HELICASE: The Biology Student OrganizationOriginally established in 1970 as the Biology Council, Helicase is the newly adopted name of the biology student club beginning in Fall term 2008. Helicase serves a variety of functions inluding providing a vehicle for student input into the functioning of the Department. In the past, the biology student club has been active in helping the department plan changes in course requirements and in individual courses and units; introducing new courses (or reviving old ones), hiring new faculty, and changing at least one unpopular college regulation. Any matters of concern to students may be brought up at council meetings, which are open to all students. Helicase also sponsors department's weekly "Bio-Lunch", field trips, films, symposia, seminars, and lectures. Helicase also plays a vital role in the Department's searches for new or replacement faculty. Other projects sponsored by the club include a newsletter and student-designed t-shirts. All Bates students are welcome to join. Contact Liz Casline (ecasline) for more information. Top of PageTeaching Assistants (TAs) and Technical Writing Assistants (TWAs)The Biology Department at Bates College employs undergraduate Teaching Assistants (TAs) and Technical Writing Assistants (TWAs) in the core level and some upper level courses to assist the professional teaching staff (professors and AI's) in the teaching laboratories. Our goal focuses on providing capable Biology majors with their initial training and experience in teaching science. While we do not have a formal academic program for such training, we endeavor to demonstrate our approach to teaching by example and through discussions while on the job and in weekly meetings. The focus in our laboratory curriculum on inquiry-based learning dictates a need for TA's to have a more active teaching role in lab and a high degree of technical competency with computing and basic lab techniques to help meet our instructional goals of teaching process as well as concept. We hope the TA experience will improve your knowledge of Biology and impart basic laboratory teaching skills which will benefit you as a Teaching Assistant in Graduate School and beyond in your professional career. Positions are available in all core courses, several 100-level lab courses, and occasionally in upper level elective courses. New 100-level courses with labs will be offered in the Short Term beginning in spring 2007. TAs in Short Term qualify for housing and board. Being a TA can be a rewarding experience. A TA re-learns the material covered in the course in order to be able to explain and teach it. TA's come to know individual faculty in a cooperative working relationship; at the same time, faculty and staff come to know a TA's individual skills and may thus be able to write more meaningful letters of recommendation. Finally, TA's receive an hourly wage based on a scale set by the College through the Student Employment Office (SEO) and Human Resoures. The Responsibilities of the Teaching AssistantThe responsibilities of Teaching Assistants vary between courses. In general, TA's help with some preparation of the lab materials (possibly on a weekend), become proficient with and help teach specific skills in the lab (computing, Prism, bench techniques), answer questions, help find materials during lab, work at scheduled evening Help Sessions, do some grading of lab or lecture work, and provide invaluable moral support and motivation for the students in their section. The latter point cannot be stressed enough. An atmosphere of enthusiasm for biology and the work at hand can motivate students and improve the general quality of the lab experience. In addition, TA's must attend weekly meetings where we go over the past lab and discuss the next. Past TA's have given us valuable critiques of lab activities that have resulted in improvements to the lab. We hope you can provide the similar feedback as you gain experience. Application Procedure for TA/TWA Positions in the BiologyTA's and TWA's are hired directly through the Department of Biology and need not go to the SEO to apply. Biology majors who demonstrate academic strength within the major are eligible for TA positions. Students need not have received an 'A' in a course to become a TA; the willingness to work hard and help your peers is important. In general, we wexpect that a TA/TWA has taken the course in which they will work. Teaching Assistantships: Interested students should obtain and complete an application at least one semester before they wish to get a position. Hardcopy applications are also available from Greg Anderson (530 Carnegie). The application will be held in file and will be considered as positions come open. For an upper level elective, contact the appropriate faculty member. While we try to give as many majors the opportunity to be a TA, we cannot, unfortunately, guarantee everyone an opportunity to be a TA. Criteria used for selecting TA's include academic performance, reliability, technical abilities, critical thinking skills, ability to work semi-independently, interpersonal skills, and motivation. Technical Writing Assistantships: Seri Rudolph, the Coordinator of Scientific Writing, trains and supervises student Technical Writing Assistants (TWAs) to help core course students with the writing part of the PI lab format. TWAs work in the lab as TAs and, in addition, hold evening 'office hours' to help student PI groups with writing. TWAs are needed for ALL core courses (Bio 101, 242, and 270) as well as some elctive courses. Sophomores and juniors with demonstrably strong writing skills are encouraged to apply. If you are interested, complete an application and send a sample of your scientific writing (preferably a PI lab) to Seri Rudolph at the Writing Workshop. Top of PageWhen are hiring decisons made? Positions for Bio 101 and Bio 270 are hired late in the fall semester, while Bio 242 positions are filled during the spring and over the summer. Hiring for Short Term courses will take place in mid-winter semester. Positions for 242 are usually reserved for juniors and seniors who have had a broader course experience. Please inquire about the decisions if you have not been notified by these times. What happens after I'm hired? When you are hired as a TA, you must go to Student Employment Office at the Personnel Office on College Street and fill out the necessary payroll paperwork. Your supervisor will go on-line and complete the "gray card" information. Your hourly wage depends on your position, and you will be paid for every hour you devote to course related activities in your capacity as a TA including lab time, staff meetings, prep work, help sessions, grading, and significant extracurricular tutoring. You will keep track of your own hours each week on an on-line time sheet. When the pay period ends, complete your time sheet and certify it (on-line). Your supervisor will then be notified by automatic notice to confirm your hours on-line the following Monday. Student workers are paid every two weeks. A schedule of pay periods and pay dates is posted on the SEO website. Top of PageSigma XiSigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society is an honor society and scientific research organization founded in 1868 to reward excellence in scientific research and to encourage fellowship and cooperation among scientists in all fields. Each spring a group of Bates students is elected to Associate Membership by our local branch, The Southern Maine Chapter. They are nominated by Bates faculty members on the basis of demonstrated aptitude for scientific research, often achieved through excellence in summer research, or work toward a senior thesis. Election to Sigma Xi is an internationally recognized mark of achievement in the sciences. Our Chapter has received several awards for the number of new members we elect, an indication of the vitality of the sciences at Bates. New student members are inducted in a ceremony held during Commencement Weekend each spring. In addition, any Bates student (not just those elected to membership) conducting research in mathematics, a natural science, or a social science is eligible to apply for small research awards through the Sigma Xi Grants-in-Aid-of-Research program. Deadlines are March 15 and October 15 annually and further details are found in the booklet, Grants-in-Aid-of-Research. The Southern Maine Chapter, founded in 1990, also sponsors an annual Sigma Xi lecture and several other events. For information and questions about the Bates College Sigma Xi group, contact Prof. Bonnie Shulman in the Math Department. Top of PageHealth Sciences SocietyThe Bates College Health Sciences Society (i.e. Club Med!) is a student organization designed as a support and information network for anyone interested in medicine, verterinary medicine, physical therapy, nursing, occupational therapy, dentistry, optometry and any other field of the health sciences. The Society, which plans meetings, lectures, socials and discussions, eagerly seeks new members. The Society's goal is to provide information and camaraderie for members of the Bates community who are interested in the health sciences, whether or not they plan to apply to professional school in a health-related field. For further information, please contact Professor Lee Abrahamsen, Biology, x8266 or Karen Daigler, Med Studies Office, x6232. Top of Page© 2008 Bates College. All Rights Reserved. Modified on 6/17/08 |
