2011 Joint International Conference and Expo of the Society of Forensic Toxicologists

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Summer Research Opportunity in Behavioral and Evolutionary Genetics

I am a PhD student looking to hire 1-2 undergraduates who are interested in animal behavior, neuroscience and/or evolutionary genetics. Undergraduates will work on several projects in these areas including the development of aggressive behavior and the neurobiology of learning.

We study the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster; undergraduates will be involved in rearing flies and measuring their aggressiveness and/or learning capabilities. There may also be opportunities to learn basic techniques in molecular biology. Students will read and discuss relevant papers from the scientific literature, and are also encouraged to participate in other Nuzhdin lab and MCB intellectual activities.

I work best with students who are independent, self-motivated, and interested in basic conceptual research. No prior coursework or research experience is necessary. You can choose a salary ($3000 for the summer if you work full time) or course credit. Students who work during the summer will likely to be able to continue working during the school year. We always have lots to do!

For more information, please send an email introducing yourself to Julia Saltz at jsaltz@usc.edu.

Thanks!

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Full-Time Paid Research Position at UCSD Child & Adolescent Services Research Center

Gregory Aarons, Ph.D. of the University of California San Diego Psychiatry Department and Child & Adolescent Services Research Center (CASRC) is currently seeking a research assistant to work on his research studies regarding implementation of evidence-based practice. The implementation of evidence-based practice into real-world human service settings is an important priority for improving the quality of services and outcomes for families. However, little is known about what factors facilitate or impede implementation, and how implementation of an evidence-based practice affects organizations and staff. Our lab investigates what it takes to effectively implement clinical practices in community-based settings. We focus on organization and policy factors that affect whether clinical interventions are used effectively with clients and patients. Our studies aim to identify and support the organizational factors that improve evidence-based practice implementation, including organizational culture, organizational climate, and leadership. The research also focuses on adaptation of evidence-based practice for health, mental health, and social service settings. Data is collected from mental health and social service agencies in the states of Oklahoma and California. Study participants include administrators, supervisors, service providers, and their clients.

Under supervision, the incumbent will work as a Research Assistant for the Child & Adolescent Services Research Center (CASRC) in the Department of Psychiatry. The main duties and responsibilities will include: coordinating research participant retention and tracking, preparing and administering survey instruments, managing longitudinal data using SPSS and web-based data collection programs, conducting data coding and analysis, and assisting with preparing reports and presentations. Other duties will be assigned as needed.

The ideal candidate will have completed college level coursework completed in psychology, psychiatry, or a related field or equivalent knowledge or experience, possess knowledge of public sector mental health and social service organizations, and have demonstrated experience managing survey data and performing basic descriptive analyses using SPSS or SAS software.

The position is full-time, starting salary ranging from $2,484 - $2,703 per month. Full benefits available.

Interested applicants should send their resume to nshapiro@ucsd.edu and apply using the following link:

http://jobs.ucsd.edu/bulletin/job.aspxcat=search&sortby=rank&jobnum_in=56990&search=56990

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Journal of Young Investigators Staff Recruitment

Since 1997, JYI has published over 500 research and features articles reviewed by members of our staff, who currently represent over 50 academic institutions from six countries. Featured in Nature, The New York Times, and Science, JYI aims to promote undergraduate science research through monthly publications of scientific manuscripts, features and news articles, and information pertinent to careers in science.

Students interested in joining our staff are encouraged to submit applications for available positions. All JYI staff members contribute their time on an unpaid basis, so a strong passion for promoting scientific research is desired. For more information on joining our journal's staff, please go to: http://www.jyi.org/participate.php. We are currently actively seeking candidates for the following positions:

Executive Board (average commitment of 10 hours/week)

• Director of the Career Center
• Director of Human Resources
• Chief Development Officer
• Chief Technical Officer
• Director of Public Relations
• Managing Editor
• Senior Research Editor

General Staff (average commitment of 3-5 hours/week)

• Science Journalist
• Research Associate Editor
• Career Researcher

We are also soliciting submissions for our research departments, which include Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Physical Sciences and Mathematics, and Psychology and Social Sciences. Our editorial staff members carefully review and consider manuscripts for publication on our website. Senior honors theses and summer research papers are especially welcomed.

Tim Xu
Director of Public Relations
Journal of Young Investigators
http://www.jyi.org

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Society for Neuroscience Scholars Program

SfN is currently accepting applications for the Neuroscience Scholars Program (NSP).  NSP is a three-year fellowship to enhance career development and professional networking opportunities for underrepresented minority undergraduate and graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows in neuroscience. The program, funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/), provides scholars with:

• Annual stipend for enrichment activities outside the scholar's home institution
• Support for and annual meeting travel expenses
• Access to annual meeting workshops, courses, and events
• Complimentary SfN meeting registration and abstract fee waivers
• Complimentary SfN membership and subscription to The Journal of Neuroscience (http://www.jneurosci.org/) online
• Mentoring

The deadline for applications is May 20, 2011.  For more information and application forms, please visit www.sfn.org/nsp

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Phi Sigma Meeting: Dr. Michael Quick, Cookies & Milk

Hello everyone!
Hope you have all had a great start to our third-to-last week of school! We are excited to announce that Dr. Michael Quick will be speaking for us this week! Here are the details of the meeting:
When: Thursday, April 14, at 8 p.m.
Where: GFS 109
What: "From self-stimulating rats to knock-out mice: what they tell us about drugs, drug abuse, and addiction"

Dr. Quick is the Executive Vice-Provost and a Professor of Biological Sciences, and as many of you probably know, an incredibly fun and interesting speaker! Please visit the following site for more information about Dr. Quick and his research: http://dornsife.usc.edu/cf/faculty-and-staff/faculty.cfm?pid=1003622. And as always, there will be free food at the event: complimentary cookies and milk!

Also, if you're interested in joining the E-board for Phi Sigma, please fill out the attached E-board application by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, 4/25.
Let us know if you have any questions, and remember to stay updated on our latest events at our blog uscphisigma.weebly.com.
Thanks, and we hope to see you Thursday! :)
-Phi Sigma

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Southern California Academy of Sciences Annual Meeting

 

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Phi Sigma IMAX Movie & Dinner, Research Assistant Opportunity

Hello Phi Sigma-ers!

Welcome back! We hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing spring break. If you're still in the mood for some fun, though, Phi Sigma invites you to attend a free IMAX movie and dinner this Saturday (3/26)! We will be meeting at 5pm to head over together to the California Science Center and watch "Hubble" 3-D. The movie will last from 5:30 p.m. to approximately 6:15 p.m., and will be followed by a free Subway dinner. Space is limited, so if you are interested in attending, please RSVP to this e-mail by Friday, Mar. 25, at 5:00 p.m.

Also, we are excited to announce an awesome research opportunity!

Dr. Ite Laird of the USC Health Sciences Campus (HSC) researches lung cancer and is currently seeking a junior undergraduate researcher for her lab. She has emphasized that students will be considered on a first-come, first-evaluated basis, so please fill out the attached application and turn it in ASAP! You can learn more about Dr. Laird and her research at www.usc.edu/programs/pibbs/site/faculty/lairdoffringa_i.htm

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to e-mail us. Also, keep up with upcoming meetings and events by following us at uscphisigma.weebly.com.

Have a great rest of the week! :)
Phi Sigma

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2011 National Science Foundation REU Program in Cell and Molecular Visualization at Brandeis University

Brandeis University seeks qualified applicants for an NSF-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program in the Biological Sciences for a 10-week period (June 1 -August 5, 2011). Stipends of $5000, plus housing costs and meal allowances will be awarded to each participant. Participants must be US citizens or permanent residents and should have completed their sophomore or junior year of study and be enrolled in an accredited undergraduate college or university. We especially welcome applications from students of under-represented groups in science, or who come from economically-disadvantaged backgrounds (for example, first-generation college students), or who come from academic institutions with limited resources for research, or who are students with disabilities (i. e., a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities).

Selected students will be matched with a faculty researcher, from among 50 in the biological sciences, who will mentor the student through an independent research project using modern cell and molecular visualization techniques. Students will participate in weekly lunch seminars, which will include faculty research presentations, ethics discussions and professional development activities such as panel discussion with students and postdoctoral fellows from the Greater Boston area concerning careers in medicine, biotechnology and research. Students will develop a written synopsis of their summer work, with feedback and editing, and they will participate in a capstone symposium including poster presentations.

Applications are due by March 31, 2011. The application can be found online at

http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/undergrad/summerresearch. To apply, send by mail the completed application, including personal essay (describing your academic and research goals and how participating in this program would help you achieve them), official transcript, and two letters of recommendation to:

Dr. Joan Press
Brandeis University
Rosenstiel Center MS 029
Waltham, MA 02454

Additional information may be found at the website http://www.bio.brandeis.edu, including faculty research interests and potential projects.

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Pre-Doctoral Fellowship at Yale Child Study Center

The Toddler Developmental Disabilities Clinic at the Yale Child Study Center in the Yale School of Medicine is interested in recruiting highly qualified students from USC for an exciting new pre-doctoral fellowship for current graduates or graduating seniors. The position will commence June 2011 and will be 2 years in duration.

Successful applicants will be involved in a 2-year program of training involving clinical and research experiences. Fellows will be responsible for assisting in a variety of research activities in the lab and for completing experimental protocols with infants and toddlers and their families. With research mentorship, selected applicants will be expected to guide a pre-determined project of research from the point of data collection through analysis and publication of results.
Interested students should send materials no later than March 30th in order to be considered for the position.

Additional information can be found on our website: childstudycenter.yale.edu/autism/fellowship/developmental-computational.aspx

Questions regarding the Yale Fellowship in Developmental and Computational Social Neuroscience may be directed to Dr. Suzanne Macari at suzanne.macari@yale.edu.

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Research Assistant Position in Cognitive Neuroscience at UC Davis

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Southern California Undergraduate Research Conference in Chemistry and Biochemistry

You are cordially invited to attend the 2011 Southern California Undergraduate Research Conference in Chemistry and Biochemistry.  This year's conference is held at the University of California Santa Barbara on Saturday, April 23, 2011.

Students from all Sections in the Southern California region are invited to participate. Undergraduate researchers are encouraged to submit
abstracts for oral or poster presentations. Please visit the conference website at: www.chem.ucsb.edu/~kalju/SCURC/ for more info, registration, and submission of abstracts.

Note that the deadline for the registration and abstract submission is April 3, 2011.

I encourage everyone to register as soon as possible, and then return before
April 3rd to submit the abstract.  There is no cost to register. Please contact us at scurc@chem.ucsb.edu if you have any questions that are not answered on the conference website.

With best regards,
Dr. Kalju Kahn
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
UC Santa Barbara, CA 93106

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Yale Child Study Center Fellowship

The Toddler Developmental Disabilities Clinic at the Yale Child Study
Center in the Yale School of Medicine is interested in recruiting highly
qualified students from USC for an exciting new pre-doctoral fellowship
for current graduates or graduating seniors. The position will commence
June 2011 and will be 2 years in duration.

Successful applicants will be involved in a 2-year program of training
involving clinical and research experiences. Fellows will be responsible
for assisting in a variety of research activities in the lab and for
completing experimental protocols with infants and toddlers and their
families. With research mentorship, selected applicants will be expected
to guide a pre-determined project of research from the point of data
collection through analysis and publication of results.
Interested students should send materials no later than March 30th in
order to be considered for the position.

Additional information can be found on our website here:
childstudycenter.yale.edu/autism/fellowship/developmental-computational.aspx
Questions regarding the Yale Fellowship in Developmental and
Computational Social Neuroscience may be directed to Dr. Suzanne Macari
at suzanne.macari@yale.edu.

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West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference

The West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference will be hosted by Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA on Saturday, April 16th (the address for the Conference website is shown below). So far, students and faculty from 14 institutions in five states have registered to attend. It will be a great day for celebrating undergraduate research, with poster and seminar presentations by undergraduates, plus a keynote address by HHMI Investigator Dr. Randall Moon of the University of Washington. Dr. Moon is world-renown among scientists for his research dealing with the role of Wnts in development and disease.

The deadline for abstract submission is March 14th. For additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me either by phone (253.535.7550) or via e-mail (smithmf@plu.edu).

Best Regards,

Matthew Smith, Organizer

36th Annual West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference

www.plu.edu/biology/WCBSURC/home.php

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Academic Research Fund from USG

All USC undergraduates conducting research in any field are welcome and encouraged to apply for funding from the Academic Research Fund. Funding will be provided to help undergraduates conduct research projects, attend academic conferences, and pursue other academic extracurricular activities. Now is the optimal time for students to apply for a research grant to be utilized during the summer.

With the end of the year fast approaching, the USG Funding Boards are running out of funds for the remainder of this academic semester. Students are advised to apply as soon as possible.

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Research Assistant for Virtual Interface Study

Current Research Topics Under Investigation

We are investigating how team performance is affected when people have to interact and follow directions via a virtual interface. Our project will involve participants partaking in an interactive game wherein they are given instructions on performing various actions by another person.

Specific Qualifications for Research Assistants

RA duties would include the administration of the experiment for participants and collecting/compiling user data. Experience with gaming or programming would be a plus but not required. Flexible schedules (esp. mornings) would be great.

Benefits

• Gain valuable hands-on laboratory experience in conducting social psychological research. This will be highly beneficial especially if you are planning on applying for graduate school in the future.
• Recommendation letter from a professor.

Contact
Gurveen Chopra
gchopra@usc.edu

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Research Assistant Position in Molecular Genetics Lab

The Nuzhdin Genetics Lab is looking for motivated dependable undergraduate student for paid research assistant position.

At Nuzhdin Lab, we are focused in research related to quantitative genetics, population genetics, and the genetics of speciation of Drosophila. In addition, members of the lab work on a variety of other systems and topics including environmental interactions and maternal effects in Medicago, stem-cell migration and differentiation in Planaria, and social interaction and aggression among Drosophila genotypes.

The research assistant position would require at least 10 hours per week time commitment. Responsibilities would include maintenance of isogenic D. melanogaster specimens, food medium preparation, and attendance of weekly research article discussions. Potential opportunities for growth include: laboratory training and experience, training in various molecular laboratory techniques, and participation in upcoming summer/fall research project on the evolution of epigenetic regulation in relation to cancer.

If you are interested in this opportunity please contact and email you resume or CV to:
Michael Mesa
mmesa@usc.edu
Nuzhdin Laboratory Manager
Dept of Molecular and Computational Biology
University of Southern California

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Phi Sigma: Cookies, Milk, and a Presentation by Dr. Arnold

Hello Trojans!

Phi Sigma invites you to come hear USC's very own Dr. Donald Arnold present on "Visualizing synaptic structure in vivo." Dr. Arnold is an associate professor in the molecular biology department and received his Ph.D from Johns Hopkins University, so this is an excellent opportunity to not only network with fellow members of this prestigious Biological Sciences Honor Society, but also to learn more about Dr. Arnold's research and about research in general. Click here for more information about Dr. Arnold and his research. You do not need to be a member to attend (but this will be the last day to turn in applications for this semester) and free cookies and milk will be provided!

Date: Thursday, 2/17
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Location: ZHS 163
Dress: Casual
FREE COOKIES AND MILK!

For more information, visit our website: uscphisigma.weebly.com

Thank you and have a great day!
-Phi Sigma

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Blue Kitabu Summer Research Opportunity in Ghana

Join Blue Kitabu (www.bluekitabu.org) for five weeks in June and July as part of our Summer 2011 Research Fellowship Program in Ghana. The theme is Agriculture, Sustainability and Educational Development. Ten fellows will be selected to engage in field research in the rural Central Region of Ghana, utilizing the rich culture and knowledge of the local communities as well as the resources of Cape Coast University. The research products will shape the practices of Blue Kitabu on the ground, and we are looking for individuals with a commitment to responsible development.

Fellows will be responsible for creating their own research topics in collaboration with Blue Kitabu staff and research will result in a final paper to be presented at a USC symposium in the fall. The cost of participation is $2,500 and includes all mentorship, room, board, transport and insurance costs, except airfare. A Blue Kitabu staff member will be onsite at all times for support and to supervise research.

Five USC College students will be supported up to $3000 through the Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (SURF) . Graduating seniors are not eligible for SURF. Also, those who are eligible can apply to the USC Africa Student Fund for additional funding.

Apply to Blue Kitabu on www.bluekitabu.org. The application deadline is April 1st, 2011 for those who wish to be considered for SURF. A separate SURF application is required.

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Summer Research at the University of Michigan

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