Category Archives: Involvement

#lablife: getting involved with UBC research

Many students who seek out research positions will quickly realize the catch-22 of undergraduate research: you need lab experience in order to get lab experience. This can be frustrating to encounter this roadblock, especially when you want to try lab work in order to decide if grad school or a career in academia is for you. However, once you get that first research opportunity, doors will start to open for you. You just need to get through the hard part.

I’ve been involved quite a bit with research over my years at UBC. Last week, I started my first co-op term at the UBC Life Sciences Institute. My project over the next eight months is going to involve characterizing genes newly implicated in pancreatic beta cell development (although for the past week, as expected, I’ve mainly been doing reading on pancreas organogenesis). This is my third research position so far in my undergrad – the summer after first year I had a summer studentship in a stem cell research lab at the University of Toronto, and last summer I had a part-time UBC Work Learn position at the Child and Family Research Institute (CFRI). All of them have been excellent learning experiences and I’m incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to get some research experience throughout my degree!

Below are a few ways to get research positions at UBC. Keep in mind I am by no means an expert on UBC research, and there are definitely more opportunities available out there. Also, this post is mainly geared towards undergraduate life sciences students – research opportunities in other disciplines may vary.

Work Learn 

What it is: Work Learn jobs are paid, part-time positions (~10-20 hours per week) available to current UBC students. If you are a Work Learn student, especially in a biomedical lab, you should expect to be doing a lot of laboratory maintenance work – cleaning glassware, defrosting fridges, making dilutions, etc. Many supervisors will also have you work on a small project on the size. For example, when I was a Work Learn student at CFRI I looked at the epigenetics of neural tube defects as a part of a PhD student’s thesis project.

How to apply:Look for jobs postings on the UBC Careers website. Work Learn positions usually come out before the start of each Winter and Summer session.

Summer Studentships

What it is: Many different universities and research institutes offer summer studentships for undergrads, allowing students to spend the summer working on a specific, pre-determined project. These tend to be extremely competitive, as most are open to applicants from universities across Canada, and some require you to have a supervisor chosen prior to application. That being said, if you have prior experience working in a lab and strong grades, you can potentially be a good candidate for one of these placements.

How to apply: There are a ton of different studentships out there, all of which have their own application process. A couple examples are the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum summer program (which I was a part of in 2012) and the CFRI Summer Studentship. Do a little bit of digging around on various university websites and see if you can find one that interests you! Applications and decisions usually happen early (by January most positions have been filled) so start looking into it early.

Co-op

What it is: Co-op is paid work experience in your field of study. For up to 4 four-month academic terms, you work a job full time, almost like a real adult, but with all the perks of still being a student (like a U-Pass). The co-op office maintains an online database of jobs to which students are able to apply. Although they do not guarantee that you will get a job through the co-op program, their advisors provide a lot of guidance and resources to help make you the strongest applicant possible. Life science co-op students tend to work either in research or in industry. If you have no prior research experience you probably won’t be able to get your dream placement right off the bat, but your second or third placement will give you more selection. Also, keep in mind that co-op will extend your degree by one year.

How to apply: The timeline for co-op applications varies depending on your program. In order to apply, you must meet minimum academic requirements and submit a resume and cover letter. Co-op also is not available for every major. For more information on the timelines and specific requirements, see the Science Co-op website (or the co-op website for your faculty).

Directed Studies

What it is: Gain three academic credits by taking on a research project under a UBC professor. It is a course, so you get assigned a grade, typically based on a paper you submit summarizing your research. Directed Studies is an unpaid position – in fact, you’ll actually be paying for it, since you . This is a great way to get some initial lab experience, or just take on more ownership over a particular project. You will also get some experience in scientific writing when you submit your final paper.

How to apply: You need to find a supervisor to take you on (usually through personal connections or some Googling), then complete the Directed Studies application form for your specific major. You also need to register in the Directed Studies course on the SSC.

Honours

What is it: As an honours student, you take on six-credit senior thesis project in your area of study. This usually happens in your final year of study, and it is generally up to you to find your own supervisor. You will need to write a thesis and defend your thesis to a committee of UBC academics.

How to apply: In order to be in an Honours program in the Faculty of Science, you must take a full course load each year and maintain a minimum of 75% standing. You can usually apply to the Honours program following your second year of study. To view all the degree requirements for Honours, see the UBC Calendar.

These are only a few ways of getting involved with research in the biological sciences. If you are looking to find out more, there are many great resources such as the Undergraduate Research Opportunities club, SciTeam’s annual Get Into Research event, and the Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Research Conference (MURC). If you know of any other ways to get involved with research, particularly in other disciplines, please post them in the comments below!

 

Sometimes I rap about Storm on the Internet

Photo by Carter Brundage, UBC REC Media

I know, I’ve been notably absent from the blogosphere this term. This semester has been particularly crazy for me, and between balancing all my involvements and my crazy intense course load, there has not been much time for blogging. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I am going to try and pick it up in the last few weeks of class, giving a rundown of the highlights of this past term and offering some hopefully useful information for prospective students during this exciting time.

One of the involvements that has been taking up all my time lately has been my Assistant Director position with UBC REC. I had wanted to be a part of REC since first year, but did not end up applying at first because of the demand of SLC and RezLife. But when some spots opened up at the beginning of this term, I jumped at the opportunity and found myself sporting a spiffy green REC raincoat around campus. I’m now a part of The Point, REC’s online magazine (you should read it and stuff. It’s pretty good).

This is a particularly exciting time to be a part of REC: Storm the Wall is happening this week. As the largest intramural event in Canada and one of the Ubyssey’s 93 Things to Do Before You Graduate, this is a mandatory event for your the UBC bucket list. Here is a video of me and my director, Jill, rapping about Storm. We’re kinda stoked. You should be too.

If you want to catch the action, the wall-storming will be happening in the North Plaza by the SUB. Not on campus? Fear not, you can watch Storm LIVE all week on The Point’s Storm social page! I storm the wall at 11:20 tomorrow (provided my team can find a sprinter ). Hope to see you there!

Creating your story starts here

Registration for the 2013 UBC Student Leadership Conference is open now. You should go and stuff. I hear it’s pretty cool. To register, click here.

Saving the planet, one shower at a time

I feel like I’m in the 1800s, writing a letter with quill by candlelight. That’s how little light I am using to read my EOSC 114 textbook right now.

Why am I putting myself and my poor, squinting eyes through this?

The answer: Do It In The Dark.

No, this isn’t the punchline to a dirty joke (although if you can turn it into one, more power to you). Every year, all the houses in Totem Park and Place Vanier participate in a residence-wide energy-saving competition. We compete against other residence areas in UBC as well as over 39 other universities and colleges to reduce your electricity and water consumption as much as possible. In return, you get cool stuff and the bragging rights of being the most sustainable residence building.

Kwak has been slacking a little on the DIITD front so far, but today I badgered everyone to take the stairs, turn off the lights in the bathrooms, and air dry their laundry (I followed my own advice – every surface in my room is currently covered in drying clothes). I also put up these super cool 5-minute mini hourglass timers to help people reduce their shower times. One Salish RA has gotten his shower down to 30 seconds, so try and beat his record y’all.

Why go to all this trouble? In case you haven’t heard, UBC is huge on sustainability. Not only did it coin the phrase “ecological footprint” and build the greenest building in North America–UBC offers 30 degree programs related to sustainability and tons of classes with a sustainable focus. Plus, frequent events like DIITD are especially great because they help students to become more conscious of their energy usage and think about the global impact their actions can have. Which is pretty cool, if you ask me (and you obviously do, since you’re reading my blog right now).

Want to learn more about sustainability initiatives at UBC? Check out the Sustainability website. Also, if you’re a current student interested in sustainability issues, you should think about getting involved with Common Energy or the Sustainability Ambassadors Peer Program. And if not, at the very least turn off the light when you’re done in the bathroom (I’m looking at you, Kwak 6th ladies!).

Midterm Prep: The Campbell Method

Last night I had the dreaded CHEM 233 midterm. If you’re in science at UBC, you have probably hears the rumours about this evil course. So what did I do to prepare? Here’s a rundown of my week leading up to the midterm:

5 days before: Did some textbook problems at Blenz in between Longboat races. Blenz Belgian milk hot chocolate helps soothe the pain.

4 days before: Initiated hardcore study mode. Killed a small forest with the amount of paper I used for practice problems. Completed online acid/base assignment. Aced it.

3 days before: Switched my Monday workout to the morning so I could use my midday break for work. Studied in the Harry Potter room while the presidents of UBC looked down on me in approval. Had a zombie apocalypse social with the rest of the Totem RAs in the evening.

48 hours before: Took a study break to watch talented Totem residents rock the Totem Coffee House. Highlights included QLXN’s Liam playing the hits of the 90s on the bassoon.

36 hours before: Visited my chem prof’s office hours. Spent so much time in the Law Library that people are beginning to wonder if I live there. Bernouilli’s Bagels and coffee are my only forms of sustenance.

24 hours before: Study session in Swing with fellow science student and generally awesome dude, Aaron. Spent most of the time jamming to Kanye and speaking to each other in German accents.

12 hours before: Crammed for a forgotten biology unit test while shoveling eggs into my mouth at breakfast.

8 hours before: Did some practice midterms. Reassured myself that I do, in fact, kind of know what I’m doing.

5 hours before: Chemistry class time. Tried to ignore the looks of intense panic on my classmates’ faces.

3 hours before: Realized that I am incapable of cramming any more knowledge into my brain. Went running up and down the Wreck Beach stairs instead.

90 minutes before: Headed to the Totem caf with fellow RAs and CHEM 233 students. Ate a grilled cheese sandwich and sweet potato soup (comfort food is a must). Made science puns to lighten the mood.

30 minutes before: Began the trek to the Chemistry building. Listened to pre-exam pump up music (“Til I Collapse” by Eminem always gets me in the zone).

10 minutes before: Descended into the toasty warm dungeon of CHEM B150. Found a spot in the middle of the room right next to Melinda for moral support.

5 minutes before: Started to bubble in my information on the Scantron. Watched the clock creep closer to 7 PM. Tried not to be freaked out by how thick the midterm felt.

1 minute before: Deep breath. Let’s do this.

After: Breathed a sigh of relief. Shook off the feelings that it didn’t go as well as I’d hoped. Headed to a friend’s place in Dunbar for celebratory margaritas.

Could I have done more to prepare? Definitely. But while I may not have gotten a perfect score, I still had a pretty good week. I managed to exercise, fulfill my extracurricular responsibilities, spend time with friends, and paddle around Jericho Beach while still studying my butt off. Balance is the key to making the most out of university (although we’ll see if I am singing a different tune once I get my score back). Happy studying!

Long live Longboat

Freezing cold water? Kwak 6th isn’t scared.

One of UBC Rec’s signature (and super fun) events, Day of the Longboat, went down over the weekend.

In first year residence, it’s pretty much tradition to make a team with your floor, head down to Jericho Beach together, and paddle your little arms off in longboats. Last year, not enough people signed up on my floor so I didn’t get to participate, so this year I was on two teams to make up for it: one with my residents and one with my KU friends.

Did I spend enough time studying for my organic chemistry midterm on Thursday? Probably not. But I had an absolutely amazing time (my floor’s team even came first in our heat!) so I say say it was worth it. Also, a team from Totem took the campus-wide Longboat crowd. Represent, yo.

UBC Rec has tons of absolutely amazing events throughout the year. Longboat and Storm the Wall are the most well-known, but there are other super cool ones like The Chase which is happening next Friday (I have a midterm, but you should do it so I can live vicariously through you). Just another of the many things that makes UBC amazing.

If you want to see the magic of Longboat firsthand, check out last year’s Longboat wrap-up video:

PS: I apologize for my lack of posts since the start of term, and I promise this will be my return to the UBC blogosphere. I’m back, y’all.

I’m baaa-aaaack!

Did you miss me? The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of highkicking at Advisor Orientation, losing my voice on Imagine Day, and navigating around UBC’s elaborate network of construction fences. You know what that means: my second year at UBC has officially begun.

It’s no secret that I loved my first year experience, but this year is shaping up to be pretty cool as well. Here are just a few reasons second year is awesome:

  • No longer the new kid: Watching first years sprint to class in fear of being late is rapidly becoming my favourite spectator sport. It’s nice to be the one giving out directions to Buchanan B for a change.
  • Everybody knows your name: It’s amazing how many people I know (or at least recognize) after just one year. Today I was late to every single one of my classes because I kept stopping to talk to friends. It was worth it.
  • Hitting your academic stride: I actually know how to study now, which is pretty fantastic. That doesn’t make reading 50 pages of organic chemistry in one night bearable, though.
  • Even more new experiences. UBC’s massive size means there are always new things to be discovered. On Friday I ate half-price Delly for the first time, and in a couple weeks, I get to have my first Longboat race. Not to mention the fact that I’m experiencing first year all over again in Totem Park. UBC, you are never ever boring.

That’s it for now (my BIOL 200 textbook isn’t going to read itself!). As for all you new students, consider this your formal welcome to UBC. Strap yourselves in tight, kiddies, because it’s gonna be a crazy ride.

Officially stoked to live in Totem

So…which house is Vanier?

On Tuesday, I finally got the news I’ve been eagerly awaiting (and dreaming about–see last post) for the past couple of weeks: I’m going to be the 6th floor advisor in Totem Park’s Kwak house this year! “Crazy excited” does not even begin to cover how I’m feeling right now.

Since getting the news, I’ve been creeping all things Totem via the magic of the interwebz, and earlier today I stumbled upon the Totem Park Lipdup from this past year. I’ve posted it just in case some of the future Totem Park residents (like me!) need some reassurance that the place where they’re going to be spending eight months of theirs lives is, indeed, awesome. PS: Bret, you’re my favourite.

Also, since I didn’t post a song yesterday, here for your enjoyment are Matt & Kim and a dude dribbling a basketball.

It’s a good week to be a UBC student

In spite of second-round midterms being in full swing and the intense, freezing wind causing me to nail someone in the face with my umbrella yesterday (isn’t it supposed to be spring?), this week is looking pretty amazing for UBC. Exciting things happening on campus this week:

5 Days for the Homeless: If you’ve walked by the Bookstore sometime in the last two days, you’ve probably seen the “homeless” students asking for spare change. This campaign, designed to raise money and awareness for the homeless, involves 10 students abandoning their wallets, beds, and showers to live on the street for 5 days. Two friends of mine, Aaron and Michelle, are participating in the campaign. You can read their blogs and find out more about the initiative here, and if you’re passing by the corner of University and East Mall, hand over some spare change.

Undergraduate society elections: Elections for AUS, SUS, EUS, LFSUS, FUS, and KUS are underway! (side note: as a UBC student, gaining a thorough acronym vocabulary is a graduation requirement) Log on to WebVote through the SSC by Friday and get yo’ vote on. Also, if you’re awesome and a science student, you should check out the SUS candidate profiles here.

Strombo: George Stroumboulopoulos, known as the host of CBC’s The Hour and proud owner of the world’s most challenging last name (I obviously had to Google the spelling for this blog post), is coming to UBC. He’s going to be talking about his work in Pakistan at the Arts Last Lecture on Friday in the Old Auditorium. Limited tickets are still available through the Arts Undergrad Society, here.

Mulch Madness: The 12-foot walls for Storm have been assembled and the mulch has been brought in. Being in first year, I’ve only heard about the awesomeness that is Storm the Wall, but I’m beyond pumped to scale the wall in a couple weeks. Register by March 21st if you want to be a part of one of UBC’s most beloved traditions!

Other fun things happening in my life this week (aside from the lab exam I have later today…yikes): KU and Tec house councils have organized a KU-Tec social dinner tonight. Mas tacos por favor! (That’s pretty much the extent of my grade 9 Spanish knowledge) I also have a super exciting interview on Thursday for a position next year. Cross your fingers and toes for me, please. I’m going to need all the luck I can muster.

Hacks of UBC, unite!

Everything you need to know about the AMS elections: The Ubyssey and former hacks tell you what’s good.

It’s AMS election season, which means tons of campaign posters, debates, and dirty politics coming your way, along with glitter and Microsoft Paint-ing courtesy of AMS Confidential (the Ben Cappellacci Ryan Gosling meme has been my favourite part of elections so far. Just saying).

Now, I’m not usually one for political endorsements, but in this case I’m going to make an exception: You should vote Alyssa “AJ” Koehn for AMS prez. Why? She answers this a lot more eloquently than I ever could on her website, here:

AJ For AMS: “Why I’m Running”

If reading that doesn’t convince you that she’ll be awesome for the job, maybe her crazy impressive CV will. Seriously, I felt over-involved just by reading it. Plus, I am the mini version of the mini version of her, which by some weird involvement family tree makes her my UBC grandmother… but the cool kind of grandma who wears hipster glasses and runs awesome conferences. Bottom line: a vote for AJ will make me, and UBC as a whole, very, very happy.

Voting period is from January 23rd to 27th. For a full list of the candidates and other election fun shtuff, check out the AMS Elections website. Now get out there (figuratively, since you vote online) and get yo’ vote on, UBC.