going the second day of the fair, and I rushed to improve my resume before the fair (during class, I might add...tsk, tsk) so that I could walk in there with a good resume, and not look foolish (good thing I wasn't wearing jeans). Anyways, I realised that it doesn't matter what others have to say when it comes to career fairs, because often people have a very biased opinion.

First of all, I met a few grad schools that I was really interested in, and have great science programs as masters and PhDs. In fact, I even found out that Northeastern is having an Open House type of thing for the program I am interested in a couple of weeks, where I should definitely go with a lot of questions, a lot of research done on their PhD program and a good resume, if I want to be considered already for that program...of course now I'll be stressed out preparing for that :P

Moreover, I actually met a really good biotechnology company, that also does other areas of research, management, engineering, etc. They seemed eager to meet biotechnology students and were looking to hire for next year. In fact, I just e-mailed them and am hoping to hear from them soon :)

I have to agree that some schools I met were definitely not prepared to answer questions about their biotech department. But the little information they gave me was enough for me to go home and do a little research to follow up on that info.

Overall, I would have definitely missed out a LOT if I hadn't attended this fair. I actually found out that I did miss a great bio company in Cambridge the first day of the fair-where I didn't go because I didn't know any bio companies were going. So I definitely learned that different students can have different experiences, and that it's worth a shot to check out all career and grad school fair our school hosts, because you never know what you'll learn.

Getting Ready for the Career Fair...

2008-09-10T06:15:00.000-07:00

So now that I'm a senior I definitely need a job or entrance to grad school for next year...good thing there's a Career and Graduate School Fair next week.Here's what I need to do:
-Get my resume critiqued
-Look at all the companies and schools coming and select the ones that apply to me
-Look them up to learn a little about them if possible
-Make sure I've got clothes/time to go to the Fair
-Think of all the positive experiences I have to talk about, like my lab work and IQP project
Right then...I should be all set if only I could get all of the above done.

Career and Grad School Fair:
Septemeber 17th and 18th, 1-5pm

Good luck everyone!

Life as a LabRat??

2008-09-05T07:10:00.000-07:00

My biggest fear as a bio major was probably life as a lab rat. I guess I'm just not the kind of person who could pipette all day, and work with solutions and be focused solely on that all day, everyday. But spending most of my summer working in a lab changed my mind completely. It made me aware of a lot of responsibilities and benefits that working in a lab can offer.

There is the independence of research for example. Unlike most corporate jobs, you can go into a lab whenever and as often as you like. As long as you get work done and make sufficient progress, you're on the right track. My job entailed a lot of checking up on our model organisms, setting up a lot of genetic crosses, a lot of gel electrophoresis and such. There's a certain satisfaction of knowing your list of to-do things when you go in the morning, checking them off at the end of the day and going home knowing that you accomplished something. Sure you don't always get results that make sense, and sure you have to repeat a lot of experiments. But the best part is being on your own and having your own schedule to work with.

Another beneficial aspect of research is the frequent discussion you can strike up with your fellow labmates. I work in a lab with people all working on the same model organism, but in different areas and on different genes. Whenever I'm confused about something, they are more than willing to offer explanations and help me figure out solutions to my problems.

The best part of lab has probably been the guidance and the great learning experience. It's great to be focused on what you're doing- how much volume do I need of each component to run on the gel, how to make the gel, which crosses do I have to collect progeny from today, which stocks do I have to check on today- these were some of the things I dealt with everyday.

Without this experience I would not have known that I definitely want to go to graduate school and get more research experience. So it's a wonderful way to start out by volunteering in labs, to make more serious decisions about your career.

How I Spent My Summer

2008-09-03T06:13:00.000-07:00

So among a variety of engineers, a purely life science student can feel quite...out of place. That's why I decided as I was finishing up my junior year to get a head start on my MQP. With the new labs at Gateway, all life science students (and that includes bio/biotech/biomed/biochem/chem)can find a lot of opportunities to work in various labs. It was an incredibly lucky chance that I talked to a great professor who allowed me to work in lab early on in the summer-and I feel that I learned more in the hands-on work during three months of summer than I had in three years of college from sitting in classes.

It's really simple to build good relationships with professors. In bio or chem classes where there are often a 100 or more students, make sure you go up to the professor after class, make him/her know who you are. Work hard, and ask for help whenever you need. The best thing about WPI is that professors are always more than willing to help you succeed and they give great advice. Ask around if they need volunteers in lab- you would be surprised at how many want more people to work in their lab.Or even how many are helpful to get you into other labs-maybe at UMass or elsewhere.My summer volunteer work was completely unpaid-but I have never benefitted more from an experience.The key is to be proactive about your college career from as early a stage as possible. But even if you are at a later stage in college, it's nothing to worry about. I found my MQP during D-Term of my junior year, for example.

Gateway Park has opened up a plethora of opportunities for science students. My best advice would be to get into a lab as early as possible and take advantage of all those opportunities given to us. Good luck!