Artifact one - task force handbook
During my junior year, I took part in the capstone class of International Studies called Task Force. This is a non-traditional classroom experience in which students in a group of 10-15 work together to produce a policy report that is about 200 pages long. It is almost always taken by seniors during their final winter quarter, but I chose to take it a year early because I was curious about the structure, as well as concerned I might be too busy during my senior year with medical school applications to fully concentrate on the unique course itself.
This year, I took a course with the director of Task Force, Professor Wolfram Latsch. He reached out to me as one of the only remaining Task Force students on campus (everyone else graduated last year) and asked if I would help him edit the Task Force Handbook, which is distributed to students in Fall quarter and outlines the calendar and weekly assignments for Task Force itself. I was happy to help, and included a section on tips and advice from a student's perspective so that others would learn from the mistakes and triumphs of my cohort last year. I was grateful for the unique experience to be reflective about my course and write helpful reviews that other students could benefit from.
This year, I took a course with the director of Task Force, Professor Wolfram Latsch. He reached out to me as one of the only remaining Task Force students on campus (everyone else graduated last year) and asked if I would help him edit the Task Force Handbook, which is distributed to students in Fall quarter and outlines the calendar and weekly assignments for Task Force itself. I was happy to help, and included a section on tips and advice from a student's perspective so that others would learn from the mistakes and triumphs of my cohort last year. I was grateful for the unique experience to be reflective about my course and write helpful reviews that other students could benefit from.
tf_handbook_w_student_edits.pdf | |
File Size: | 754 kb |
File Type: |
artifact two - dna and evolution essay
I am currently enrolled in an Honors DNA and Evolution class with Dr. Jon Herron called DNA and Evolution. The class has provided me with a way to re-connect to science, as I have been taking only international studies classes for the past two years. I have enjoyed getting back into the rhythm of reading scientific publications, practicing formulas and doing lab reports both in and out of the classroom. Furthermore, the class is intended for people who have never taken a science class before, so it is proving to be an excellent refresher course for me to re-establish the basic principles of biology before I take the MCAT test next year.
The following paper is an example of what we write in the class every two weeks. We are challenged to find a recently published scientific paper and write our own analysis of the study, suggesting further topics to research and providing an overall summary of how effectively the article explains the science at hand. The paper below is the third that I wrote for the class, my best example so far as I was able to effectively meet all of Dr. Herron's guidelines and narrow down my thoughts to the succinct two-page limit.
The following paper is an example of what we write in the class every two weeks. We are challenged to find a recently published scientific paper and write our own analysis of the study, suggesting further topics to research and providing an overall summary of how effectively the article explains the science at hand. The paper below is the third that I wrote for the class, my best example so far as I was able to effectively meet all of Dr. Herron's guidelines and narrow down my thoughts to the succinct two-page limit.