Beta Beta Beta at the University of Washington

May 30th, 2006

Tri-Beta would like to thank everyone for a amazing year! The club has grown both in numbers and in active participation. We have had many fun, educational and inspiring events this year (Pizza with the Provost, astrobiology, research ethics, hidden careers in Biology, oil spills and sea birds, studying abroad, intelligent design, opportunities at the UW, how to survive medical school, field trips to the Woodland Park Zoo, Alki Beach, and the Seattle Aquarium, behind the scenes tour at the Burke Museum, and community service projects being just some of them). We hope to continue to bring you exciting and rewarding meetings and events next year and will be resuming our meetings in the fall.

We hope to keep our mentoring and tutoring programs open over the summer, so please stay tuned for the latest information.

Also let us know if there are meeting topics, field-trips or events that you would like Tri-Beta to take on next year. Also if you would like to be more involved with Tri-Beta leadership please let us know.

Thanks for a great year everyone! See you in the Fall!

-Your 2005-2006 Tri-Beta Officers

Food Fight Update:
Tri-Beta has won the Life Science Food Fight benefiting Northwest Harvest Food bank! We gathered $283 which was matched by our sponsors. We also collected lots of food. We would like to thank AED and the Biology Department Staff for their generous help and contributions. Also a big thank you to Northwest Harvest for all the great work they do!
Pictures of the food collected can be found in the photoalbum.

May 24th, 2006

Undergraduate Biology BBQ Bash sponsored by Tribeta!

Date: Thursday, May 25th
Time: 4:30 - 7pm
Location: Botany Greenhouse
Description: This end-of-the-year event is open to all undergraduate biology majors. Hamburgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers and soda will be provided. If you would like to bring something to share, feel free. Be sure to stop by and join the fun. There will be a short awards ceremony from 5:15-5:45pm, honoring those students receiving scholarships, students that have participated in research, and students who are Phi Beta Kappa inductees or members. We will also be introducing the new officers of Tri-Beta for the coming year. This BBQ happens only once a year, so don't miss it!

May 19th, 2006

The results are in! Here are your new 2006 - 2007 Tri-Beta Officers:

President: Parhum Namdaran
VP Events: Mitch Onslow
VP Membership: Amelia (Amy) Wallace
VP Community: Krystal St. Julien
Secretary: Emily Angell
Mentoring: Anne Darby and Shane Kinard
Tutoring: Melissa johns with Ella Chang as co-officer
Advertising and Promotions: Brolen Freimanis
Treasurer: Scott Kerr
Webmaster: Janine Sing

Congratulations everyone!

Interested to meet the new officers? Interested in free food? Then cone next week to the annual...

May 16th, 2006

Voting for the 2006 - 2007 Tri-Beta officers has ended. Results will be posted within 24 hours.

Apparel Design Contest Update:
The submissions for the Spring 2006 Apparel Design contest can now be voted on in Hitchcock's Third Floor lobby. Vote today and have your say in the new biology apparel!

Voting runs through this friday, May 19th.

May 12th, 2006

Officer Elections!

The final roster for the 2006 - 2007 Tri-Beta Elections is complete. All Tri-Beta and Biology club members are encouraged to vote here. The election will run through midnight on Monday May 15th, 2006.

Coming Events:

Developing defenses against the Bird Flu
(Flyer here)
Date: Thursday, May 18, 4:30pm
Speaker: Michael G. Katze, Professor of Microbiology
Description: Hear Professor Katze talk about his research on the Pandemic flu that killed an estimated 40 million to 50 million people. His lab is using the $12.7 million NIH grant to understand influenza virus infections by studying 1918 and H5 avian related viruses in animal models including wild-type and knock out mice and non-human primates.

Undergraduate Biology BBQ Bash sponsored by Tribeta!
Date: Thursday, May 25th
Time: 4:30 - 7pm
Location: Botany Greenhouse
Description: This end-of-the-year event is open to all undergraduate biology majors. Hamburgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers and soda will be provided. If you would like to bring something to share, feel free. Be sure to stop by and join the fun. There will be a short awards ceremony from 5:15-5:45pm, honoring those students receiving scholarships, students that have participated in research, and students who are Phi Beta Kappa inductees or members. We will also be introducing the new officers of Tri-Beta for the coming year. This BBQ happens only once a year, so don't miss it!

May 9th, 2006

Next Event:

Behind the Scenes tour at the Seattle Aquarium!

When: Saturday, May 13th
Meeting Location: Meet us at the bus stop on campus parkway across from Terry-Lander Hall at Noon or meet us at the aquarium main gate at 12:40pm

Admission will be half price (only $6.25!) and all are welcome so bring your friends!

This event will count towards Tri-Beta and Biology Club active and distinguished membership.

Our tour guide will be Tim Carpenter: Curator of Fish and Invertebrates.
During the tour we will see lab and food prep areas, animal holding, quarantine areas, learn about the water delivery system, learn about the aquarium's conservation goals and research and watch them feed the marine mammals!

If possible, please RSVP to guarantee a spot on the tour by emailing us at
tribeta@u.washington.edu or by responding to this e-mail.

This is an amazing opportunity that we hope you won't miss.

See you then!

Officer Elections:

In order to better include all members in the Tri-Beta election we have made some slight changes. We still have nine officer positions that are open to full Tri-Beta members. All members of Tri-Beta (associate or full) and all Biology Club members may vote for candidates and can do so via an online system that will be e-mailed to them Thursday evening.

The descriptions of each office can be found here. The term of office is one year from the end of spring quarter to the end of the following spring quarter.

**Here is how the election will work**

Each candidate will write one to three paragraphs about themselves (See below for things to include in this write up) which can either be e-mailed to Tri-Beta (tribeta@u.washington.edu) or dropped off in Hitchcock 318. The deadline for this submission is Wednesday May 10th (The day before the election). Those who have already submitted theirs are welcome to send another version by noon Wednesday.

Instead of a formal election we have decided to hold a candidate forum Thursday May 11th at 4:30 in Hitchcock 320. Each candidate will be given a chance to read their write-up aloud, add additional comments and then answer questions from those in attendance. One of the current officers (or a candidate's chosen proxy) will read the write-ups for those who are unable to attend and will provide their contact information in case of questions.

The write-ups will then be posted online and the voting program link sent out to all members after the forum on Thursday. Voting will continue until noon on the following Monday, May 15th.

Things to include in the write-up:

Name
Email Address
Position(s) running for
Year in school,
Major(s) and Minor(s),
Involvement with other student organizations or in the community,
Skills you would bring to the position (for example: Demonstrated communication and/or organizational skills, computer program proficiency (e.g. Excel spreadsheets, Photoshop, website editing),
Demonstrated leadership experience
Time available for club activities each week
Anything else that is pertinent or that you would like us to know

Any candidates who are not elected will be offered an automatic position as a community council member to work on community outreach and development and to learn skills that may help them attain future positions in the club.

May 1st, 2006

Hello everyone!

On Thursday May 4th at 6pm Tri-Beta will be going a behind the scenes tour of the mammal collection at the Burke museum. Also, self-guide other exhibits of the museum, including the science exhibit: The Life & Times of Washington State which looks at over 540 million years of history and evolution. Space is limited for this cool opportunity, so if you are interested, sign up here. Hope to see you there! (We will be meeting in the lobby of the Burke Museum at 6pm, not at Hitchcock hall as usual.)

April 28th, 2006

(Design Contest Extended until May 8th!)

Also, nominations for the Biology TA of the Year Award are still in progress! The winning TA will receive $100! Nominate your favorite TA today, because grad students need to eat too.

Next meeting:
Picnic on Alki Beach!
Date: Saturday, April 29. 11:00 am
Description: Want to know what sea stars eat, why barnacles stand on their heads and how moon snails lay their eggs? Join us as we head out for a guided exploration of Alki beach with beach naturalist Janet Germeraad. Bring goodies along for a picnic- we’ll bring the soda.
Transportation Info:
We’ll meet at 11 at the bus stop on Campus Parkway (across from Terry-Lander) to catch the 72 and transfer to the 56.

If you want to just meet us at the beach, we’ll be at Constellation Park.

Here is a map showing where the meeting will be!

Hope to see you there!

Hey Everybody,
Spring is the time of year when food banks are in the most need. The biology office, Tri-Beta, and other groups on campus have stepped up to help and are having a food/money drive benefiting Northwest Harvest. Tri-Beta has also organized a friendly "Food Fight" with the Wildlife Society and the Alpha Chi Sigma (chemistry fraternity) to see who can get the most donations. The dates of the drive are 4/19-4/30/06.

Here is how it works:

Cash Donations
Did you know that Northwest Harvest can feed a family of 4 for fifty-one cents a day? That's because they purchase staples by the train carload and pay about ten cents on the dollar compared to grocery store prices. The Feinstein Foundation will also be matching all monetary donations through April 30th (http://www.feinsteinfoundation.org/index.htm).

Drop off points are:

Judy Farrow or Sue Bartroff in 106 Kincaid
Biology Advising Office 318 Hitchcock
Tri-Beta/Biology club meetings

All donations are tax deductible and will be matched dollar for dollar through 4/30/06.

Food Donations

Drop off points are the 1st and 3rd floor lobbies in
Hitchcock or in Hitchcock 318.

We are concentrating on protein items such as peanut butter, tuna, baby foods and meals-in-a-can like stew and turkey and noodles.

If you have any other questions, comments or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us (tribeta@u.washington.edu, or just reply to this e-mail).

Thanks so much for your help on this worthy cause!

April 25th, 2006

Tri-Beta Biological Honors Society is looking for motivated students
interested in becoming Tri-beta officers. We have nine officer positions that are open to all full Tri-Beta members. The descriptions of each office can be found here.

If you are interested in becoming an officer or would just like to find out more, you can email Tri-Beta with the subject “Election” (tribeta@u.washington.edu). If you would like, you can tell us a bit about yourself and what position you are considering (not required). You can also come to our officers’ meeting this Thursday from 4:30 to 5:30 in Hitchcock 320 to get an inside look at club management.

The election will take place on Thursday May 11th 4:30 to 5:30 in Hitchcock 320. Please let us know if you are interested in running.

This is an excellent opportunity to learn and/or demonstrate organizational and leadership skills. It is also a great chance to make a lasting impact on
our members, the department and indeed the UW community as a whole. We look forward to hearing from you!

April 24th, 2006

Pictures from Tri-Beta's first meeting of the quarter - Hidden Careers in Biology - are now up! Check them out using the "Photo Album" link to the left!

April 19th, 2006

Volunteer with the Biology Club THIS SATURDAY!

EARTH DAY 2006
Service Project at the Washington Park Arboretum
Saturday April 22nd 9 am – 2 pm
We will be helping establish a Trail Tread. Do something good for the planet and the community! Meet fellow biology students! Leave a permanent impact on the beautiful Arboretum landscape!
Meet us at Hitchcock at 8:30am saturday or show up at the Arboretum Visitor's Center at 9am.

April 15th, 2006

(click for more information!)

Next meeting:
Cloning and Research Integrity Issues
Date: Thursday, April 20
Time: 4:30pm
Location: Hitchcock 320
Speaker: Kelly Fryer-Edwards, Assistant Professor, Department of Medical History and Ethics, University of Washington School of Medicine
Description: In this discussion, we will look at circumstances leading to research misconduct in the recent Hwang Lab stem cell research case and try to understand the policies and regulations governing science research. What if the Hwang lab rather than fabricating data had gone a step further and tried human stem cell transplants in animals? Could the US stop them?

April 12th, 2006

It's that time of year again! Time for the "Biology TA of the Year Award"! Each year, we here at Tri-Beta help you, the student, recognize a TA who has made a significant positive impact on your school experience (With $100!). To nominate your TA either follow this link to the online survey, or print off this flyer and simply drop it in the labeled box in the 4th floor lounge in Hitchcock. Help give something back to the TA who helped you - grad students need to eat too!

Results will be announced Thursday, May 25th at the Undergraduate Spring BBQ.

April 10th, 2006

This Wednesday, April 12th, Tribeta will be at the Howard Hughes Undergraduate Symposium. Drop by to say hi, and learn more about what tribeta is doing this quarter!

Also, please note that while the application period for spring 2006 induction into Tri-Beta is now over, we accept applications all year long, and everyone is always welcome at our meetings, regardless of membership status!

Have YOUR biology t-shirt design worn all over campus!

We are looking for interesting, educational or inspiring Biology-related designs for our T-shirts and sweatshirts.

The design contest will run NOW through the April 24th and anyone and everyone is invited to submit as many designs as they like.

We would prefer digital files using one (or two) color tones. However all
entries will be accepted and judged equally.

We ask that you please save digital files in a .tiff or PhotoShop format with a 600 dpi resolution. You can e-mail your submission to us at
tribeta@u.washington.edu with the subject “Apparel design”.

Hand drawn designs can be turned into Hitchcock 318, Mailbox 190 in HUB room 207 or at any Tri-Beta or Biology club event. Please don't forget to include your name and a way to contact you with the results.

Design winners will be announced April 28th.

Next Meeting:

Oil Spills and Seabirds

Date: Thursday, April 13,
Time: 4:30pm
Location: Hitchcock 320
Speaker: Dee Boersma, Wadsworth Endowed Chair in Conservation Science, Acting Chair, Department of Biology
Description: Learn about the impacts of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in the Barren Islands which has the largest colonies of seabirds in the path of the oil spill. Dr Boersma will use her work in Argentina on Magellanic penguins to document the impacts of chronic petroleum pollution and how public concern can results in solutions.

April 5th, 2006

Hey Everybody, this is just a reminder that applications for tribeta membership are due by April 10th! Applications can be dropped off at any TriBeta meeting, at the Biology Program Advising Office (HCK 318), or in TriBeta's mailbox (#190) in HUB 207. Make sure to get yours in today!

Applications can be obtained online in the "How to Join" section to the left, or at any tribeta meeting. (Next Meeting: Thursday, April 6th! See Calendar for more information.)

April 3rd, 2006

Spring is here! Equip yourself for the new season with fancy new biology apparel!

To see our current catalogue click here.

To print out an order form click here.

How to order biology apparel

Check out our styles and designs (Limited to stock on hand)
Check our inventory (latest list can be found outside of Hitchcock 318)
Either:
a) Inquire with the staff in Hitchcock 318 between 9:00 am and 3:30 pm. They will usually bring you back to our storage room to see and buy apparel on the spot without an order form.
OR
b) Print and fill out an order form and return it to any officer at a Biology Club or Tri-Beta meeting (Generally held Thursdays from 4:30-5:30pm in Hitchcock 320) or to the staff in HCK 318. You may then pick up your order the following day in Hitchcock 318.

We accept cash or checks made out to “Tri-Beta”
Short sleeved T-shirts are $15
Long-sleeved T-shirts are $20
Hooded or zippered jackets are $35

The first Wednesday of each month is
“Biology Apparel Day”
Wear you biology apparel and enter a drawing for a prize and get free candy in Hitchcock 318!

*We do take special Pre-orders, but only re-order apparel about once a quarter, so it may take quite awhile to get it in. If you would like one, please fill out an order form and write “Pre-order” on it. Then turn it in to any staff in HCK318. You do not need to submit payment for pre-orders until the order is picked up. We will email you as soon as the order comes in and you may pick it up in Hitchcock 318.

Survive and Thrive

At the beginning of each quarter tribeta teaches a course entitled "Survive and Thrive" which aims to help students succeed in the introductory biology series (180, 200, 220) and the UW as a whole. Two of the handouts from this lecture can now be found below!

Survive and Thrive: PDF or RTF

Ten things to do before you leave the UW: RTF

March 27th, 2006

Welcome back to school everybody! Tribeta has some really exciting events going on this quarter which you can check out on our calendar.

In addition to our normal meetings Tribeta has other activities going on as well:

Other important events:

Food drive in April benefiting Northwest Harvest.

Tri-Beta Induction ceremony! The deadline to apply to Tri-Beta for inclusion in the 2005-2006 induction ceremony is April 10th 2006. The ceremony will take place at the Burke Natural History Museum on May 5th.

Tri-Beta officer election! Become a Tri-Beta officer! We would love to have you onboard in one of our ten officer positions. This is an excellent opportunity to learn leadership skills and an exceptional way to supplement your university experience. If you are interested in finding out more, please email us at tribeta@u.washington.edu with the subject “Election” and tell us a bit about yourself and the position(s) you are interested in. We will be inviting those interested to attend our officers meetings to get an inside view of how the club is run. We will be posting more information on our website soon.

Biology Apparel design contest! We are looking for interesting, educational or inspiring biology related designs for our popular apparel line. The contest will run from April 3rd through the 24th. We ask that images be in .tiff or PhotoShop format with a resolution of 600. Please e-mail the file to tribeta@u.washington.edu with the subject “Apparel design”. Please include your name and contact information. Design winners will be announced April 28th.

Biology Undergraduate BBQ! Come mingle and have some fun at this great annual event at the end of the quarter. More information will be coming soon so please stay tuned.

Next Meeting:

Hidden Careers in Biology!

When: Thursday, April 6,
Time: 4:30pm
Location: Hitchcock 320
Speakers: Mary Pat Wenderoth, Senior Lecturer, Biology
Janet Germeraad, Director of Academic Services, Biology

Description: Once you get past the alphabet soup of careers (MD, RN,DDS, PT,OD) what else is out there? A Lot! You are limited only by your imagination. Come hear about careers as varied as eco-tourism and prosthetics and orthotics. Explore ideas and how to build networks.