Biology research opportunities at Bama

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Alabama
1

<p>Some have wondered about various research opportunities at Bama, and I thought I’d post this… Some already know about this, but others may not…</p>

<p>The Caldwell Lab…Dr. Guy Caldwell and Dr. Kim Caldwell… [The</a> Caldwell Lab | The Caldwells](<a href=“http://bama.ua.edu/~gcaldwel/caldwells.html]The”>http://bama.ua.edu/~gcaldwel/caldwells.html)</p>

<p>[The</a> Caldwell Lab | Home](<a href=“http://bama.ua.edu/~gcaldwel/]The”>http://bama.ua.edu/~gcaldwel/) </p>

<p>Current Research: [The</a> Caldwell Lab | Research](<a href=“http://bama.ua.edu/~gcaldwel/research.html]The”>http://bama.ua.edu/~gcaldwel/research.html)</p>

<p>[Alabama</a> Professor of the Year - Dr. Guy Caldwell](<a href=“http://www.ua.edu/academic/professorofyear/]Alabama”>http://www.ua.edu/academic/professorofyear/)</p>

<p>[Alabama</a> Professor of the Year - Dr. Guy Caldwell](<a href=“http://www.ua.edu/academic/professorofyear/vitae.html]Alabama”>http://www.ua.edu/academic/professorofyear/vitae.html) </p>

<p>“I am amazed by the sophisticated experiments conducted by (Caldwell’s) undergraduate team; they are as good as or better than what one encounters in some of the leading graduate programs around the world.” – Dr. John W. Holaday, a biotechnology entrepreneur and an adjunct professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine</p>

<p>“The Caldwells are at the forefront of therapeutic development for these (human movement disorder) diseases, and their work has been widely recognized by both the academic and industrial research communities,” wrote Dr. Susan Lindquist, a molecular biologist at both the Whitehead Institute and M.I.T., in support of the Caldwells, with whom she collaborates.</p>

<p>“There are many things that impress me about Guy and his science. He is incredibly intense and focused on attacking a scientific problem and has a wide and deep knowledge of a large area of biology. He inspires his students and colleagues with his enthusiasm, expertise and very high standards.”-- Dr. Richard Myers, chairman, department of genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine and director, Stanford Human Genome Center</p>

<p>“With Guy Caldwell, learning is just plain fun.” – Dr. Robert F. Olin, dean of The University of Alabama College of Arts and Sciences</p>

<p>“Guy Caldwell does not merely teach, he inspires.” – Dr. Martha Powell, chair of UA’s department of biological sciences</p>

<p>“As a member of the Caldwell Laboratory, or most affectionately, the ‘Worm Shack,’ Dr. Caldwell has led me to my greatest discovery – myself.” – Cody Locke, Goldwater Scholar, The University of Alabama. Cody is a three-time USA Today Academic All-American for his research on the molecular basis for epilepsy. Locke has presented at major scientific conferences and seen his epilepsy research published in a top human disease journal.</p>

<p>[Alabama</a> Professor of the Year - Dr. Guy Caldwell](<a href=“http://www.ua.edu/academic/professorofyear/quotes.html]Alabama”>http://www.ua.edu/academic/professorofyear/quotes.html)</p>

<p>[University</a> of Alabama News First Dystonia Scholars Named at UA](<a href=“http://uanews.ua.edu/2008/06/first-dystonia-scholars-named-at-ua/]University”>http://uanews.ua.edu/2008/06/first-dystonia-scholars-named-at-ua/)</p>

2

<p>Thanks for that info M2CK! My D wants to major in Bio and hopefully do research in the Shack.</p>

3

<p>My son’s girlfriend started out as a volunteer in one of the biology labs, working Friday afternoons for a few hours. She recently got offered a paying position for her sophomore year. … She also won a nice biology scholarship, which will offset some of her housing costs the next three years.</p>

4

<p>Wow! Thanks mom, I’ll have to show this to my D. We’re leaving tomorrow for our visit to UA–so excited!! Looks like good weather, too.</p>

5

<p>My son and I recently visited UofA and my son sat in on Dr Caldwell’s honors biology class. After class Dr Caldwell took my son and me on a tour of his lab and his research projects. He spent over an hour of his time just giving us a personal tour. We were both very impressed and it was probably the highlight of the tour for my son.</p>

6

<p>The Christus Stehlin Foundation for Cancer Research in Houston, Texas is looking for a UA student to intern at their lab this summer. This would be a paid internship, and you would spend most of your time working in the research lab (an excellent experience for those interested in Biology/Chemistry) with occasional chances to shadow cancer surgeons at a nearby hospital.</p>

7

<p>My son’s academic/career goal is to get his PhD and pursue a career as a genetic researcher/engineer. </p>

<p>When we visited UIUC, I was surprised when a senior student speaker from the Molecullar and Cellular Bio dept. explained to us how competitive it was to obtain an undergrad research position and how many of his friends had applied for research positions semester after semester only to be repeatedly turned down. This contrasts with some other schools we visited where students claimed there were more undergrad research opportunities than students who wanted to fill them, with options for academic credit or paid positions, including work study.</p>

<p>Where do undergrad research opportunities at UA fall in this spectrum? More than enough, very competitive, or somewhere in between?</p>

8

<p>there are many research opportunities at Bama. Kids learn about them in different ways…sometimes directly from profs, sometimes thru emails, sometimes simply by asking their profs for opportunities.</p>

<p>Some kids will send an email to their profs with an attached resume and ask if these profs if they can help these profs with any research. </p>

<p>In the first post above, I mention the Caldwell lab. the Caldwells interview kids for their research opportunities. So, if your son is interested in working with them, have him send them an email with his stats and resume.</p>

9

<p>Thanks mom2collegekids!</p>

<p>I saw the information you provided on Caldwell lab, and had been made aware of the lab prior to reading that information. Son will be sending them an email.</p>

<p>FWIW, it can truly be said there are many research opportunities at UIUC, but the problem is there are many more students than opportunities. The senior student from UIUC said that he had first investigated and then sent out 14 or 15 emails to profs seeking a research position that appeared to match his interest. This effort generated only one offer, which he believes he obtained, at least in part, because he wanted to do research over the summer and many students leave UIUC for the summer. The other student speaker was a junior and she expressed her regrets that she hadn’t started her search for a research position sooner. She did get a position where she did prep work for the researchers but wasn’t directly involved in the actual research or even that interested in the research of the lab in which she worked. She said she took what she could get, and my impression was that she felt lucky to have the position. If I am reading you correctly, UA doesn’t generate similar stories from its undergrads.</p>