Participants in the BIO Research Seminar include faculty,
post-doctoral associates, graduate assistants and undergraduate
interns whose research falls under the broad category of bioengineering,
especially in biomaterials and/or biomechanics. The Seminar
includes original research presentations by participants on
a rotating basis.
EXPECTATIONS:
1) Single speakers are expected to present
his/her recent research for 20-30 minutes, allowing ample
time for discussion and questions. First year students and
undergraduates are scheduled with two or more speakers per
meeting, and these presentations should not last longer than
10-15 minutes each. Students should always provide ample
background or literature review for their projects, especially
first and second year students. All students should consult
with their advisor(s) prior to presenting.
2) At the conclusion of each meeting, a name
is drawn from a hat (like the lottery). The "winner" gives
a very brief (approximately 5 minutes) summary of
their research activities that week. The featured speaker
is, of course, exempt from this lottery, but advisors are
not. Students are given one entry into the hat for each year
as a graduate student. E.g., a graduate student in their
fourth year has four entries (and better odds of winning!)
while a first year student (and advisors) has one entry.
GOALS:
To foster a dynamic, positively-reinforced
atmosphere of research activity amongst participating graduate
students by:
1) developing experience preparing and presenting
conference-quality presentations in a reoccuring time-frame.
2) taking a "step back" from day to day tasks to
reflect on the "big-picture" of the project and take
inventory of progress.
3) receiving feedback from a wider range of peers and advisors.
4) participating in scholarly discussions.
5) developing critical thinking skills.
6) stimulating further intellectual discussion, questions
and fortuitous ideas outside the meeting.
7) providing a community of sorts for those engaged in related
research projects.
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