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Biochemistry 618/619 – Student Seminar Course

Course Director: Young-In Chi

Course Description 

All biochemistry graduate students are required to take this course (every semester). This seminar course is intended to introduce students to the use of the scientific literature and recent advancements, and to develop the oral presentation skills. In this seminar course, students will present and critically analyze selected, recent publications in any disciplines of biochemistry and biomedical research. Emphases are on analysis of key concepts/findings and experimental methods in the field with reference to classical papers and recent literature. Formal seminars will be presented under the mentorship of different faculty members and a course coordinator. Speech, delivery and use of visual aids are critiqued. Students will also critically evaluate the seminar presentations of other students.

Presentation of seminars: 

1.  Each student will present one seminar on the assigned date.  The seminar will involve presentation of an outside journal article which is of general interest.  Sufficient introduction to the subject should be done to make the seminar understandable to the majority of the audience. 

2.  Students may present their own data during one and only one seminar while a graduate student.  If you have previously presented your data during any student seminar, you are ineligible to do so again.  If you have never presented your own data, you are eligible to do so if you and your advisor so desire.  Please let me know in advance if you will be presenting your own data. 

3.  You should select a mentor to help you with preparation of your seminar.  Your Ph.D. advisor cannot be your seminar mentor.  The only other restriction is that a faculty member can serve as advisor only twice during the year. 

4.  Two students are assigned to help with preparation of each seminar.  It is expected that the speaker will meet with the committee by the Friday before the seminar.  Failure to meet with the committee in a timely fashion will be reflected in the grades of the speaker and the committee. 

5.  Abstracts for your seminar should be given to Eric Morrow (eric.morrow@uky.edu) at least one week prior to the seminar.   Your abstract for student seminar should be a synopsis, in your own words, describing your seminar.  It should include references to the main papers you will be discussing.  You should have your seminar mentor and your committee read through your abstract prior to submitting it. 

6.  Please stop by my office or e-mail me a copy of your presentation by the Friday before your seminar. 

Grading: 

1.  If you have presented a seminar during the semester in question, 75% of your grade will be the overall grade received on your seminar.  The week after your seminar presentation, please schedule a time to meet with me, and we will go over the comment sheets and grades together.  The other 25% of your grade will be based on attendance in the following manner:  

One unexcused absence is allowed per semester per person.

Two unexcused absences will result in a 3.0 for the attendance grade.

Three unexcused absences will result in a 2.0 for the attendance grade.

Four unexcused absences will result in a 1.0 for the attendance grade. 

Failure to fill out seminar evaluation forms adequately will be counted as an unexcused absence. 

2.  If you are not presenting a seminar during the semester in question, 100% of your grade will be based on attendance.