Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Graduate, Postdoctoral and Senior Research Awards at the NRC

The National Research Council of the National Academies sponsors a number of awards for graduate, postdoctoral and senior researchers at federal laboratories and affiliated institutions. These awards provide generous stipends ($42,000 - $75,000 per year for recent Ph.D. recipients and higher for additional experience; Master's level stipends are $38,000 per annum), and the opportunity to do independent research in some of the best-equipped and staffed laboratories in the U.S. Research opportunities are open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and for some of the laboratories, foreign nationals.

Detailed program information, including instructions on how to apply online and a list of participating laboratories, is available on the NRC Research Associateship Programs Web site at:

www.national-academies.org/rap

Questions should be directed to the NRC at 202-334-2760 (phone) or rap@nas.edu.

There are four review cycles annually. Deadline dates for 2010 are:

February 1, 2010
May 1, 2010
August 1, 2010
November 1, 2010

Applicants should begin a dialogue with prospective Advisers at the lab as early as possible, before their anticipated application deadline.

H. Ray Gamble
Director of the Fellowship Programs
National Research Council
The National Academies
5000 5th Street NW, Keck 568
Washington, DC 20001

Chemistry Graduate Program at NC State University

The Department of Chemistry at North Carolina State University is making an aggressive push to nearly double our graduate enrollment to 50 students annually. This is due to both an increase in the number of faculty as well as unprecedented levels of research funding from extramural sources (e.g. NSF, NIH, As a graduate student you will be working closely with one of 25 faculty who are dedicated to the success of their students. Our research is on the cutting edge of science and published in the leading scientific journals. Our research facilities include some of the most advanced instrumentation in the country. From our newly created NSF Center for Molecular Spintronics, to our W.M. Keck FT-ICR Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, to research programs in catalysis, protein engineering, drug discovery, and neurochemistry, we believe our department offers research in your area of interest. Everything you would need to have a highly successful and productive graduate career in the chemical sciences is available at NC State.

Our excellent support of our graduate students complements these strengths of our department. Tuition and health insurance are paid entirely by the department, and graduate students are provided a stipend ($21,000 per year) for living expenses. This graduate student support plan is guaranteed for the duration of your graduate career. Additionally, a number of prestigious research training programs are available, including the Jimmy V-NC State University Cancer Therapeutics Training Program, the NIH Molecular Biotechnology Training Program, as well as the Department of Education Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Program in Nanoscale Electronic and Energy Materials (NEEM).

Additionally, the Research Triangle area, which includes Raleigh and NC State, is a wonderful place to live, providing not just a high quality of life, but many important academic and industrial contacts for future employment. The Raleigh-Cary area is consistently ranked among the best places to live in America according to CNN Money.

We would like to take this opportunity to encourage you to apply to our program - the application is online (due Jan 15th), only takes a few minutes to fill out, and is entirely free for domestic students. If you have any further questions regarding the Department of Chemistry at NCSU, or would like to know more about our program and the application process, please visit www.NCSU.edu/Chemistry, or feel free to directly contact the members of the Graduate Recruiting Committee listed below.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

The Graduate Recruiting Committee
Prof. Maria Oliver-Hoyo, Chair (Maria_Oliver@NCSU.edu)
Prof. Reza Ghiladi (Reza_Ghiladi@NCSU.edu)
Prof. Elon Ison (Elon_Ison@NCSU.edu)
Prof. Alex Nevzorov (Alex_Nevzorov@NCSU.edu)
Prof. Leslie Sombers (Leslie_Sombers@NCSU.edu)
Prof. Gavin Williams (Gavin_Williams@NCSU.edu)

C2B2-REU - Bioenergy Summer Program in Colorado

ATTENTION Undergraduates!

The Colorado Center for Biorefining and Biofuels (C2B2) is now seeking applications for the 2010 Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates Program (C2B2-REU)!

Please visit www.c2b2web.org for the online application and additional submission requirements.

  • Students from all academic fields, interested in researching bioenergy.
  • Applications from underrepresented students are strongly encouraged.
  • U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and international citizens are eligible to receive funding.
  • Undergraduate applicants must be currently enrolled in a degree-seeking program.

Completed applications must be received as of February 22, 2010 at 11:59 PM.

Questions? E-mail C2B2@colorado.edu or call 303.492.7736.

Merck Summer Internship

Summer Internship 2010 – Medicinal Chemistry – West Point, PA

Meet the new Merck. A stronger pipeline. More products to help people in more ways. More passionate than ever about what matters to our customers.

Merck and Schering-Plough are now one company. We recently merged to create a stronger, more diverse and more truly global company. This not only benefits our company and our shareholders, but it also benefits the millions of people around the world who rely on our products and expect us to continue to deliver exceptional value. Our ability to excel depends on the integrity, knowledge, imagination, skill, diversity and teamwork of people like you.

To this end, we strive to create an environment of mutual respect, encouragement and teamwork. The Intern for the Medicinal Chemistry Department will function as a fully-integrated member of a drug discovery team. Day-to-day research will focus on using organic synthesis to solve key challenges in the progression toward a clinical candidate for a therapeutic target. The intern will also attend departmental and team meetings to provide a wider perspective on the drug discovery process in the pharmaceutical industry. The intern is responsible for accurate notebook recording, reaction set-up techniques, use of vacuum evaporation devices, thin-layer chromatography, flash chromatography, basic workup procedures, basic NMR interpretation, basic MS interpretation, safe lab practices. Intern will have the opportunity to gain further knowledge and skill set in refinement of organic chemistry skills, introduction to new spectroscopic and purification techniques, methods for parallel synthesis, exposure to problems in medicinal chemistry, perspective on the practical aspects of drug discovery.

We are seeking candidates with strong academic performance, communication skills, teamwork, and the ability to work in a multi- functional environment. If selected for interview, applicant must be prepared to submit letters of recommendation, a brief research statement and a copy of transcript.

This is a paid internship targeted to start in June 2010 for 10 - 12 weeks, whereby a weekly stipend will be provided. Housing and transportation to and from work are available for those interns meeting the housing distance guideline.

Qualifications:

  • Pursuing Bachelor's degree in Chemistry or related field.
  • Applicants who have completed 3 years of college studies preferred
  • Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.5 or higher preferred.
  • Basic laboratory skills and research experience preferred, such as: reaction set-up, monitoring and work up, flash chromatography, basic NMR and MS interpretation.
  • Applicant must provide a cover letter.
  • Applicants must be available for full-time employment for 10 - 12 weeks during the months of June - August 2009.
  • Applicants must be currently enrolled in an academic program

Our employees are the key to our company’s success. We demonstrate our commitment to our employees by offering a competitive and valuable rewards program. Merck’s benefits are designed to support the wide range of goals, needs and lifestyles of our employees, and many of the people that matter the most in their lives.

To be considered for this position, please visit our career site at www.merck.com/careers to create a profile and submit your resume for requisition #ADM004047. Merck is an equal opportunity employer, M/F/D/V – proudly embracing diversity in all of its manifestations.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

2010 Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Applications are now being accepted for the Thomas Jefferson University College of Graduate Studies Summer Undergraduate Research Program. Thomas Jefferson University is an internationally recognized academic health center with over $140,000,000 in sponsored biomedical research programs that provide a wide variety of opportunities for student research training. Jefferson College of Graduate Studies offers academic programs leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in a variety of biomedical areas. Additional information about graduate training opportunities at Jefferson can be accessed from their website.

In an effort to acquaint you with our academic programs and areas of ongoing research, Jefferson College of Graduate Studies sponsors summer research positions that provide opportunities for upper-level undergraduate students (those who have completed their junior year), to work in the laboratories of active faculty researchers. The program is designed to provide a rich experience for those students interested in pursuing their graduate studies in the biomedical sciences.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROGRAM INCLUDE

  • A stipend of $3,500 plus on-campus housing accommodation
  • A ten-week research experience from June 1 through August 7, 2010

Research Program Options Include:

  • Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
  • Molecular Pharmacology & Structural Biology
  • Cell & Developmental Biology
  • Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
  • Genetics
  • Neuroscience
  • Immunology & Microbial Pathogenesis
  • Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine

Application filing deadline: February 1, 2010. You can apply through the website. Follow the instructions on the first page of the application to submit your application by e-mail.

Alternatively, you may contact:

Marc Stearns, Director of Admissions and Recruitment, or
Kara Snyder, Admissions Assistant
Jefferson College of Graduate Studies
Thomas Jefferson University
1020 Locust Street, Suite M60
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Telephone: 215-503-4400
Email: jcgs-info@jefferson.edu

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program 2010

The Smithsonian Institution encourages access to its collections, staff specialties, and reference resources by visiting scholars, scientists, and students. The Institution offers in-residence appointments for research and study using its facilities, and the advice and guidance of its staff members in fields that are actively pursued by the museums and research organizations of the Institution.

At present these fields include:

  • Animal behavior, ecology, and environmental science, including an emphasis on the tropics
  • Anthropology, including archaeology,
  • Astrophysics and astronomy
  • Earth sciences and paleobiology
  • Evolutionary and systematic biology
  • History of science and technology
  • History of art, especially American, contemporary, African, and Asian art, twentieth-century American crafts, and decorative arts
  • Social and cultural history of the United States Folklife

POSTDOCTORAL Fellowships are offered to scholars who have held the degree or equivalent for less than seven years. SENIOR Fellowships are offered to scholars who have held the degree or equivalent for seven years or more. Applicants must submit a detailed proposal including a justification for conducting research in residence at the Institution. The term is 3 to 12 months. Both fellowships offer a stipend of $42,000* per year plus allowances. * Earth and Planetary Sciences Senior and Postdoctoral stipends are $47,000 per year.

PREDOCTORAL Fellowships are offered to doctoral candidates who have completed preliminary course work and examinations. The applicant must submit a detailed proposal including a justification for conducting the research in-residence at the Institution. Candidates must have the approval of their universities to conduct doctoral research at the Smithsonian Institution. The term is 3 to 12 months. The stipend is $27,000 per year plus allowances.

GRADUATE STUDENT Fellowships are offered to students formally enrolled in a graduate program of study, who have completed at least one semester, and not yet have been advanced to candidacy if in a Ph.D. Program. Applicants must submit a proposal for research in a discipline which is pursued at the Smithsonian. The term is 10 weeks; the stipend is $6,000.

Postmark Deadline for submission is January 15, 2010.

Additional information and application forms are available at www.si.edu/research+Study

Other 2010 Fellowships and Internships

In addition, applications for the following program can also be access at the above website as well as information on other Smithsonian fellowship and internship opportunities.

OR Contact:

Office of Fellowships
Smithsonian Institution
470 L’Enfant Plaza Suite 7102
MRC 902 PO Box 37012
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
202-633-7070
E-mail: siofg@si.edu

Additional information and application forms are available at www.si.edu/research+Study

Pamela Hudson Veenbaas | Program Manager Office of Fellowships | Smithsonian Institution T 202-633-7070 | F 202-633-7069 | Email veenbaasp@si.edu | www.si.edu/research+Study

Monday, November 30, 2009

Chemistry on Ice: The effect of frozen surfaces on organic contaminants in the Arctic

Our own Dr Glenn Rowland will be giving a talk on "Chemistry on Ice: The effect of frozen surfaces on organic contaminants in the Arctic" this Tuesday, Dec. 1st, at 4:40pm in Mendel 213. All are welcome to attend!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Mendel Medal Lecture - Friday, November 20

On Friday, November 20, Kenneth R. Miller, Ph.D., a professor of biology at Brown University and this year's recipient of the Mendel Medal, will deliver the 2009 Mendel Medal Lecture in the Connelly Center Cinema (2:00 p.m. refreshments followed by the 2:30 p.m. lecture). This is an event not to be missed. Dr. Miller is a pre-eminent evolutionary scientist. In addition, Miller is the author of the acclaimed book, Finding Darwin's God: A Scientist's Search for Common Ground Between God and Evolution, a lively and cutting-edge analysis of the key issues that seem to divide science and religion. He contends that, properly, understood, evolution adds depth and meaning not only to a scientific view of the world, but also to a spiritual one. Learn more about Dr. Miller and his work at the web site listed below.

For additional information: http://clasvillanova.blogspot.com/2009/06/kenneth-miller-phd-to-receive-2009.html. If you have questions, please contact: mirela.damien@villanova.edu

Friday, November 13, 2009

Summer Internship Opportunity - University of Delaware

There is an undergraduate summer research opportunity at the College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment at the University of Delaware. Supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Ocean Sciences, this REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) program supports ten undergraduate students to conduct research in marine science. They especially encourage applications from members of minority groups underrepresented in science.

The program will run for 10 weeks (June 7 - August 13). Please visit their website to find out more about the program. Student support includes a $3,300 stipend (which could increase to $4500 pending approval of our most recent proposal to NSF), campus housing, tuition for the one-credit course, and travel assistance. The application form and instructions are available on their website as well.

Interns will work with faculty and research staff in a graduate student atmosphere on a research topic in chemical, physical, or biological oceanography, marine biology, or marine geology.

This internship program will take place at the University of Delaware's Hugh R. Sharp Campus in the resort community of Lewes, located on the shores of the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean near Cape Henlopen State Park.

If you have any questions, please contact Ana Dittel at (302) 645-4275 or adittel@udel.edu.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Talk by Enivornmental & Geochemist Dr Usha Rao

Dr Usha Rao from St. Joseph's University will be speaking on "The Presence of 129I from Nuclear Sources in the Sediments of Lake Ontario: Pathways, Inventories, and Redox Dependent Mobility" this Tuesday at 4:30 in Mendel 213. A reception will follow. All are welcome to attend You can learn more about Dr Rao's work here: http://www.sju.edu/academics/cas/chemistry/faculty/urao.html

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program offers 1,000 fellowships to students in various fields.  If you are interested, please check out the following links:

For information, www.nsf.gov/grfp

To apply, www.fastlane.nsf.gov/grfp

Contact us at, info@nsfgrfp.org or 1-866-NSF-GRFP

Chair’s Scholar Fellowship Offer for the University of Pittsburgh Graduate Program

Anyone interested in applying to the University of Pittsburgh Graduate Program for the fall 2010, has an opportunity to do a summer research experience before matriculation.  Please stop in and see Dr. Scott Kassel (Mendel 215A) for nomination.

Cancelled - Life Sciences Career Fair

Campus Philly and the Life Science Career Alliance (LSCA) regret that they must cancel the November 19 Life Sciences ’09 Career Fair, which was to be held at Thomas Jefferson University. Every student who pre-registered for the event will be notified by email.

Students and employers can continue to match for internship, co-op and job opportunities now and year-round at www.campusphilly.org/careers. Currently, 225 internship and job positions are posted online from 35 companies in the Greater Philadelphia area.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Summer Research at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas

UT Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences is sponsoring the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program.  The goal of SURF is to give students an intensive, ten-week, research experience in a world class research environment.    The SURF website and on-line application can be found at www.utsouthwestern.edu/SURF.

They are also sponsoring the Quantitative and Physical Science Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (QP-SURF) Program.  The program website and on-line application for QP-SURF can be found at www.utsouthwestern.edu/QP-SURF/QP-SURFAPP.

The stipend for both of these ten-week programs is $4,000.  Application deadline is February 9th, 2010.  Any questions or for further information, email nancy.street@utsouthwestern.edu

Summer Undergraduate Research at Gerstner Sloan-Kettering

Students who are accepted into the program will be offered a stipend of $3,000 and housing.  Four exceptional students will be selected and named “Rubin and Sarah Shaps Scholars.”  Students interested in more information or in applying to the program can visit www.sloankettering.edu.

The deadline for submission of all application materials is February 1.  Applicants will be notified of a decision between March 1 and March 15.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Structural Analysis Tools Available at Penn

The University of Pennsylvania is hosting a workshop on structural research tools (x-ray scattering, electron microscopy, ion beam scattering) available at the Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter (LRSM). The workshop is designed for faculty at primarily undergraduate institutions in the Delaware Valley whose research projects may benefit from such tools. As part of a grant from the National Science Foundation, Penn will be able to offer reduced-rate access to these facilities for such faculty. More details are available at http://www.lrsm.upenn.edu/events/st09/ . The workshop will be held on January 6, 2010 and is free. However, pre-registration is required. Additional information can also be obtained by contacting Dr. Paul Heiney at heiney@sas.upenn.edu.

Summer Research Fellowships for Graduate Students

From Dr. Adele Lindenmeyr, Dean of Graduate Studies

I am pleased to announce the competition for graduate student research fellowships for the Summer of 2010.  The deadline for applications is Friday, January 15, 2010.

For details regarding eligibility requirements, application procedures, and the required cover page to be appended to any submitted proposals, please visit the “Graduate Student Summer Research Fellowship” found on the Graduate Studies website at:

http://www.villanova.edu/artsci/college/academics/graduate/summer_research.htm

If you have a scholarly project for which you would like summer support, please discuss this with a faculty member in your program who will be willing to formally sponsor your effort.

Sincerely,

Dr. Lindenmeyr

2010 CENTC Undergraduate Summer Research Program

Applications are now available on the CENTC website for the 2010 CENTC Undergraduate Summer Research Program. Jon Axtell's research at MIT last summer was supported through this program. Please contact him directly if you want know about his experiences and/or perspectives.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Philadelphia Math and Science Coalition - Teacher Pre-service

To Our Colleagues at Villanova University--

The Philadelphia Math and Science Coalition is hosting a series of meetings to define the characteristics of an effective math or science teacher. We are inviting university faculty from math and science fields and from education to help us work on this. I hope that you will attend next meeting on December 1, 8:30-10 AM PM in Lobby Conference room at the United Way Building. Breakfast will be provided. This meeting is part of a larger effort to examine how we prepare math and science teachers in the region.

The topic for this meeting will be math and science content knowledge so it is important to have good representation for the math and science faculties as well as education. We hope to have discussions among individual discipline faculty (math and each of the sciences). We will focus on the big concepts and ideas in math and science that teachers should master in order to be effective. There may be interdisciplinary concepts that should be considered here as well. Education faculty will be important in these discussions as well.

Please RSVP to me by November 25. And if you cannot attend but know colleagues who would be interested, please forward this email to them. This is the second meeting of four at which we will be addressing what we mean in the Philadelphia region by high quality math and science teachers and how we prepare them. The remaining meeting dates are January 25, 2010 and March 22, 2010.

We are also on the lookout for appropriate research on effective pre-service education for math and science teachers. Please pass along to me.

Don McKinney, Program Coordinator

Philadelphia Math & Science Coalition, Philadelphia Education Fund, 610-745-8860

Thursday, November 5, 2009

US EPA P3 Program

From the EPA:

We are announcing a unique grant opportunity for your department’s faculty and students - EPA’s P3 - People, Prosperity and the Planet - Program. Through this design competition, student teams and their faculty advisors apply for $10,000 grants to design scientific, technical, and policy solutions to sustainability challenges in the developed or developing world.

The challenge addressed by these projects can be in any of these areas:

  • energy,
  • built environment,
  • materials & chemicals,
  • agriculture, or
  • water.

Past P3 teams have explored more efficient ways to produce biofuels, developed simple water treatment technologies for developing communities, produced a technology to measure real-time energy use in buildings, reduced hazardous substance use in laboratories through improved information and purchasing practices, designed and built an educational “learning barge” for the Elizabeth River, VA , and designed an innovative system for the bioremediation of agricultural chemicals.

Teams use the $10,000 grants to design and develop their projects throughout the 2010/2011 school year. Then in the spring of 2011, all teams will come to Washington, DC, to compete for EPA’s P3 Award at the 7th Annual National Sustainable Design Expo. The students’ projects will be evaluated by a panel of experts convened by the American Association for the Advancement of Science in all relevant fields, including sustainability. EPA will use these recommendations to choose the P3 Award winners who will be eligible for an additional grant up to $75,000 to further develop their designs, implement them in the field, and take them to the marketplace.

Applications are due by January 5, 2010.

Visit our Web site for more information and to view the P3 program videos: http://www.epa.gov/p3/

For information about this request for applications go to: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2010/2010_p3.html

For basic information go to: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/p3/fact_sheet.html

Utilizing Synchronous Tools in Online Courses

From Rich Wack, Instructional Technology Analyst, UNIT:

I invited a colleague from Drexel University to conduct a presentation which he performed at the recent Northeast Blackboard/WebCT Users Group Meeting at LaSalle University. I think that Villanova faculty will find this session very informative. Dr. Scheuermann brings a teacher’s perspective and places emphasis on the pedagogical applications for this technology. I am advertising this event through the normal channels however if possible, I would appreciate it if you could bring it to the attention of the Deans and Chairs. The event information is listed below, registration is required through the Campus Events System.

If demand exceeds the room’s capacity, we can switch it to a larger venue (e.g.: the Cinema).

Event Description

"Anytime-Anywhere" is a marketing phrase to entice students to consider taking online courses. Unfortunately, that very phrase also eliminates the opportunity for online course facilitators to include mandatory (or even optional) synchronous course elements and strategies in their teaching and learning initiatives.

This session will focus on a rich exchange of information relative to synchronous course element strategies, successes, challenges, and failures.

Presenter:

Dr. Michael E. Scheuermann, Associate Vice-President for Instructional Technology Support at Drexel University.

Location Information:

Villanova University Main Campus - Connelly Center, Devon Room

Contact Information:

Richard Wack, (610) 519-6738, richard.wack@villanova.edu

Reminder: Strategic Plan Town Hall meeting Today @ 3:30pm in Driscoll 132

From Fr. Peter's email on October 23rd, 2009 (added emphasis below is mine):

The Strategic Plan

We continue to move forward with reviewing and refining the objectives outlined in our Strategic Plan. This plan is designed to provide a clear roadmap for us to follow as we seek to strengthen the educational experience that distinguishes Villanova, while also being flexible enough to allow us to meet changing needs and trends.

Last fall, I held a series of Town Hall meetings to discuss the preliminary results of the strategic planning process. The past year has been filled with work, conversation, and collaboration which have resulted in some adjustments to our initial objectives. One such adjustment has been to focus more on strengthening our national reputation vs. positioning the University to enter the national rankings at a certain level.

I would like to invite the faculty to attend one of two Town Hall meetings scheduled for early November. At the meeting, I will share with you more information about this and other adjustments, as well as our plans for how to move forward with the Strategic Plan. The first meeting will take place Thursday, November 5 at 3:30 p.m. in Driscoll Hall Room 132. The second meeting will take place Wednesday, November 11 at 3:30 p.m. in the Connelly Center Cinema. These meetings will also provide an opportunity for us to dialog about the search for a new Vice President for Academic Affairs. I would like your input on this process and look forward to speaking with you.

I hope your schedule will allow you to take part in this important, continuing conversation regarding Villanova’s future.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Penn's Master of Medical Physics Program

Dear Colleague:

The field of medicine is facing a significant shortage of well-trained and qualified clinical medical physicists, practitioners in the specialties of therapeutic radiological physics, diagnostic imaging physics, nuclear medicine physics, and medical health physics, or radiation protection. With each passing year, this shortage expands because of the increased use of complex technology in such fields as radiation oncology and medical imaging.

As a practicing clinical physicist for many years, I am well aware of the critical need for medical physicists. That is why in 2007 I joined the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania to develop Penn's new Master of Medical Physics (MMP) Program.

The MMP Program meets the academic and career needs of technically prepared college graduates who seek to combine their interests in graduate physics with career opportunities in the medical research and clinical environments. Penn's MMP Program offers the best, most well-rounded medical physics education possible, balancing classroom, laboratory, and clinical experiences.

How does Penn's Master of Medical Physics Program differ from others?

  • Housed within Penn's College of Liberal and Professional Studies, the MMP Program was created as a true partnership between, and with the full support of, Penn's Department of Physics and Astronomy in the School of Arts and Sciences and the Departments of Radiology and Radiation Oncology in Penn's School of Medicine.
  • MMP Program courses are taught by faculty who are experts in their fields, from traditional physics faculty to clinical medical physics faculty to physicians who also teach at Penn's School of Medicine.
  • MMP students will gain valuable clinical experience in world-class facilities at the University of Pennsylvania Health System's new Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, including the Roberts Proton Therapy Center.
  • Outstanding MMP students may be selected to stay on for a two-year medical physics residency program in the University of Pennsylvania Health System—preparing them for certification by the American Board of Radiology.

Penn's Master of Medical Physics Program may be of particular interest to some of your students who may still be finalizing their graduate school plans. Within the next few weeks, the chair of your department will be receiving a poster that briefly describes the MMP Program. In the meantime, please contact me directly at 215.898.5574 if you have any questions about the program. I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

Kate Spillane, PhD, DABR

Director, Master of Medical Physics Program

University of Pennsylvania

Friday, October 30, 2009

Career Service OCR bulletin

The On-Campus Recruiting (OCR) Bulletin is available.

These bulletins announce the companies who are conducting up-coming campus interviews. Recruiting Bulletins are also posted on the Career Services website.

Network - is the weekly E-newsletter that is college-specific and sent to students each Thursday.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

MATCH Corps Fellowships

The MATCH Corps is an urban education service year program at the MATCH High and Middle Schools, both open-admission Charter Public Schools in Boston, MA. The MATCH mission is to close the academic achievement gap that our almost entirely minority student body faces, and prepare each of the urban youths at our school to succeed in college.

Corps members work 1-on-1 or 2-on-1 with 5-6 MATCH students every day, paired with them at the beginning of the year, tutoring them in their classroom subjects and on SAT, AP, and MCAS tests. The Corps, who live in dorm housing in the High School and in apartments near the Middle School, also have secondary duties as teaching assistants and administrative assistants, as well as running clubs, coaching sports, and powering extracurricular activities.

Corps members go on to teaching or administrative positions (often staying on at MATCH), as well as a variety of grad schools (law, medicine, education, etc.) and to positions as public policy leaders and social advocates.

Corps members have the option to take part in the MATCH Teacher Training Program during their Corps year, a program designed to produce unusually effective and confident first-year teachers.

MATCH has received much recognition since it opened its doors in the fall of 2000 for its rigorous, innovative approach to urban education. In 2007, MATCH was named by US News & World Report at one of the nation’s top-100 High Schools, and in 2008 was similarly recognized by Newsweek as one of the top-25 High Schools in the country.

To apply for a MATCH Corps Fellowship, please visit their application page.

Full and part-time openings at JRFA

JRFAmerica has both full-time and part-time positions in their Residue Chemistry Laboratories in King of Prussia, PA. They are located on the Arkema Technical Campus at 900 First Avenue, King of Prussia, PA. (Near the King of Prussia Mall and Valley Forge)

I. Student Technicians: a part-time position

The starting salary would be $15 to $17 per hour and would be dependent upon experience level and available time slots. Currently we are looking for daytime hours (our starting time is 8 AM to 5 or 6PM daily).

Duties would include: Log-in of residue / tissue samples; some sample processing (using a Hobart food processor or equivalent; some assistant work in wet chemistry techniques (maceration of tissues using a Tissumizer or reflux extractions + clean-up of the sample extract using SPE cartridges or other techniques + derivatization for some compounds + final dilutions). Following the wet chemistry portion, the technician will be able to see how to operate (and if they are at a high skill level) and possibly participate in HPLC or UPLC – MS/MS detection and metabolite identification techniques.

II. Chemists: Typically 1-3 years of experience

Duties would include: Trace analysis for residues in plant and animal tissues; air and water samples; soil samples. Development and validation of analytical methodology to detect trace level (ppb or ppt) of one of more analytes in various complex matrices. Ability to review and understand existing methodologies, prepare protocols, work under regulated conditions (USEPA GLP; FDA GLP; OECD GLP). Candidates to have some instrumental analysis experience. HPLC-MS/MS is a plus. Salary is open based upon the experience of the candidate.

Both positions provide excellent opportunities for new chemists to get industrial experience in trace analysis. Please contact Dr. Amanda Grannas if you are interested.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Southern Teachers Agency interviewing on campus Monday, November 9th

A representative from Southern Teachers Agency will be conducting interviews through Career Services on campus Monday, November 9, 2009 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. If you are interested Please submit your resume by October 29 through GoNOVA.

They are looking for students who are interested in careers as teachers, counselors, coaches, and administrators in private/independent PK-12 schools around the south.

  • STA works with hundreds of schools around the South
  • Certification not required for most middle- and high-school jobs
  • Certification is required for elementary teaching positions
  • Math, science & language majors strongly encouraged to apply
  • Placement services are always FREE for candidates

STA provides personal service as you search for a great teaching job.

Job opportunity at Integral Molecular

Integral Molecular, Inc. in Philadelphia, PA, has permanent, full-time positions available: Laboratory Technician and Research Associate. The application deadline is 10/31/2009, although they will periodically make entry-level hires. So when graduation time come around, please contact them directly.

Company Information: Integral Molecular is a Biotechnology Company that provides innovative solutions for scientific research and drug discovery applications involving cellular and viral integral membrane proteins.

General Application Instructions: Please submit your resume and cover letter to careers@integralmolecular.com with the respective Job ID# (as given below) in Subject line.


Job Title: Research Associate (Permanent, Full time)

Job Description: This position will involve conducting laboratory research and supporting general R&D operations at Integral Molecular. The position will involve both research and production of biomedical research products. You will be working with a dedicated group of scientists on the development and commercialization of biomedical technologies. Projects may involve cell culture, virology, DNA preparation, liquid handling automation, and cell-based assays (western blot, ELISA, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry).

Qualifications: The position requires a Bachelor's degree in biology, bioengineering, or a related field. 1-2 years of laboratory and cell culture experience is desired. Candidates must have a demonstrated ability to learn quickly and follow protocols, and must be attentive to detail.

Application Instructions: Please submit your resume and cover letter to careers@integralmolecular.com with Job ID# 090306 in the Subject line.

Additional opportunities to present your research

We know you all enjoyed presenting your work at the annual poster session. Here are a couple of additional opportunities you may want to consider for presenting your research.
  • The National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) will bring together undergraduates involved in scholarly and artistic activities from more than 300 colleges and universities in the nation. This year NCUR will be hosted at the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana from April 15-17, 2010. This is an incredible opportunity for undergraduate students to present their research at a conference. Abstracts must be submitted online by December 4th. For more information on the conference and submitting an abstract, please visit http://www.umt.edu/ncur2010.
  • The Eastern Evaluation Research Society (EERS), a local affiliate of the American Evaluation Association, has issued a Call for Student Proposals for Papers and Posters for their 33rd Annual Conference in Absecon, NJ on April 18-20, 2010. EERS has served evaluators and those interested in evaluation in a wide range of areas such as health care, education, human services, the environment for over 30 years. If your research involves evaluation methods - whether quantitative or qualitative - you should strongly consider submitting a proposal. There is a monetary award for students whose proposals are accepted for presentation. Abstracts must be submitted by December 1st.
If you have additional questions or are interested in submitting an abstract to either event, please contact Jane Morris or Hanna Lee in the Villanova Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (VU-CURF).

Campus Philly LS09 Life Sciences Career Fair

The Campus Philly & the Life Science Career Alliance’s LS09 Life Sciences Career Fair will be held on Thursday, November 19th, from 9:30am – 1:30pm at Thomas Jefferson University. This fair will feature jobs, internships, and educational opportunities in Greater Philadelphia’s life sciences sector. Admission is free, and the intended audience includes college students interested in science, engineering, and business positions in the life sciences sector. It is anticipated that 30-40 employers, 10 graduate programs, and 300-500 students will participate in the fair. Interested graduate students are also welcome.

Positions in biotechnology, bioengineering, scientific research, medical and diagnostic device manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and related business functions such as marketing or accounting will be featured at this event. Students who study science, engineering, liberal arts, or business may also find this event useful. Traditional and allied health care occupations and firms are not included.

For additional information, please visit: http://campusphilly.org/ls2009/index.html

Welcome!

Welcome to the weblog of the Department of Chemistry in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Villanova University. The Department emphasizes a thorough and rigorous study of chemistry, hands-on experimentation using state-of-the-art chemical instrumentation, faculty-mentored student research, and personal attention and advising from our community of chemists and scientists. With this foundation, graduates from the Department of Chemistry at Villanova University successfully move into PhD programs, medical school, other health and professional schools, and the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. You can expect news, announcements, job and internship opportunities, and more to be posted here as we move forward.

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