The Biology Center is a student resource center located in 216 Stimson Hall which is designed primarily to serve the needs of undergraduate biology students. All students and other visitors are also welcome! We have several different kinds of spaces that you might want to use:
- An informal lounge area, where you can enjoy a cheap cup of coffee (only 25 cents!), chat with other biology majors, or read some of the magazines that are available
- Small rooms that are ideal for small-group studying or meetings with student advisors
- A quiet-study area
- The Reception Desk, where materials from various classes are available for check-out.
The information resources we have are numerous, and are found primarily in six places: through the use of our computers, on bulletin boards, as handouts in the brochure racks, at the Reserve Desk, and from professional and student staff members.
Information in the Center
Computers have been set-up so that you can conveniently hop on Just the Facts to check your schedule, surf the Internet to research information about full-time employment, graduate schools or internships, or just check your e-mail in-between classes.
The kind of information you'll find on bulletin boards include seminar notices; biology and related course information; summer research position announcements; job announcements; health-careers information; names and office hours of our student advisors; information on field studies in biology; graduate school announcements; and information on career services on campus, including notices of visits by recruiters who are interested in biology majors.
Various materials are available for you to read in the brochure racks and in the bookcases. Especially popular are the notebooks providing information on undergraduate research opportunities in biology at Cornell.
People in the Center
The staff members you'll find in the Biology Center are here to help you. Amy Haner and our student staff are the first folks you'll see as you enter the Center. They can help you find what you need in and around the office. Bonnie Comella, Director of Advising, Wendy Aquadro, Associate Director of Advising, and Jeff McCaffrey, Assistant Director of Advising and Research, are available for both walk-in meetings (for quick questions) and individual appointments. If you have questions about course or major requirements, career decisions, selecting a Program of Study, long-range schedule planning, or where to go for help with various problems, feel free to stop in to see Bonnie, Wendy or Jeff.
Laurel Southard is the Director of Undergraduate Research. You'll definitely want to talk with her if you're interested in working in a research lab on campus. She's great at giving advice about research in general and referring students to appropriate faculty. Laurel's also busy with coordinating the Hughes Scholars Program, an undergraduate research program held each summer. Laurel receives an incredible amount of help from Pam Davis in organizing undergraduate research activities and the Hughes Program.
Biology Student Advisors hold office hours in the Biology Center once a week, and they are great sources of information to other students regarding courses, research, and student life at Cornell.
Jeff Doyle, Professor of Botany, directs the Office of Undergraduate Biology and is incredibly helpful to students when they need a faculty member's perspective on making academic or career decisions.
Informational Programs
The Biology Center sponsors numerous programs throughout the year. These are generally announced in the larger biology courses and publicized on posters in various buildings around campus.
In addition, Biology majors receive program announcements throughout the year via electronic mail. To give you an idea of the programs we offer, here is a list of past programs:
- Applying to Graduate School in the Biological Sciences: Information and Advice on the Application and Decision Process
- Career Options and Resources for Biology Majors
- Locating an Undergraduate Research Position
- Careers in Biomedical Research: What can an MD/PhD prepare me to do?
- Pathways to a Career in Forensic Biology
- Annual Alumni Career Panel
- Locating Summer Opportunities
- Various guest speakers who discuss their career and research
- Upcoming Events
An Invitation to Return
We hope you'll visit the Advising Center often, and make full use of its excellent resources.
Be sure to join us at any or all of the above programs (most are held annually), and keep on the lookout for other programs as they're announced.
