histoni May 2008

histoni@lists.oulu.fi

26 participants
61 discussions

[Liikunta] Pesistä kesällä sunnuntaisin
by Kari Oikarinen 20 May '08

20 May '08

Sigma ja FOK järjestävät yhteistuumin kesällä 2008: PESÄPALLOA SUNNUNTAISIN klo 18 ALKAEN PAULAHARJUN KENTÄLLÄ Ensimmäinen kerta on 25.5. eli tämän viikon sunnuntaina. Tarkoitus ei ole pelata hampaat irvessä eikä verenmaku suussa, vaan kaikki ovat taitotasosta, killasta ja sukupuolesta riippumatta tervetulleita. Myöskään omat välineet eivät ole välttämättömiä, sillä kentällä on lainattavana yliopiston räpylöitä, palloja ja mailat. Kaikki mukaan! Kentän sijainti: http://kartta.ouka.fi/web/Default.aspx?layers=Opaskartta&cp=16844,70125&z=5… T: Kari Oikarinen, FOK:n luistava ATK-avain (liikuntavastaava)

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Animal help
by Lloyd Ruddock 20 May '08

20 May '08

Dear all, I'm trying to piece together the overall picture of the BSc. The Koe-eläinkurssi is listed as 80 contact hours, but no split is made in the course description between practical work, lectures, seminars etc. Could somebody give me some idea of what the split is. Many thanks, Lloyd

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More feedback from students
by Lloyd Ruddock 19 May '08

19 May '08

> Hi > > There's been a lot of discussion among the 2nd year students about the > possibility of being able assist in the Biomolecules labs. It seems > that everyone is really excited about the idea and none of us is > against. Of course this requires good familiarising for us, timetable > checking etc. but anyway. I just wanted to say that the general idea > is really positive towards this. > > Many of us would also be interested in going to talk to schools. > Especially to our old high schools. > > > Elina I have also had at least three other people write emails wishing to be annoymous or say to me in the corridor that they support the student teaching idea. I have heard no negative comments on this from students. I will try to see Asko Karalainen about the possibility of having an optional 3rd year course this week.

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Tiedepäivät - Science days
by Viivi Majava 18 May '08

18 May '08

Suuret kiitokset kaikille, jotka osallistuivat yliopiston Tiedepäivien 15.-16.5. järjestelyyn tavalla tai toisella. Erityisesti haluaisin tuoda esille Olli Niemitalon panostuksen. Hän päivysti lähes taukoamatta kumpanakin päivänä. Lainasi kannettavaansa ständille ja oli mukana ideoimassa ständin toteutusta. Kiitos Olli! Kiitokset myös ständillä päivystäneille opiskelijoille: (Lähes kaikilla muilla Tiedepäivien ständeillä oli laitosten henkilökuntaa paikalla, toisin kuin biokemian ständillä.) Outi Haloselle, Marjo Karppiselle, Olli Ahtolalle, Teemu Karvoselle ja Antonina Shevetsovalle (henkilökuntaa). Oli uskomatonta kuulla, miten hienosti osasitte esitellä biokemian ihmeitä yleisölle. Kiitos Outi Lampelalle, joka teki animaation ständille. Niko Pursiaiselle ja Satayan Sharmalle, joiden simulaatioiden animaatioita voitiin ihastella ständillä. Kiitos Kyösti Keräselle ja Jari Karjalaiselle laitepuolen hoitamisesta ständille. Kiitos myös Pirjo Mustaniemelle. Kiitos Sanna Partaselle, joka oli tehnyt posterin ständille ja oli myös ideoimassa ständin toteutusta ja Ilkka Ollakalle, joka auttoi minua animaatioiden tekemisessä. Omasta ja laitoksen puolesta kiittäen, Viivi Many thanks to all who participated in organizing our department's show on the Science Days of the Uni on the 15th and 16th of May. Especially I would like to emphasize the involment of Olli Niemitalo, who was actively presenting and explaining the wonders of biochemistry on both days, who also lent his laptop for the show and was involved in planning the exhibition stand. Many thanks goes to students who were actively presenting biochemistry and our department to visitors: (I noticed that at other exhibition stands it was mostly STAFF of the department who took responsibility.) Outi Halonen, Marjo Karppinen, Olli Ahtola , Teemu Karvonen and Antonina Shevetsova (Staff), it was amazing to hear how fluently you were explaining the wonders of biochemistry to the audience. Moreover, I would like to thank Outi Lampela who prepered an animation for the Science days, Niko Pursiainen and Satyan Sharma whose animated simulations got a lot of admiration, Kyösti Keränen and Jari Karjalainen who were taking care of the exhibition equipment, Pirjo Mustaniemi, Sanna Partanen who made the poster for the exhibition and was planning the show, and Ilkka Ollakka who helped me to prepare animations. Thanks a lot to all of you who contributed to the arrangements and made our share of the Science Days successful. On behalf of myself and the Department, Viivi -- Ms Viivi Majava, M.Sc. (Biochem.) Department of Biochemistry e-mail: viivi.majava(a)oulu.fi P.O.Box 3000 tel: +358 8 553 1207 90014 University of Oulu - Finland office: BK348

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More student views
by Lloyd Ruddock 16 May '08

16 May '08

Student 1: I'll make use of the opportunity presented and voice my support for the idea of 3rd years helping out in the 1st year labs. Most of us still remember the labs, the experiments and the problems that came with them or arose otherwise. It'd also be valuable experience for the future. I doubt any of us is expecting to get paid and even the credits may be seen as a bonus. Take me as a naïve idealist if you want to, but I'd do it just for the experience and for the chance to make the labs a bit more pleasant experience for the 1st years. But the idea presented that the assistance in labs could be done in a course-like format naturally gets my full support too. Other than that, I've got nothing to say on the feedback day issues that hasn't already been said really, just announcing my support for some ideas and opinions presented earlier. I've got no problems with a finnish lecturer speaking english to a finnish audience and think that asking the lecturer to prepare materials and lectures in both finnish and english is an exorbitant request. However, the requirement and necessity of english during the studies and in the post-graduation era should be made clear to high schoolers and others thinking of applying to biochemistry. Going to high schools to market biochemistry could and should step in here. Losing people to other departments or fields of science just because of the language issue is unnecessary and avoidable in every way. Student 2: you asked if there are students interested in helping the first year students in lab - I'm. (So just telling this to help you know if there are some) So that makes 5 students in favour (from 2nd to final year) and none against.

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Re: [Bklist] 3rd Year Students' Teacher Training
by Juha Kerätär 16 May '08

16 May '08

Some thoughts from brink of graduation: If the option to assist in teaching had been there during my third or fourth year (in the less illustrious old system), I'd have jumped on the chance. Though teaching as the main career choice is smaller option to us than for pure chemists and biologists for example, it is one, and being there in the lab in some other role than student can really open up eyes to new career opportunities during the B.Sc or M.Sc studies. However, this option really should be optional course, not a mandatory one integrated to the degree. Care should be taken to compensate adequately (in form of study points) the students taking part in it. And there most definitely should be some small package of guidance on how to teach in lab course, not just assuming that once the students have completed the course themselves, they're fully fit to teach there. In my opinion, even if the subject is familiar tackling it in guiding role is different than doing so in a learning one. All in all, the possibility to assist in teaching should be seen more as an additional option of gaining different kind of experience for students, than a way of compensating for the lacking teaching resources (which hopefully will improve with the new glorious system rolling in and old one phasing out) with student aid. Juha -- "When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up." CS Lewis On Fri, 16 May 2008, Mikko Salin wrote: > Good idea Niko, > > It may be a perfect solution. The students who end up being teachers > in our department should anyway take this course (theory part) sooner > or later. And then, if this course is taken in so early, the benefit > in those people's teaching quality is maximized. While being a > practical part of a teaching course should also overcome the legal > matters. The main responsibility should anyway rest on the shoulders > of "real" teachers. > > And yet one more positive thing: we learn best when we teach; this is > true for us teachers also. If we should teach other teachers to keep > laboratory safe, we learn and pay more attention on it. > > And more, feedback is given when you most desperately need it: after > your first teaching sessions. In the current system we teachers are > totally lost the few first days in a new practical course... > > BW, > Mikko > >> Quoting Niko Pursiainen <npursiai(a)mail.student.oulu.fi>: >> >> > Hi all, >> > >> > Here are some thoughts I have regarding the idea about 3rd year students >> > participating in the teaching of 1st year students. Basically it could >> > be >> > done as a course for them, perhaps with following structure: >> > >> > Early in the autumn they would receive 1-2 day training in teaching in >> > the >> > way our staff is trained by Teaching Development Unit. Maybe they would >> > be >> > even willing to help here, as it is their specialty. This would be the >> > theory part of this teaching course. >> > >> > The practical part of the course would be assisting the teachers in >> > running practicals. They would be assigned to one of the courses >> > (Biomolecules, Methods I...) based on where they would be more helpful >> > and >> > also based on their course load. They would help in preparing and >> > running >> > said practicals and thus get good picture of how things work. >> > >> > After this they would write short report on the experience and have >> > final >> > meeting where they would give and receive feedback. >> > >> > All this would require more effort from some of the staff in terms of >> > total hours spent, but it would also add more help for those moments >> > where the staff is at its thinnest. For students it would give >> > valuable teaching experience. >> > >> > In summary, I see great potential in this idea of getting 3rd year >> > students involved with teaching 1st year students' practicals. Good >> > idea, >> > Alex. >> > >> > >> > Cheers, >> > Niko >> > >>> _______________________________________________ >> > Bklist mailing list >> > Bklist(a)lists.oulu.fi >> > http://lists.oulu.fi/mailman/listinfo/bklist >> > >> >> >> >> > > > ----- End forwarded message ----- > > > _______________________________________________ > Bklist mailing list > Bklist(a)lists.oulu.fi > http://lists.oulu.fi/mailman/listinfo/bklist >

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Jobs
by Lloyd Ruddock 16 May '08

16 May '08

Dear all, One student (who wishes to remain annonymous) has been doing a lot of good work looking into info available on employment rates of biochemists in Oulu and one important conclusion he has reached is that the number of replies to surveys among biochemists is so small as to make the % employment rates nearly meaningless. For example, in one survey 91% of our graduates were in employment but this was from a response of 11 ex-students so it was 1 who was unemployed. With these sorts of numbers just 1 person changing their employment status would mean either that we have an apparent 100% employment (yippee!) or nearly 20% unemployment (boo!). Be careful to make sure you know what results are being described. Remember there are three types of lies; lies, damn lies and statistics. As somebody yesterday pointed out there are a huge number of jobs available for biochemists worldwide, but the job market in Oulu is more limited. As Emmanuel pointed out today and Kalervo on feedback day - the training we try to give our students means that they are highly regarded by other people, amongst biochemists you should have high employability and the field that includes biochemistry is a hugely growing job market. VBW, Lloyd

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Feedback from student
by Lloyd Ruddock 16 May '08

16 May '08

Feedback from an international student currently finishing a Pro Gradu in a prestiguous group in London. -----Original Message----- From: Emmanuel Nji [mailto:emmanuel.nji@oulu.fi] Sent: 15. toukokuuta 2008 21:17 To: lloyd.ruddock(a)oulu.fi Cc: enji(a)mail.student.fi Subject: Feedback What a nice debate to improve our precious academic atmosphere. Without much ado, three comments from me. 1) About employment Most people have stressed the fact that there is a high probability of getting a job as a Biochemist just to encourage students to do the subject which is OK but two things are missing; To get a job any where you need to demonstrate high standards and mastery of your field of studies and also how long must you study before you consider yourself as a successful Biochemist. I must proudly say the standard of teaching in this Department is very high, Everywhere our students go supervisors are amazed with the competence of our practical skills, At least students from this Department who had taken their Pro Gradu training abroad can testify. It might interest first year students to know that with just a Bachelor degree in Biochemistry your dreams can be fulfilled. I have come across many job opportunities (see attachment for an example) where the required skills were taught in the Protein Chemistry I and the Biochemical methods II courses. It is an amazing thing to know that all these skills were acquired already by our students at the end of their second year only. 2) Medicine/Biochemistry I know that in some countries like USA, it is the duty of the Biochemistry department to train students for medical schools for at least 4 years, so we should see those going to medical school as part of us and not traitors as Ulli said. I don?t know if the medical school can be influence to create and entrance exam for Biochemist after their Bachelor degree, may be this will in some way prove to first year students that the two subjects are related and who knows after their third year they may see no need to go to the medical school since at that level they must have known what Biochemistry really is. 3) Language To succeed in life generally you should be able to adapt to change, God knows how I survived a transition of temperature from +32 to -10 degrees Celsius. I had to adapt because I had to obtain a Master?s degree in Biochemistry of high standard which is amazingly tuition free. Students should learn how to cope with English language. I thing one student suggested the constant speaking of the language even if you are not fluent enough. Be assured that no body is perfect when it comes to language not even Lloyd, who is English and use to make spelling errors during lectures. Accept my kind regards, Emmanuel (Manu)

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RE: [Bklist] 3rd Year Students' Teacher Training
by Lloyd Ruddock 16 May '08

16 May '08

Niko, Many thanks for these useful thoughts. I had come to the same conclusions you had and was considering if we should think of it as a stand alone course or try to integrate it into the BSc thesis. We do need more student views about how they feel (1 positive and no negative so far, but 1 viewpoint is not enough to make decisions on). We also need to think the details and implications through carefully. VBW, Lloyd -----Original Message----- From: bklist-bounces(a)lists.oulu.fi [mailto:bklist-bounces@lists.oulu.fi] On Behalf Of Niko Pursiainen Sent: 15. toukokuuta 2008 15:44 To: bklist(a)lists.oulu.fi Subject: [Bklist] 3rd Year Students' Teacher Training Hi all, Here are some thoughts I have regarding the idea about 3rd year students participating in the teaching of 1st year students. Basically it could be done as a course for them, perhaps with following structure: Early in the autumn they would receive 1-2 day training in teaching in the way our staff is trained by Teaching Development Unit. Maybe they would be even willing to help here, as it is their specialty. This would be the theory part of this teaching course. The practical part of the course would be assisting the teachers in running practicals. They would be assigned to one of the courses (Biomolecules, Methods I...) based on where they would be more helpful and also based on their course load. They would help in preparing and running said practicals and thus get good picture of how things work. After this they would write short report on the experience and have final meeting where they would give and receive feedback. All this would require more effort from some of the staff in terms of total hours spent, but it would also add more help for those moments where the staff is at its thinnest. For students it would give valuable teaching experience. In summary, I see great potential in this idea of getting 3rd year students involved with teaching 1st year students' practicals. Good idea, Alex. Cheers, Niko _______________________________________________ Bklist mailing list Bklist(a)lists.oulu.fi http://lists.oulu.fi/mailman/listinfo/bklist

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Another set of comments from a student
by Lloyd Ruddock 15 May '08

15 May '08

I also would like to stress some points about these issues. This message may be forwarded to other people if it is seen helpful, but I myself would like to remain anonymous. Someone already mentioned that the job/salary situation makes some students quite insecure and worried. I can't exactly point out where this comes from, but it's very hard to avoid hearing at least some depressing comments about the unemployement etc. It's actually quite hard to exactly point out where this comes from because there have been these events where people outside the university come to talk about their careers (maybe it's has not been convincing enough?). Also I think at least some older students tend to talk about the matter, so that can be one source too. Many people would like their job to be well paid (or at least adequate) and not to worry about unemployement and part-time jobs. So it seems quite logical in some way that even people, who originally were not that interested about going to the medical field, may change their mind because becoming a doctor is very secure thing to do when thinking about the salary and employement, besides it's one of the few professions where one can use their problem solving ability combining their knowledge of biology, biochemistry and some other natural sciences (so if thought this way, it's not actually that far from biochemistry, the biggest difference being the close contact with the clients). So in my opinion ot would do a lot of good to get the new students more confident about the work employement/salary situation. Though I can't come up with any new ideas which haven't been tried already. I also like the idea about going to school to talka about biochemistry because it is very likely many of the "lukio" students haven't ever heard about the subject before. Lloyd's additional comments - the last time there was a survey biochemistry students were amongst the highest employment rate in the faculty. Another international survey had our area of science being the 2nd faster growth rate world wide for jobs (after information communications technology). Our students are VERY highly wanted on the medical faculty to do research. There are issues job wise, but that holds true in many fields. One reason we decided to take on international students rather than increase the output of Finnish students is because they are likely to move away from Finland after they complete and so are unlikely to compete for the same jobs. There is a lot to be positive about, but it is not as secure nor as well paid as becoming a doctor.

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