Marine and Coastal Science Major Lead Mentor Courses
Fall: Professional Development in Marine Science
Course Description
A professional development seminar for sophomore, junior, and first-year transfer students interested in a career in the marine science that will teach students (1) how science works, (2) skills that will make them a successful student, (3) how to find career experiences during their time as undergraduates that will prepare them for careers after completing their Bachelor’s degree! This course covers topics spanning how to find and read scientific papers; what academic science/research entails; building a resume and/or CV; writing grant and fellowship applications; applying for jobs, internships, and graduate school; science communication; and science ethics. By the end of this seminar, undergraduate students should have a better understanding of how to (1) navigate their undergraduate experience as well as (2) explore career options after completing their degrees.
Key Learning Outcomes
- Find and evaluate research papers
- Understand the cogs that underlie the scientific process
- Create a CV/resume that can be periodically modified
- Be able to submit a grant/fellowship application
- Be able to find internships, jobs, and research experiences
- Write an email to a prospective faculty advisor or employer
- Communicate science to non-technical audiences
- Navigate science with best ethical practices in mind
- Leave with a compendium of resources to support the above outcomes!
Grading
- The class is graded as P/NP. Grades will be determined based on class participation and short, weekly written assignments
- To participate, you need to attend class and engage in the breakout sessions. Because we only meet once a week and will be doing the bulk of our work in class, missing several classes will put a passing grade in jeopardy.
- Assignments will consist of a brief questionnaire after each class that will sometimes require doing a task related to that class’ topic (e.g., reading, exercise, research). These should be submitted by 12:00pm the day of class.
- Because a key goal of this course is to share and collect resources, the bar for a passing grade is high:
- You must attend 7/10 classes.
- All assignments must be turned in.
- If you have obligations that will prevent you from attending 7/10 classes, please let me know so that we can discuss alternative arrangements for making sure you are getting the most out of this course!
Assignment Guidelines
Assignments will consist of a brief questionnaire after each class that will sometimes require doing a task related to that class’ topic (e.g., reading, exercise, research). These should be submitted by 12:00pm the day of class.
Additionally, a quarter-long goal is to accumulate resources as a class that you can leave with and continue to reference as you continue throughout your careers. I will, of course, provide some of these, but I expect you to also look for resources related to the previous week’s topic (this can be a book, a peer-reviewed article, a blog post, an Instagram post, a Facebook Group, a Twitter thread, an infographic, advice a professor gave you, something you learned from a lunch with a seminar speaker, etc.).
Ultimately, there is no single class you can take that will teach you everything you need to know, so learning how to search for and share the information you need is a good skill to hone. Through this exercise, I hope you will not only improve your ability to find information you need, but to also see your classmates as resources. Science is competitive, but the people who have helped me through it most are those working alongside me!
JEDI in Marine Science
- You may notice that Justice, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (JEDI) are not listed as an explicit topic in the course schedule. This is because JEDI pervades every aspect of our professional lives. Thus, we will be addressing these issues each week (in a segment I have cheekily named “JEDI Mind Tricks”). JEDI resources are also available here.
The instructor reserves the right to change details of the above course plans to ensure the best possible learning environment.
Winter: Career Discovery Seminar
Course Description
This is a career exploration seminar for juniors, seniors and transfer students in the marine sciences. Each class consists of a casual conversation with guest speakers, who span different marine science career paths at different stages, but there will be an emphasis on speakers with work experience after earning a B.A. / B.S. After each conversation, students will discuss and reflect upon what they gain from each conversation.
Key Learning Outcomes
- Meet marine scientists in a wide variety of careers
- Increase your network of marine scientists
- Have examples of how to secure a “real job” after finishing your undergraduate degree
- Explore/Discover why certain positions may or may not be a good fit
- Have a better understanding of what it takes to get a marine science job
Grading
- The class is graded as P/NP. Grades will be determined based on class participation and guided reflections at the end of each class.
- To participate, you need to attend class and engage in the conversations with guest speakers and each other. We will be doing the bulk of our work in class, so missing several classes will put a passing grade in jeopardy.
- Assignments will consist of a guided reflection during each class. These should be submitted by the END of each class.
- Because participation is a key component of this course, the bar for a passing grade is high:
- You must attend 9/10 classes.
- You must submit 9/10 guided reflections.
If you have obligations that will prevent you from attending 9/10 classes, please let me know so that we can discuss alternative arrangements for making sure you are getting the most out of this course!
The instructor reserves the right to change details of the above course plans to ensure the best possible learning environment.
Spring: Journal Club for BML Seminar Series
Course Description
The Journal Club for Bodega Marine Lab Seminar Series will consist of a discussion group (limited to 30 students) based on BML’s seminar series. Before each seminar, we will discuss one of the current speakers’ papers, then watch the seminar at CMSI and submit questions as a class.
Key Learning Outcomes
- Develop skills in reading, interpreting and critiquing marine science journal articles
- Improve understanding of research design, statistics, and techniques for evaluating sound science
- Practice public speaking and leading a technical discussion
- Tie a researcher’s previous work (paper) with their ongoing work (seminar)
Grading
The class is graded as P/NP. Grades will be determined based on class participation and journal entries that must be completed PRIOR to class.
- You must attend class and engage in discussions about the papers. Thus, missing several classes will put a passing grade in jeopardy.
- Assignments will consist of journal entries for each paper. These should be completed by 10am the day of class (1 hour before class meets). Barring exceptional circumstances, late submissions will not be accepted.
- Each week, 2-3 students will co-facilitate a discussion (you are expected to split the responsibilities amongst yourselves):
- Summarizing the paper
- Asking / providing points of clarification
- Facilitating the discussion
- Summarizing the discussion
Criteria for a Passing Grade
- Because participation is a key component of this course, the bar for a passing grade is high:
- You must attend 9/10 classes.
- You must participate in class discussions.
- You must submit 8/9 journal entries.
- You must (co-)facilitate 1/7 discussions and submit the accompanying document.
If you have obligations that will prevent you from attending class or submitting assignments, please let me know so that we can discuss alternative arrangements for making sure you are getting the most out of this course!
Previous Mentorship Courses
Find resources from previous courses here.