Education

Since the Center was awarded in 2006, it has provided partial funding and Core facility support to over 30 researchers per year, including 60 interns (both high school and undergraduate), 25 graduate students, and 47 postdoctoral fellows.

“Best Places to Work: Postdocs”
Since 2008, the Institute for Systems Biology has been named by The Scientist magazine as a “Best Places to Work: Postdocs”, ranking within the top 15 Top U.S. Institutions for three consecutive years.

Postdoctoral fellow and graduate student research training
The Postdoctoral Association was formed in May 2008 in response to an ISB-wide survey that indicated the postdoctoral fellows wanted additional professional development training and increased peer social networking. Training topics considered for 2010: transition to industry workshop, developing a career progress plan, and lab management workshops.

A graduate student group was formed in 2009. The monthly discussion is facilitated by Lee Rowen, senior scientist, and topics have included choosing a postdoctoral position, and effective laboratory management.

Research training program evaluation
Since 2006, Center funding has been used to hire an external evaluator for the undergraduate summer internship and the Science Educators’ Network programs, Dr. Laura Collins, Center of Research and Learning. The students, mentors, and teachers submit anonymous evaluations directly to Dr. Collins at the beginning, middle and end of the program (mentors provide evaluation at program end). External evaluation provides an objective measure of program success and is used to support and plan program development.