FALL 2008 ORIENTATION for

DOMESTIC Genetics Graduate Students

 

BEFORE ARRIVING AT ISU

 

________        send final copy of your transcript with degree awarded to

Office of Admissions
100 Alumni Hall
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2011 USA   

 

________        Look up I-9 form, verification of eligibility for payroll information, to see what forms of identification you need to bring with you.     Without these forms you will not be paid.  Go to: http://www.hrs.iastate.edu/records/, click on Payroll Sign-up and go down to the fourth document entitled “Lists of Acceptable Documents”.  If you have identification from list “A” that is sufficient (example:  passport), however you need both items from list B and list C (example:  “List B” Driver’s License; example:  “List C” Social Security Card).

 

________        Rotation students should be thinking about potential rotations.  You should have a good idea about 2 or 3 labs that you are interested in before you arrive.  We recommend that you wait until you arrive to contact faculty.  Opportunities to discover research and researchers on campus:  During orientation IG faculty will present their research, GENET 691 for weekly faculty seminars, and we will provide you with a listing of faculty looking for students.  You may contact any genetics faculty member to discuss possible rotations.  Your temporary advisor is an excellent resource for the discussion of your scientific interests and this advisor can make recommendations as to faculty working in the area of your interest. Linda Wild is a good source for faculty looking for students.

 

 

UPON ARRIVAL AT IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY or MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2008

 

_______ Check in with Linda Wild in 2102 Molecular Biology.  She will have some information for you.

 

_______  Go to 3810 Beardshear Hall to sign up for payroll.  They request that you have all the payroll documents filled out before you arrive.  The sign-up packet is here:

http://www.hrs.iastate.edu/records/.  Because of Homeland Security requirements we request that you process payroll no later than August 13, 2007.  If you are unable to process payroll documents by or on this date, please talk with Linda about this as it may be necessary to issue a new letter of intent indicating your new start date.

 

_______ Your Campus Address

(If you are participating in rotations, is:  2102 Molecular Biology.  Campus Phone:  515-294-7697.  Campus fax:  515-294-6669.  There is a mail box in this office for you.

 

_______ Obtain University ID at 0530 Beardshear Hall.

 

________Obtain University Email account. Take your University ID card and go to 195 Durham. Someone in this room will help you go through the steps to obtain a University Email account. Be thinking about an appropriate email "name"; the one you chose will be yours for the remainder of your graduate training. If you would prefer to continue using a present email address (such as yahoo.com or hotmail.com) as a contact point you may do so. Please note that ISU class lists will only print out ISU email addresses as a means of contact from faculty.

 

_______ Advise genetics@iastate.edu of the email address you would like to use for administrative notices from the Interdepartmental Genetics (IG) office.  This is our main means of communication between Administration (Linda) and you.

 

_______OSHA Lab Standard Training. This training should be completed by the end of the first week of classes. You may complete this training on-line. You need an ISU ID card to complete this activity. 

 

Environmental Health and Safety:  http://www.ehs.iastate.edu/cms/default.asp

Click on:                       Learning Center Login: 

LOGIN                        Click on New User Registration

                                    You will need to create a password for this activity                   

LOGIN                        using your University ID card number and the newly created

password

Click on:                       On-Line Courses: 

Take the following:

   An Introduction to On-Line Courses  (~~2 minutes)

   Chemical Hygiene Plan and Personal Protective Equipment  (~~25 minutes)

               Fire Safety and Extinguisher Training  (~~16 minutes)

               ISU-EPA Hazardous Waste Generator Online Training  (~~25 minutes)

 

_______ Register on-line for classes through ACCESS PLUS.  You will need your

University ID Card.  Go to the ISU homepage:  http://www.iastate.edu and click on ACCESS PLUS.  Once you are in to your information, go to the Student Tab and then to Course Registration.  Listed below are core courses that are taken by first semester Genetics graduate students.

 

                        A typical 12 credit fall schedule might resemble the following:

 

                                    GDCB 510                              3 credits           Transmission Genetics

                                    BBMB 404 or BBMB 501       3 credits           Biochemistry                

                                    GENET 692                             1 credit             Conceptual Foundations

                                    GENET 691                             1 credit             Faculty Research Seminar

                                    GENET 697                             4 credits           Research Rotations

On-Line Web site for availability:   http://www.iastate.edu/~catalog/schedule/

Click on the red banner that says Schedule of Classes

 

_______ If you have any questions about taking the above courses, contact your major professor or temporary advisor to set up a time to discuss courses/registration fall semester.  For example, you may have taken upper level courses similar to these courses at your previous institution.  All final decisions regarding whether a previous taken course meets the requirement is up to your program of study committee and the Chair of IG. 

 

TUESDAY, AUGUST 19

 

Activities as needed

 

WEDNESDAY, August 20

 

Activities as needed

 

THURSDAY, August 21

 

            Interdepartmental Genetics Orientation Day

 

            8:45 a.m.          1102 Molecular Biology, all new IG students for Orientation

            9:00 a.m.          Presentation:   Adam Bogdanove, Plant Pathology

            9:15 a.m.          Presentation:  

            9:30 a.m           Presentation: 

            9:45 a.m.          Interaction with speakers, faculty and graduate students

            10:00 a.m.        Presentation:   Diane Birt, Food Science and Human Nutrition

            10:15 a.m         Presentation:  

            10:30 a.m.        Presentation:  

            10:45 a.m.        Break

            11:00 a.m.        Presentation: 

            11:15 a.m.        Presentation:  Thomas Lubberstedt, Agronomy

            11:30 a.m.        Interaction with speakers, faculty and graduate students

            12:15 noon       Picnic with IG Faculty and present Graduate Students

            1:30 p.m.          Meet with IG Supervisory Committee in Room 1102 Mol Biology

                                                Welcome to the program

                                                Provide IG Handbooks and introduction to same

                                                Tips on Rotations

            3:00 p.m.          End of activities.

           

 

_______ Fill out Health Insurance Form on-line through ACCESS PLUS.  You will need your ISU ID card to do this.  Best to wait until 3 days after filling out and turning in payroll documents.  Go to the ISU homepage http://www.iastate.edu and select ACCESS PLUS.  Go to Student Tab and then to Health Insurance. Single health insurance is provided as part of your assistantship and to insure that you are not charged for this expense it is necessary that we have payroll documents in the system. 

 

           

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22

 

OPTIONAL:  2008 New Graduate Student Orientation

When: Friday, August 22, 2008
Time: 9:00am - 11:30am

This year's event is going to be a combination "meet and greet" reception and special topics presentations. We will follow much the same format as last year; however, in addition to the main activities in Room 1137, there will be several more presenters this year spread out in even more classrooms and conference rooms on first and second floors of Pearson Hall. Some of the presenters this year will be: International Students and Scholars Office, Access Plus, Parks Library, Student Health Services, Accounts Receivable Office, Financial Aid, Delta Dental to name just a few.  

http://www.grad-college.iastate.edu/applying/2007orientation.html

 

MONDAY, AUGUST 25

 

            CLASSES START

 

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 23              REQUIRED ATTENDANCE

 

            Scientific Ethics Orientation PART I                  4:10 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

            1414 Molecular Biology

            Instructors:  Clark Wolfe, Marit Nilsen-Hamilton

 

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 30             REQUIRED ATTENDANCE

 

            Scientific Ethics Orientation PART II     4:10 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

            1414 Molecular Biology

            Instructors:  Clark Wolfe, Marit Nilsen-Hamilton

            Pizza at 6:00 p.m.                    

Topics covered will be similar to the following course offered in the spring (if you are unable to attend these meetings, students may enroll in this ˝ credit course in the spring: Agron 565A.   Professional Practices in Research.  This 8-hour, 0.5 credit module is designed for students in the life sciences who are considering careers in research.  It covers topics such as honesty, objectivity (the impact of self-delusion on experimental design and data interpretation), confidentiality, effective record keeping, plagiarism, authorship practices, and the exchange of research reagents.  Real as well as developed case studies are used to help students learn to think critically about ethical dilemmas they will likely face during their professional careers.)

There maybe one additional training session we are working.