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PBD Unveils Undergraduate Mentoring
Program
Starting this fall, PBD undergraduates will have a unique
opportunity to work with graduate students in a new
program designed to help develop career paths, network
with division researchers, and learn about graduate
schools and other opportunities. The PBD Undergraduate
Mentoring Program connects undergrads with researchers
who have recently experienced undergraduate life and
can provide useful guidance and support. The mentoring
relationship is limited only by participants’
flexibility and creativity: Undergrads (protégés)
and mentors can talk via phone, email, or lunch meetings,
and for as little as 20 minutes a week. If you’re
interested in finding or becoming a mentor, please contact
Monica Miller (495-2534, mmiller@lbl.gov).
Newsletter Welcomes Student
Editor
The PBD Student Newsletter welcomes Kristin Yamada as
its first-ever Student Editor. Kristin is a second-year
chemistry major working for the past year in the Holbrook
Lab on protein purification and crystallization. In
addition to her lab research, she keeps bust with a
number of campus activities, including the California
Alumni Association Student Advisory Council, People’s
Test Preparation Service, and intramural basketball.
Kristin also serves and student representative on the
PBD Diversity Committee. If you have questions or concerns
about how PBD can better serve student needs, how to
get involved, or if you are interested in contributing
to this newsletter, please contact Kristin (keyamada@lbl.gov).
Welcome, Kristin!
Summer Opportunities for
Students
Jobs, internships, work-study programs, and many other
openings are available to students this summer. Here
are just a few opportunities that might be of interest
to you.
SAGE Scholars Program
http://students.berkeley.edu/sagescholars/
UC Berkeley's SAGE (Student Achievement Guided by Experience)
Scholars Program is an academically rigorous program
that combines workplace experience with the professional
skills needed to succeed in a competitive economy. SAGE
Scholars targets highly motivated students from economically
disadvantaged and diverse backgrounds. (Paid internships
available all year.)
Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program
(URAP)
http://research.berkeley.edu/urap/
URAP is designed to involve Berkeley undergraduates
more deeply in the research life of the University.
The Program provides opportunities to work closely with
faculty on the cutting edge research projects, expanding
students’ knowledge and skills in areas of special
interest while providing the experience being engaged
in an intellectual research community. (A limited number
of summer stipends is available.)
Center for Science and Engineering Education
http://csee.lbl.gov/
CSEE helps educate and train the next generation of
scientists and engineers to promote national science
and education goals. Undergraduate student programs
include the Student Undergraduate Laboratory Internship
(SULI), which places eligible undergraduate students
into paid internships at DOE facilities such as Berkeley
Lab (see the DOE’s SULI website for details at
http://www.scied.science.doe.gov/scied/ERULF/about.html).
Work-study Program
http://workstudy.berkeley.edu/
This program includes job listings for on-campus student
employment opportunities.
For more information, visit UC Berkeley’s Student
Jobs, Internships, and Career page at http://www.berkeley.edu/students/jobs
Feature Article: Summer
Internships in the Biotech Industry
by Casey C. Case, Ph.D., Vice President, Research
Operations
Sangamo BioSciences, Inc.
Many students in the life sciences have an eye on the
biotechnology industry as a future career. They clearly
see it as one of the major growth industries in the
next decade. Opportunity exists, but the big question
is: “How do I break in?” As in most fields,
experience is often required to compete effectively
for open positions. The classic dilemma of having enough
experience to land that very first “real”
job plagues many students trying to enter the job market
after graduation. Summer internships may provide the
solution.
Many biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies have
summer internship opportunities. Typically these programs
are open to students in the summer between their third
and fourth year, but some programs do not have this
limitation. Programs vary considerably, but typically
an intern will be assigned to a scientist or senior
research associate to supervise their work and provide
training. Tasks assigned will depend on the experience
of the intern and the needs of the company but can range
from the mundane (data entry or tube labeling) to cutting-edge
experimentation. Most tend to emphasize the former.
The pay is not lavish. Many companies pay interns near
minimum wage. Others don’t pay at all, only allowing
volunteers. Typical of all experimental science, the
hours can be long and unpredictable.
So why would anyone want to work long hours at mundane
tasks for little or no pay? It’s all about scoring
that important “first job”. An intern gets
that experience line on the resume filled in. They also
have the chance to network with the scientific staff,
offering the possibility of letters of recommendation
from industry insiders and perhaps hearing about what’s
going on at other companies. If things go particularly
well, the internship sometimes can morph into a job
after graduation.
It sounds simple, but there is a catch. The competition
for these internships can be fierce. There are three
things that can increase your chances: experience, persistence
and networking. Experience does matter, even here. This
is why some programs are restricted to upperclassmen
(they will have had more lab classes). Write you resume
in a way that highlights your hands-on experience in
a lab setting. Lab classes taken, techniques learned
(don’t exaggerate) and any work done in University
labs (even dishwashing) will be helpful. The company
knows it will need to train you, but does not want to
have to teach you everything. Persistence pays. Aggressively
seek all of the programs you can and apply to them.
Some are pretty informal and don’t even advertise.
Make phone calls and find out who runs the program and
let that person know you want the job. Don’t rely
on a single medium and a single attempt. Email, phone
and write. Be persistent, but be respectful of people’s
time. There are so many people working in the biotech
industry in the Bay Area that there is a good chance
that someone in your family, or in one of your friend’s
families, who knows someone on the inside. Network.
Actively try to discover these connections and try to
use them for introductions. The inside track is often
the most successful route. If you get the interview,
make sure you let the hiring manager know you really
want the job. You would be surprised how many interviewees
just sit there, answer the questions and never ask for
the job.
Summer internships are hard work and hard to get, but
they can be worth the trouble. A successful internship
may be what it takes to launch a career in biotech after
graduation.
Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. is focused on the research
and development of novel transcription factors for therapeutic
gene regulation and repair. The company's most advanced
therapeutic development program involves the use of
transcription factors for the treatment of peripheral
artery disease. Other therapeutic development programs
are focused on ischemic heart disease, cancer, neuropathic
pain, and monogenic diseases. For more information about
Sangamo, visit the company's web site at www.sangamo.com
or www.expressinglife.com.
Have you filled out the online student form?
Please be sure to complete our online PBD
Student Registration Form, if you haven't already.
As part of our student program, we have developed this
tool to keep in touch with you -- our students -- after
you leave the division. The information you provide
will help us serve you and future students better, as
well as help us keep you informed about Physical Biosciences
and Berkeley Lab events after you move on. If you have
questions about this or any of our programs, please
contact Ellen Ford at EFord@lbl.gov
or Monica Miller at MMiller@lbl.gov.
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