Reflections on Learning

First off, I registered myself in this class when I realized I had problems with my writing skills. Resume cover letter (as mentioned in my previous post) and my lab reports. I thought I should improve on these if research is going to be my career, with all those crazy reports to write. I didn’t want writing to be an obstacle. As much as I realize that communication skills can never be thought in merely 3 months, I wanted to get certain things right. What you ask me, I have no idea. I just know this will be something to complete my university education, like a missing piece of puzzle. I did contemplate for a few days (during the bidding period) if I should require this or not. I was thinking if this will be just another English class. Now I can say I never regret taking this.

So, what have I learnt this semester from ES2007S?

When I registered for this course, there are a few things I expect to be thought in the class. Those are the basics like business letters, resumes, interview tips, and etc. I must say that the peer-teaching learning experience was awesome. Not only we get to ‘practice’ before our oral presentation but I guess we pay more attention when our peers are up there. But what I didn’t expect from the course was the polishing of my soft skills, and the emphasis Brad puts on them. There are so many things I learn from the class. Some of them, I already know at the back of my mind but never put into practice and so many fresh tips I get learn both from Brad and the rest of the class. This is truly a two way learning class

During the course of blogging and writing various assignments, I have been more critical in my choices of words and grammar. I have been known for notorious grammar since young and frown upon by my mum for that. In school, I didn’t really care much about my English grades but I guess since I’m in university and I’m graded for it, so it makes a difference. The constant blogging (although not that many, just 7) definitely did some good to me.

I must also say the blogging buddy system was good. Without someone reading my work, I won’t be able to spot my mistakes. It’s a good practice to adopt. Only challenge is to get someone to read my work. There will not be any problem when its 250-500 words but I guess it will be a challenge to get someone to read a 10,000 word paper. So now I know why people employ editors.

Although not much tension happened at my group, I still definitely learn a lot working in my team. I am very thankful for being able to work with a group of nice girls with great sense of humour. Team work is essential and not having much tension doesn’t mean I don’t learn anything from it. If one of us decided to be a bad member by not showing up, there won’t be a smiling Wonderwomen group already. The most tensed moment in the group was during proposal editing when we decide what the phrases we should adopt, grammar usage are and even how the conclusion and abstract should be. There was a lot of trust in our group which made things went easy. I also appreciate the constructive criticism we gave each other and how each one of us took them. Being a life sciences student, working in the lab involves a lot of team work and I believe I will be able to put my skills into practice very often.

Mirror mirror on the wall,

I feel very blessed and honoured to have such wonderful group members. Everyone worked on their own parts, came for meetings and contributed ideas. Our group met up twice before the presentation day to rearrange our slides and speech to make sure it flows well. I think if I can squeeze in a little bit more time for the presentation, I will be more satisfied with my performance but there are just too many projects and also other presentation to prepare. This was one of the first (presentation) so I did allocate enough time but I’m just hoping I had more. Well, I guess you do get short notices at work in the future.

During some of my past presentations, when I did not prepare enough and was over confident, I get tongue tied because my points do not flow. For this one, I did prepare notes using powerpoint and even printed it out to read because I had a class before the presentation. Gwen's our PowerPoint guru! She helped mend everyone’s slides. I think it was good because under one pair of hands, everything flows better. I thought our slides were pretty well structured except for the outline part. We did have an outline actually, at the ‘Objectives’ part but not very well emphasized probably.

During my presentation, I was a little nervous in the beginning but calmed down after that. It happens to me all the time when I speak in public. I think I just need to do more presentations to make it go away (but I hope not!). During my part, I also related to Gwen, Jas and Sherlynn in attempt to connect things together. Brad said I have a good voice projection and posture so that’s my strengths as well.

However, I think I shouldn’t have brought my piece of paper during the presentation. I can afford not to look at it. It’s my safety blanket, really. It’s a mistake because it showed that I didn’t prepare enough and perhaps lack of confidence as well.

I also stared at the slides a bit too much, disrupting eye contacts. Sometimes, I couldn’t help it because I can’t remember some of the points. Maybe if I rehearsed a little more, I could have done it but as I said, this is a hectic week. Actually, I thought I have no problems making eye contacts until I heard Brad’s feedback. On the same line on too little preparation, I actually forgot some elaboration I noted down. Also, I think I could have had a little bit more hand gestures but I am not sure if I had any because it’s subconscious and I was focusing on the points. If I’m conscious about hand gestures then I think I’ll have too much.

I think I just need more practice.

Don’t be afraid to post your comments :)

p.s. I just want to say I love you girls! WONDERWOMEN ROCKS.

Living in a Muslim Country

I was schooled at both Convent primary and secondary school during my 11 years of education at Malaysia. Although originally a mission school, it is partly subsidised by the government. Thus, the school has many Malay teachers, much more compared to the other races; Chinese and Indian.

For those who are not familiar with Azan or adhān, it is the Muslims’ call to prayer. It is recited five times a day summoning Muslims to their mandatory prayers. The purpose of this loud pronouncement is to make available to everyone the substance of Islamic beliefs. Loudspeakers are installed in the mosques to project the Azan to its surroundings. Since Malaysia is an Islamic country, it is very common to hear this near the mosques. I can hear this in my secondary school too because the mosque is less than 100 meters away. Usually, during lessons, the teachers will pause for a few minutes to respect the Azan.

One day, one of our teachers was on medical leave and there were no relief teachers available to enter our class. The noise level usually gets out of control when everyone chats in the own cliques. Unfortunately, the azan was recited during that period and we couldn’t hear it. The teacher on duty happens to be on parole during that period and stopped at our class. She was very furious with us because we did not respect the azan recital and ordered the whole class to stand for that period which was about 30 minutes and sat in the whole time. When it was almost over, the explained that we should respect other religion’s practices especially in a country where there are three main races living together.

Of course, at only 14 years of age, we couldn’t quite connect with her and thought that she was being ridiculous making us stand for 30 minutes just because we did not hear the azan. Actually, I don’t think we would have quietened down even if we heard the azan. So, while standing, many of us stared at her and pulled our long faces. There were no forms of verbal conflict as we were raised not to argue with teachers. However, after she left, we talked behind her back because didn’t understand why we should observe silence for the Muslim’s call to prayer.

Now, being more matured and culturally sensitive, I would think that it was very stupid of us not to respect the azan and quieten down for just a few minutes. It wasn’t hard at all and we were studying side by side with Malays too. So, it’s the least we could have done. I am sure my classmates who have also grown older now would agree with me that we should have lowered down our volume. If I were to evaluate the situation now, I think apologising to the teacher at that point of time would have gotten us out of trouble.

Anyone living in a Muslim country would have had the same interpretation as me; knowing that we need to respect the Azan and be quiet for the Muslims to respond to the call. For those who are not familiar with the culture might think that this is absurd. In countries where religious duties are preformed in the personal spaces, it wouldn’t be rational that everyone would need to pause their activities especially during political meetings for a call to prayer.

Personal Statement

My greatest strengths would be perseverance and being personable. Perseverance has been demonstrated via my strong interest in research opportunities. I have had the chance to be in two research programmes while pursuing my degree in Life Sciences. One of which is the Undergraduate Research Programme in Science which I participated in my second semester of year one. It greatly influenced my perceptions and surfaced my childhood ambition of wanting to be a marine biologist.

After my second year of studies, I interned at Tropical Marine Science Institute, Singapore. There, I experienced the ‘real’ field trips where I was to dig in the mangroves for polychaetes and bivalves. It really brought me out of my comfort zone but gave me satisfaction at the same time. I believe that it was also a test of perseverance especially when we needed to wake up early to catch the tide and return to the lab afterwards.

Being very personable, I work very well in a team. I can talk to people I just met and easily expand my network of friends. Going to many camps as a teenager also helped exercise my social skills. I have always been the ‘bubbly girl’. During my internship, I also gained favour with people I met and got to understand career in Marine Biology better through many conversations. I thank God for this trait of mine because it has helped me in becoming who I am and I believe it will continue to be an asset for my career.

*language problems edited.

Am I hire-able?

Hi guys and girls,

I am doing my application letter in regards to the internship offered by Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC). It is opened to undergraduate and graduate students as well as fresh grads. More specifically, I am applying for the Internship in Environmental Studies and have chosen a project (out of many that they offer) which I am interested in for this application; Oyster Restoration and Gelatinous Zooplankton in Chesapeake Bay.

There's a short video clip about the program at their website: http://www.serc.si.edu/pro_training/internships/internships.aspx

Here's some information about the project I am interested in. I am supposed to send in the application letter to the project supervisor itself.

Oyster Restoration and Gelatinous Zooplankton in Chesapeake Bay
Season: Summer Project
Supervisor: Dr. Denise Breitburg , Estuarine Ecologist

What is the project about?

• introduction of a non-native oyster to Chesapeake Bay
• research on the ecology of jellyfish and ctenophores
• examine potential risks and benefits of the proposed introduction (oysters)
• study the abundance and distribution of gelatinous zooplankton in the Rhode River near SERC

What do interns do?

• opportunity to conduct small-scale investigations in oyster ecology and restoration or gelatinous zooplankton behavior, reproduction, and ecology
• learn field sampling techniques and experimental design
• become familiar with an array of techniques including measurements of oyster disease prevalence and intensity, culturing fish eggs and larvae, and conducting experiments on ctenophore reproduction

Who should apply?

• Interns interested in ecology, behavior and estuarine restoration
• willingness to get wet, dirty and hot are important because of extensive fieldwork
• Willingness to spend time in the field and laboratory, and use microscopy routinely
• Interest in ecology and behavior

Application Letter

Block 38 Dover Road
#05-261
Singapore 130038

2nd September 2009

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
Attn: Internship Coordinator
P.O. Box 28
647 Contees Wharf Road
Edgewater, MD 21037-0028

Dear Sir/Mdm.,

I am interested in the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center internship program and wish to apply for a position in Fall 2010.

I discovered this program on the SERC website and am particularly interested in it because it enables interns to work on projects and learn different techniques through hands on experience. Internships offered in the Ecology of Coastal Ecosystems and Population and Community Ecology captivated my attention because I know this is a field related to my career. Being able to participate in this internship will help me gain the experience I need and help me make better decisions enrolling into a graduate school. SERC is a leading research center in environmental studies which aims to provide solutions to environmental challenges. I do not only want to study for the sake of knowledge but to be able to provide answers to ecological questions we face. It will be my honor to get training and contribute to an institution whose mission statement I can relate to.

After looking at the projects offered by SERC, I would like to express my interest in the Oyster Restoration and Gelatinous Zooplankton in Chesapeake Bay project. Having worked twice with bivalves, it is hard not to develop a liking for them. Prior to this, I worked as an intern at Tropical Marine Science Institute and have gained experience in the field sampling estuarine specimens. Thus, I know what to expect working at intertidal zones. I also did polychaete identification and algae counts using the microscope for my projects so I am familiar with the microscope and have no problems working with it. I am more than willing to spend time at the field and laboratory to assist and learn. As I have not had any opportunity to work with jellyfish, I find this project hard to resist.

Having said so, I know I have great interest in this project and hope that my skills gained from previous internship would be of great help to the project. With my previous experience and interest, I will be a suitable candidate to assist in this research project. I will greatly appreciate the opportunity given to conduct research in oyster ecology and restoration.

Please contact me via the email address and phone number indicated below. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for your consideration.

Audrey Wong
Cell phone: +65 84117754
Email: audreywal@gmail.com
___________________________________________________
Tell me how I can improve on it :)
Preferably strengh and weaknesses. Teehee.

Happy, but not so happy.

Jane had just graduated from university and found her dream job in an advertising company. She loves her job but she has problems fitting in with the working environment, especially with her colleagues. Do not get me wrong. She is a bubbly person with great personality and has no problem mingling with people whom she just met. Listen to this.

There are only 2 females in Jane’s department. Well, the other girl dresses more like a guy and all the other guys treat her as if she is one of them. Maybe that is one of her ways to get around with them. They threw things at her, like paper and some other hard objects, which gave Jane a shock when she first witnessed that. They also go for cigarette breaks together, leaving her alone in the office. Jane does not smoke. Occasionally, her colleagues also hit the bar after work to chill out (and get drunk, in case you guys think it is just social drinking) but she has been refusing them. Yes, she cannot tolerate alcohol as well. Well then, what is the problem when she does not mind not getting invited to cigarette breaks and chill out sessions since she does not smoke and drink?

In the beginning, she thought it will be fine because they respected her stands and she had no problems in delivering her assignments and pleasing the boss. But now, she feels that something is missing. She does not feel offended or left out just because she is not invited. What made her feel bad is she that does not get along so well with them. It is because she was left out of their routine breaks; during which they share secrets or have small talks with each other. It is the bonding that she misses.

As for Jane’s colleagues, they might feel that she is pretending to be an ‘all-goody-girl’. For them, it is rare to find people who don’t smoke and drink, especially so in the advertising industry. It might not be as bad for them as they already have a clique at work. What they might be feeling is that she doesn’t want to be associated with them.

What would you do if you are Jane?

Why effective communication?

When applying for my summer internship which has just passed, I sent a simple email to my supervisor stating my interest and he replied to ask for my resume. That is when I panicked because I did not know how to write a good resume. So, I searched high and low on the internet between the difference of a cover letter and a resume. Then, I painstakingly whipped out a resume which myself is not very impressed of but due to lack of training and time constraint, I needed to submit it.

That was when I realized I needed to learn effective communication skills.

To me, a person with a good degree but without proper communication skills is far behind a person with an average degree but is able to sell herself. With proper communication skills, I believe I will be ahead of my colleagues even, when I start to work next time. A good resume is the first step to getting the job I want. At working environments, effective communication skills conveys my messages clearly and efficiently instead of creating misunderstandings and offending colleagues and worse, bosses. Besides that, well written work also shows professionalism. I do not want to be the hardworking person that submits poor written which because it will not reflect the efforts I put in. I am sure many of you have encountered people who do not put in much effort in pre-report stage but presents a very well written report and still get good grades for that. I have seen that happen and it is really not a nice experience.

I am not a very good in terms of scoring As but I am sure I do not want to lose out further in terms of professional communication.