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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Dear Biology Undergrads, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">Please see below for information from Prof. Bob Horvitz on Biology Advanced Undergraduate Seminars for Fall 2021. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"><a href="https://biology.mit.edu/undergraduate/current-students/subject-offerings/advanced-undergraduate-seminars/" title="https://biology.mit.edu/undergraduate/current-students/subject-offerings/advanced-undergraduate-seminars/"><span style="color:#0563C1">https://biology.mit.edu/undergraduate/current-students/subject-offerings/advanced-undergraduate-seminars/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">**Please note, students who have taken the seminars before can share their experience with any MT students they think might be interested. If you’re interested, please contact the instructor as
</span><span style="color:black">there are still some openings available. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">****<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">TO: MIT<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Biology<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Majors <br>
FROM: H. Robert Horvitz, Professor of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Biology<br>
DATE: August 16, 2021<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">I am writing to inform you of an exciting offering from the Department of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Biology<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>for the 2021-2022 academic year: a set of 6 very current seminar
courses, 7.34x,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Advanced Undergraduate<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Seminars. A complete listing of the courses, instructors, and brief course descriptions is enclosed. The topics are highly varied
and encompass areas of genetics, genomics, biochemistry, biophysics, molecular<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>biology, cell<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>biology, cancer<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>biology, immunology,
evolutionary<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>biology, bioengineering, biopolymers, drug discovery, aging and human disease.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">A student can take any number of these courses. The courses, which generally involve four to eight students, are for 6 units, graded pass/fail, and meet two hours each week. The focus is on reading and discussing the primary research
literature. Most courses have one short written assignment and one oral presentation. Some include field trips (possibly remote this year) to MIT research laboratories or to companies using technologies discussed in the courses. The level of each course
will be tailored to the students who enroll. Because of the small size of these courses, we expect students not to drop these courses once they have begun.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">The scheduling of these courses is flexible. The day of the week and 2-hour period of the day each course will meet will be determined jointly by the prospective students and the instructors at the beginning of the semester. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">These courses offer a number of special features: small class size, a high degree of personal contact with the instructor(s), a focus on the primary research literature, and an opportunity to discuss current problems in<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>biology<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>interactively.
I believe these courses greatly enrich an<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>undergraduate’s experience. There are limited alternative opportunities available to<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>undergraduates to interact closely with instructors
who are experienced full-time researchers; to learn to read, understand, analyze and critique primary research papers; and to engage in the type of stimulating discussions and debates that characterize how science is really done. Most<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>advanced<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>MIT<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>undergraduates
(generally juniors and seniors) have been sufficiently exposed to the basics of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>biology<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>to be able to read the primary literature and appreciate both methodologies and cutting-edge
advances. These courses have two goals: first, to expose students to the kind of thinking that is central to contemporary biological research; and second, to impart specific knowledge in particular areas of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>biology.
These courses are designed to be intellectually stimulating and also to provide excellent preparation for a variety of future careers that require an understanding both of what modern<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>biology<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>is
and of how it is done. Students who have taken<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Advanced Undergraduate<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Seminars<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>in the past (different specific courses, same general
design) have been enormously enthusiastic about their experiences.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">I am writing to you before Registration Day to encourage you to consider enrolling in one of these seminar courses. Please feel free to contact any of the instructors to learn more about their courses and in particular to discuss
possible meeting days and times if those listed are not possible for you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">To learn more about the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Advanced<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Undergraduate<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Seminars<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>to
be offered during the Fall 2021 semester, please check our website (<a href="https://biology.mit.edu/undergraduate/current-students/subject-offerings/advanced-undergraduate-seminars/"><span style="color:#0563C1">https://biology.mit.edu/undergraduate/current-students/subject-offerings/advanced-undergraduate-seminars/</span></a>)
and/or contact the instructors.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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