January 2021 `
IBA, LSAMP and Science Alliance Newsletter A resource for upcoming conference deadlines, social events, workshops, general information pertinent to your field, program reminders and other relevant activities
Welcome back for the Spring Term! In this Issue
Save the Date
Upcoming Events
2
Spring Retreat Sat, Jan 30th at 10:00am
Student Opportunities
3
Spring Event Wed, Feb 24th at 5:00pm
News and Events Page
5
Spring Event Wed, March 31st at 5:00pm
Tips and Resources
8
IBA/LSAMP Graduation Celebration Fri, May 7th at 4:30pm
Seminars and Conferences
9
Peer Mentoring
About Us
10
Peer Mentor/Mentee Match Wed, Feb 3rd at 5:00pm
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January 2021
Upcoming Events Upcoming Programming – Spring Retreat Saturday, January 30th from 10:00am-12:00pm. IBA, LSAMP and Science Alliance students will be gathering to get to know our newest members and discuss “Finding Opportunities in COVID times” We will be joined by several IBA Alumni as well as Stratis Giannakouros from the Office of Sustaninability and the Environment. Topics of discussion will include applying and transitioning to graduate school, how research contributes to social justice and impacts real world change, finding community and belonging during COVID, navigating higher education in the current political climate, and fostering successful peer mentoring alliances. This is a required event for IBA and LSAMP students. Be sure to set aside time on your calendar and please let us know in advance if there are any conflicts. We look forward to seeing you then!
Peer Mentoring Program – Peer Mentor/Mentee Matching Event Wednesday, February 3rd at 5:00pm We will be facilitating a matching event with students rotating between various groups. Peer Mentors share their mentoring styles and Peer Mentees express what they are seeking in a mentor. After the event our Graduate Assistants, Chelsey Gates, Devon Dawson and Halin Chung match students based on ranking forms that the students complete.
Peer Mentor Program Peer mentoring is all about creating, belonging and community for undergraduate researchers! The IBA/LSAMP Peer Mentoring Program is a great opportunity to contribute to students' success and development, build awareness of self, resources in our community, and networking opportunities. Peer Mentors are advanced students in IBA who will be paired with a Peer Mentee who is a newer student or affiliated student (e.g., Science Alliance) to our program. Peer Mentors guide Mentees one-on-one through your experience in and out of the lab. The Peer Mentoring commitment is a semester-long relationship with the expectation that Peer Mentor and Mentee meet at least three times (zoom preferred) during the course of the semester and participants engage in a reflective writing activities, and attend any required programming. More about our program can be found at Peer Mentoring Program. If interested in participating, please email devon-dawson@uiowa.edu to confirm your interest.
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January 2021
Student Opportunities Upcoming Conference - Save the Date IINSPIRE LSAMP Annual Conference (Virtual for 2021) February 19-20th, 2021 More information coming soon!
Summer Opportunities ICRU Research Fellowships
https://icru.research.uiowa.edu/icru-undergraduate-research-fellowship-program Summer Deadline: April 2nd, 2021 Academic Year Deadline: April 23rd,, 2021 ICRU's Research Fellows Program provides funding to promote undergraduate engagement in research and creative projects. The program allows current University of Iowa undergraduates in any discipline to work with UI faculty or P&S staff mentors on a specific project during the academic year and/or summer.
Summer Scholars – MSTP – University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health https://www.med.wisc.edu/education/md-phd/summer-scholars-program/ Application Deadline: February 15th, 2021 UW-MSTP will be launching their first summer research program for summer 2021. The program will be geared towards undergraduate student who are interested in pursuing an MD/PhD.
Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP)
https://www.grad.uiowa.edu/diversity/SROP Applications Due: March 1st, 2021 An award-winning program designed to provide promising underrepresented undergraduate students with in-depth research experiences. This year’s program runs from Sunday, June 6 through Friday, July 30, 2021.
Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP)
Summer Health Professions Education Program at the University of Iowa (uiowa.edu) Applications Due: February 5th 2021 SHPEP at the University of Iowa is a free, six-week summer program (June 7th – July 16th) for undergraduate students interested in health professional careers. Students who complete our program are guaranteed an admissions interview at the Carver College of Medicine, College of Dentistry, and College of Pharmacy.
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January 2021
Student Opportunities Summer Opportunities (cont.) Biomedical Scholars Summer Undergraduate Research Program
https://www.grad.uiowa.edu/biomedical-scholars-summer-undergraduate-research-program Application Due: February 1st 2021 The Biomedical Scholars Summer Undergrad Research Program offers opportunities in the laboratories of faculty in free radical and radiation biology, genetics, human toxicology, immunology, molecular medicine, and neuroscience. This is a 10wkk residential program. (May 24th - July 30th. 2021) For additional information contact grad-bsurp-summer@uiowa.edu
Summer Undergraduate MSTP Research Program (SUMR)
https://medicine.uiowa.edu/mstp/sumr Applications Due: February 5th, 2021 (Deadline will not be extended this year) The Summer Undergraduate MSTP Research Program offers an intensive experience for undergraduates interested in combined MD/PhD training for a career as a physician-scientist. $4,150 for the 8-week period and campus housing. For additional information contact: SUMR@uiowa.edu
Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in Microbiology
https://medicine.uiowa.edu/microbiology/education/summer-research-experience-undergraduatesreu-microbiology Applications Due: February 15th, 2021 This REU seeks to foster the careers of the next generation of microbiologists. We do this by providing an intensive 10-week (May 24-July 30) research experience for bright and ambitious undergraduates who are considering a PhD in microbiology or an allied discipline. Participants receive a $6,000 stipend, on-campus housing is provided.
REU: Engaging Undergraduates in Interdisciplinary Evolutionary Science
https://biology.uiowa.edu/reu Applications Due: February 1st, 2021 The focus of this REU is training in evolutionary science. The University of Iowa departments of Biology, Anthropology, and Earth and Environmental Sciences collaborate with the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History to offer research projects that span a range of topics, including evolution of behavior, origin of species, cancer evolution, evolution of sex, and paleontology. Participants receive a $6,000 stipend, on-campus housing is provided. For additional information: andrew-forbes@uiowa.edu or maurine-neiman@uiowa.edu
Additional Summer Research Opportunities https://www.pathwaystoscience.org/Programs.aspx https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.jsp https://medicine.uiowa.edu/research/student-opportunities/undergraduate-opportunities
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January 2021
News and Events 2020 IBA/LSAMP Symposium On Saturday, December 5th we held our virtual 2020 IBA/LSAMP Scholar Symposium! Seven of our current IBA and LSAMP students presented their research! If you’d like to check out these great presentations and find out more about what types of research our students are engaged in – we have them posted on our website https://iba.biology.uiowa.edu/
December Graduations Salma Ashshareef
BS Neuroscience – December 2020 Mentor: Dale Abel, AJ Hinton and Renata Pereira - Department of Internal Medicine and Biochemistry Salma is planning to work this Spring and apply to graduate programs for the Fall. I was able to prepare posters, present at conferences and write papers for journals (I have a few currently in progress). I also learned to network and further develop my mentoring skills. I met influential people within IBA, my lab, and at conferences. I also enjoyed the environment IBA fostered.
Chelsea Higgins
BS Biology (Genetics and Biotechnology) BA Music – December 2020
Mentor: Maurine Neiman – Department of Biology
Starting in the iBio Graduate Program at UIowa and will continue working in the Neiman Lab. “IBA gave me opportunities that really shaped my undergrad. By funding my research, IBA gave me the ability to pour my time and energy into my projects, preparing me for a better future, without the worry of a second job. IBA also gave me the ability to present, even in a pandemic, mentor my peers, and attend amazing seminars to make sure my research, my application, and my career would be the best they could be. I was able to meet others who had similar experiences, which makes me so much more confident in my future as well. I'm incredibly grateful for IBA, and I would encourage anyone who is considering joining to do so!”
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January 2021
News and Events Retirement Announcement We are sad to announce that Jeff Murray will be stepping down from his role as Co-PI for IBA. Jeff has been involved in IBA’s efforts for over 20 years – mentoring students, assisting with grant writing, providing his perspectives on direct training programs as well as training and preparing future scientists. The students he has mentored have coauthored numerous publications while undergrads. Although Jeff is retiring, he will continue his research on several grants and will continue to consult for the Gates Foundation. He will remain a mentor to Floyd Evans (IBA Scholar) in his research on cleft lip/palate and preterm birth. Jeff is looking forward to spending time with a new puppy, hiking, biking and is planning on spending LOTS of time with his five grandchildren (two in DC and three in LA) once COVID allows it. We asked Jeff about his experiences working with the IBA program: “It was extremely rewarding and it’s a terrific program. Well run and well-conceived and it’s had a real impact on lives. As someone in the college of medicine, it was a great opportunity to work with undergrads and gain from their enthusiasm and terrific questions. The students I had were exceptional and inspiring to work with.”
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January 2021
News and Events Our Newest Additions IBA, LSAMP and Science Alliance keep growing! We are excited that these students are joining us and are looking forward to kicking off a great year with them! Science Alliance Interns Starting Spring 2021 Student
Degree Program
PI
Nicole Boodhoo
Biomedical Sciences
Gordon Buchanan
Oscar Cruz
Human Physiology
Ted Abel and Queena Lin
Sofia Gomez
Biology
Diane Slusarski
Emily Krogstad
Psychology
TBD
Hannah McCumber
Biomedical Engineering
John Engelhardt
Cally Tucker
Neuroscience
E. Dale Abel
Tori Forbes to join IBA as new Co-PI As sad as we are to see Jeff Murray leave, we are extremely excited about welcoming Tori Forbes as our new Co-PI for the IBA program! Tori Forbes is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and has been an advocate for the IBA and LSAMP programs. She has mentored multiple students over the last few years. We are looking forward to an amazing new partnership!
Science Alliance needs you! The Science Alliance (SA) is a new, UI-sponsored collaborative connecting faculty, staff, graduate students, and post-docs who are interested in cultivating future generations of scientists. High-school seniors, transfer students and current UI undergraduate science majors can register as a Science Ally and connect with the network of faculty, graduate students, post-docs, and the Science Alliance Peer Leaders. Alliance members will receive information about the research programs, campus opportunities and will be invited to public events such as the IBA Scholar Symposium to gain exposure to undergraduate research. See Website https://iba.biology.uiowa.edu for more details and online application
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January 2021
Tips and Resources Mental Health Resources Loneliness and Social Connections During COVID-19 COVID-19’s impact on our sense of social connection and community can lead to loneliness even when we are around people. Some helpful strategies to reduce feelings of loneliness include: • Find distracting activities or dedicate time to work, study, or hobbies. • Join a social club or take up new social activities and hobbies (this can be done virtually). • Reach out to someone you know who you have not talked to in a while. Go “old school” and call them on the phone. • Limit your exposure to social media and the news to no more than 30 minutes a day. • Talk to friends or family about how you are feeling. • Remember that you are not alone, and the university has resources that are available to you. For more information about mental health resources, see mentalhealth.uiowa.edu. University Counseling Service offers confidential counseling and support for students. University Counseling Service | The University of Iowa (uiowa.edu)
What Does Undergraduate Research Look Like During a Pandemic?
LIKE US!!!
Salma Ashshareef, IBA Abel Lab
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January 2021
Seminars and Conferences Student Travel Due to COVID-19 many regional and national conferences have moved to virtual formats. Students still have an opportunity to submit abstracts for poster or oral presentations and we would encourage you to explore options in your research fields. There is currently a ban on student travel that has been extended through the Spring 2021.
For seminars specific to your areas of interests, please see: Biochemistry: https://medicine.uiowa.edu/biochemistry/news-events/seminars Biology: https://biology.uiowa.edu/about/seminars Biomedical Engineering: https://bme.engineering.uiowa.edu/events Carver College of Medicine: https://medicine.uiowa.edu/news Chemical and Biochemical Engineering: https://cbe.engineering.uiowa.edu/news Chemistry: https://chem.uiowa.edu/news/colloquium-seminar-schedule Computer Science: https://cs.uiowa.edu/resources/events Engineering: https://www.engineering.uiowa.edu/events Genetics: https://genetics.grad.uiowa.edu/weekly-announcements-updates Health and Human Physiology: https://clas.uiowa.edu/hhp/news-and-events Math: https://math.uiowa.edu/seminars Microbiology: https://medicine.uiowa.edu/microbiology/news-events/seminar-series Neuroscience: https://neuroscience.grad.uiowa.edu/seminar-series/about Nursing: http://www.nursing.uiowa.edu/events Physics: https://physics.uiowa.edu/resources/upcoming-events Psychology: https://psychology.uiowa.edu/resources/events
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January 2021
About Us Winter/Spring Birthdays __________January__________ 1/1 1/6 1/11 1/13 1/14 1/22 1/25 1/26
Marie Mutesi Josh Peterson Amanda Caraballo Emily Krogstad Elizabeth Birchfield Ricky Lozano Flores Gofran Ali Odysseus Orr
__________February__________ Lexi Leali 2/8 2/17 Vincent Rodgers ___________March___________ 3/14 Johanna Castillo Aguirre 3/16 Cally Tucker 3/21 Laura Kowalski-Bliss 3/22 Elias Shaeffer
IBA/LSAMP/Science Alliance Staff Lori Adams Co-PI and Director, Iowa Biosciences Academy Associate Professor of Instruction, Dept of Biology lori-adams@uiowa.edu
Tori Forbes Co-PI, Iowa Biosciences Academy Associate Professor, Depart of Chemistry tori-forbes@uiowa.edu
Vincent G.J. Rodgers Co-Investigator, Iowa Biosciences Academy Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Dept of Physics and Astronomy vincent-rodgers@uiowa.edu
Brinda Shetty Associate Director, Iowa Biosciences Academy brinda-shetty@uiowa.edu
Chelsey Gates Graduate Research Assistant chelsey-gates@uiowa.edu Laura Kowalski-Bliss Administrative Services Coordinator laura-kowalski-bliss@uiowa.edu
Devon Dawson Graduate Research Assistant devon-dawson@uiowa.edu Halin Chung Graduate Research Assistant halin-chung@uiowa.edu
Iowa Biosciences Academy 169 Biology Building Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1324 Phone: 319-467-1483 iba@uiowa.edu
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