PDP Update....

PDP Update: Grad Schools

Identify 5 grad schools and 5 programs at those schools; identify admission requirements, test dates, application dates, start date.

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities:

Program: Biochemistry, Molecular Bio; Biological Sciences; Biomedical engineering; Chemistry; Education; Special Education; Microbiology, Immunology, Cancer biology…etc.

Admission Requirements:

-Unofficial transcripts and official transcripts if accepted

-3.0 GPA

-Letters of recommendation

-GRE exam scores (may not accept if older than 5 years)

Test dates: Take senior year of undergraduate work (available year round)

Application date: January/February 2012

*submit 2 weeks before actual due date

Start date: Fall 2013

University of Minnesota-Duluth:

Program: Chemistry MS, Education EdD, Criminology MA, Special Education, Biochemistry, Molecular Bio, Biophysics-MS, PHD, Pharmacology MS PHD

Admission Requirements:

-Unofficial transcripts and official transcripts if accepted

-3.0 GPA

-Letters of recommendation

-GRE exam scores (may not accept if older than 5 years)

*Varies by program of choice

Test dates: Senior year of Undergraduate work (spring or Summer)

Application date: January/February 2012 *varies by program choice

Start date: Fall 2013

University of Wisconsin-Madison:

Program: Biochemistry PHD, Biotechnology MS, Cancer Biology PHD, Kinesiology MS PHD, Microbiology PHD, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology PHD

Admission Requirements:

-3.0GPA

-Bachelor’s Degree from a 4 year university

Test dates: *Senior year of Undergraduate

Application date: (biotechnology) Application dates for Fall:

31 March-Application/Recommendations , No Fellowship, GRE subject required-no

*will take applications after 31 march if program spots aren’t filled.

Start date: Fall 2013

University of Rochester:

Program: Biochemistry, Biology PHD, Chemistry PHD, Neuroscience PHD, Biomedical Engineering MS PHD, Nursing

Admission Requirements: Biochemistry:

Only 10-15 new students/ year

GRE Manditory

Personal or phone interview

Test dates: Senior year of Undergraduate

Application date:  January 1^st.

Start date: only fall start date

All students admitted receive:

• Full tuition scholarship
• Paid health insurance
• Annual stipend ($26,000 in academic year 2011-12)

Stanford University:

Program: Biochemistry, Biology, Cancer Biology, chemistry, Developmental Biology, Microbiology and immunology, Stem Cell biology and regenerative medicine

Admission Requirements:

-GRE general and subject tests

$125 application fee

Test dates: Senior year of Undergraduate but within 5 years of applying to graduate school

Application date: Fall before start date

Start date: Fall 2013

Entrepreneurship

Blog Post 15: Entrepreneurship

Choose a focus of either your final project topic or your career plan to develop an entrepreneurial assessment of yourself. This should be about a "1-page" activity. Some of these questions may help guide your thoughts: Do you want to be a "businessperson or an entrepreneur?" What traits and/or strengths do you see in your PDP that aligns with your thought? What weaknesses or opportunities for improvement do you notice that you would like to address to become a "businessperson or an entrepreneur?" Is entrepreneurship just about starting a business? Or is it much deeper and holistic than that? As the world quickly changes, which type of folks do you feel will be more on their "toes" and less on their "heels." Who do you think will achieve and live the happinesses that they seek in life?


 

Businessperson or Entrepreneur…

In my career plan I see myself as more of a businessperson versus an entrepreneur.  In my career plan I will be working in a laboratory with others around me as part of a team or as the lead manager. I don’t see myself owning my own laboratory, business or company in my career plan I have made for myself. A businessperson is one who keeps himself or herself busy running a business that is already underway, they are the type of people how take care and pride in their work but do it from the safe side of things. The businessperson has other companies as competition. An Entrepreneur on the other hand is very specialized and skillful in running a corporation. They are a form of businessperson and are often risk-takers. They are the ones to more often start up their own business, open up a new store in the area, or to be the head manager of their company. The entrepreneur is often their own competitor. I personally want to be a businessperson at this point in my career. I don’t see myself opening up my own business and taking many risks; on the other hand I wouldn’t mind being a business manager or in my case possibly running a lab. In my Professional Development Plan I have a goal of going on to graduate school for more schooling. This will help me gain addition knowledge of how the business world will work and how it relates to my career path. Also in my PDP I value family time, job and money security and a business person can have all that. An entrepreneur on the other hand could spend a great deal of their time focused on their business and not much on the other aspects of life that I want. One area I could improve on to help me become a businessperson is my managerial skills. Through my work experience I have learned the basics but I would like to take some classes in business for management to help broaden my skill set and ultimately help me have a successful career. An entrepreneurship isn’t just about starting a business is about being able to take risks and having the ability to see where the business will be at in the future and see the profits that will come from the hard work and effort that was put in on day one of the business. The entrepreneur has to be able to make sacrifices for the better of their career/business or other parts of their life in general.  In the future I see the entrepreneurs to be more on their toes and less on their heels because when they are faced with hardships and challenges in their careers and businesses they will know how to cope with those problems and issues as they arise. On the other hand I feel the businessperson will be more apt to reach the live and happiness they seek in life; the entrepreneur will still be able to do this as well but may require some extra effort.

Lean/Quality of 5S Process

Blog Post 14: Implementing a Lean Process

Based on our discussion in class today, implement and document a quality improvement process to the project/situation in which you performed a 5S process. This implementation must be based on the muda listed on the lean manufacturing wiki site. (note: there are several additional more modern types that you could utilize if need be)

For the documentation, list/describe the waste you have identified and explain the process change you have implemented. Either collect some data that demonstrate your improvement, or realistically estimate the effect that your improvement will have on your process

I have noted waste in improper filing of papers and organizing markers that could be thrown away, etc. I have changed my process to file papers as soon as I get them rather than setting them on my dresser and/or randomly shoving them into a drawer. I estimate doing this will eliminate time lost due to rummaging through papers to find the one needed-it will be easier to find now that it has been organized into its correct place. Also I will avoid losing time in sorting through my markers to find one that works amongst the 3 that do not work. Overall I have eliminated some waste, although minor, it still counts as waste. 

Criteria for Evaluation

Blog Post 13: Criteria for Evaluation

Here are the Criteria discussed in class. Use these to shape the final criteria that will be used by your group. Post the final criteria and the process you will use to evaluate and rank the members of your team related to the final project.

-Attendance/Participation

-Tasks Accomplished

-Professionalism

-Communication

-Contribution

5S process

Blog Post 12: 5S process

Post a record of a 5S process that you have completed. Post a before and after picture. Also, post a short narrative of how you addressed each of the "8s's" of the 5S process. Due Nov 11.

As a part of my 5S process I cleaned and organized my storage/dresser space so that way it was easier to use and was easier to find items.

Before:

 After:

The basic 5s's:
sorting: I went through my desktop and floor space and removed and put away all unnecessary items that are not needed right now-ex the fan in the winter.
straightening:I placed everything in its appropriate place or in this case drawer/filing area.
systematic cleaning: I made sure and dusted the counter off and made sure the floor was clear of dirt/dust.
standardizing: All electronics/school supplies/etc. are all in the correct drawer and white board pens are always on the top of the dressers for ease of use with the whiteboard.
sustaining. I will make sure and not do the "drop and go" approach when new mail or paperwork arrives and also I will make sure and put away materials after I use them.

The extra 3s's:
safety: I no longer have a fan or paper work on the floor to trip over.
security: The important documents are now filed in a safe and secure place
satisfaction: I feel I have completed a job well done and may use this process in other areas that may need tidying up too.

Quality Management

Blog post 11: Quality Management

Identify and describe a quality management process that is utilized in your field of interest. Typically this process is in response or guided by a professional organization in that field. Identify that organization.

The Mayo Clinic

They say they are going to provide excellent health care to their patients and do research that will help persons and better treatment of health problems.
They do this by having some of the best health care available for their patients and being research orientated.
They show this by having good patient ratings, publishing surveys on the research that they have done.
They rethink this by having further studies or research done, and modifying patient care based on follow ups.

Their Organization:
-Doctors and researchers are patient focused
-Have some of the best Doctors and research facilities in the medical field
-Publish journals or articles on the latest findings and have statistics
-Value the outcomes of treatment and research.

Specific Ethical Question

Blog Post 10: Specific Ethical Question

Ask/address an ethical question in your field of interest.
Develop/address arguments for each side of the issue, then defend your position on the issue.
this activity must include references
each student will then review this beginning on Nov 2.
Evaluation Criteria:

1-4 are evaluated by assigning a strong(S), medium(M) or weak(W)

1. Described field of interest and described question posed.
2. Both sides of argument were presented.
3. Appropriate references were included
4. Defended position is described clearly
5. provide one useful comment

The question: Is it ethical to be genetically modifying the human genome to better human survival (using Gene Therapy in Humans)?

My field of interest is in the Biotechnology field I like exploring how changing/adding one factor changes the next. The idea of using Gene Therapy in humans has always been an interesting topic and there are many expansions for research in this field, but there much controversy on the issue.  The basics of gene therapy are that genes are changed in an individual’s cell or biological tissues by way of inserting, altering or removing the genes. This technique is used in treatment of diseases that are gene related. It is a relatively “new” technique that has much use before it can be used on a large scale-if that happens. The basic idea is that non defective genes are inserted in the genome, existing genes are modified or taking out the defective gene altogether to produce a specific result.

On the pro side the main backing is that it can be used to treat/cure a disease or genetic problem. This can extend the life for the individual or greatly change how they function. Some diseases/genetic disorders that have been used with this technique include: X-CID “Bubble boy syndrome,” cancer, deafness, Huntington’s etc.  If the genes are altered the disorder will essentially be cured in all successive generations.

However there are some cons to this issue as well. When changing the genes of individual can produce undesirable results as in the case of the gene therapy treatment of “Bubble boy” in which the individual actually developed Leukemia. Other cons include high monetary costs and the religious backing on the issue. The procedure of gene therapy is relatively expensive and isn’t affordable to the average family on a regular basis.  Religious is basically saying that we were put on this earth to have these genes and we shouldn’t be messing with the blue prints.

My position on the ethical question of Gene therapy isn’t necessarily 100% for or against it. I believe it could be very useful in the future for practical use against disease therapy and cures. However, further studies need to be done to examine the success of the process. Also I see where the religious backing would discourage changing our genes that were passed down to us-it’s basically changing who we are as a person. But if we weren’t meant to change our genetic code, why give us the ability to learn the techniques?

http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/medicine/genetherapy.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_therapy

http://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/~mcclean/plsc431/students98/fleck.htm