H1N1: Risk and Response

Dimensions: The Center for the Science and Culture of Healthcare and the Berry Center for Economics, Business, and Public Policy are pleased to announce an extraordinary opportunity for four students to work with President Les Garner and Professor Barbara Christie-Pope on researching H1N1: Risk and Response. The project involves on-campus research during the fall, followed by travel toWashington D.C. for February 15th-19th, and concludes with the writing and presentation of the research findings.

The objective of the project will be to determine what lessons the 2009 experience might hold for planning for future pandemics.  Students involved in this interdisciplinary project will investigate:
1) the history of pandemic flu and the response to H1N1
2) the biology of viruses that cause influenza including H1N1
3) the policies that guided government agencies in responding to the 2009 outbreak(s) of H1N1 and the process by which those policies were developed and implemented.

The project will consist of an adjunct course and an independent study project. The adjunct course (BIO 511, Extended Research in Biology) for which students will receive a quarter course credit, and an independent study for which students will earn one course credit. The adjunct course, for which there are no prerequisites, will meet for approximately 3 hours per week from October 2009 – January 2010. The independent study project (BIO 390 or POL 390) is scheduled for February, 2010 (Term 6). The adjunct course will be completed before the February term begins. In the adjunct course, students will study the history of influenza, of pandemics, and of the H1N1 virus. They will also review recent scientific literature on H1N1.

Interested students must attend an informational meeting on Wednesday, September 9th at 11:30 in Hedges Conference Room, The Commons.  Grab your lunch and stop by to hear about this exciting opportunity. 

The application process will open September 10, with a due date of September 21st. Current juniors and seniors meeting the prerequisites are eligible to apply.

The project will be funded by Dimensions and the Berry Center and there will be no travel expenses for student participants, though there may be incidental expenses. If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact Dimensions Coordinator Julie Barnes at jbarnes@cornellcollege.edu or Berry Center Coordinator Monica Lyons at mlyons@cornellcollege.edu.

Application Process:

The application process is as follows; all materials must be received by September 21 at 5:00 p.m.:

Prepare the following supporting materials and supply them to Julie Barnes, Dimensions Coordinator or Monica Lyons, Berry Center Coordinator. Except for the letters of recommendation, all materials should be provided together in a large envelope. Please do not use staples.

• One letter of recommendation from a faculty member. The recommendation should touch on the topics listed below under "Selection Process", as well as any additional supporting information that will assist the selection committee. Use the recommendation form, or have your recommender provide a one-page recommendation directly to Julie  or Monica via campus mail or e-mail attachment.  
• Your resume. Make sure it is updated, error free, and approved by Career Services.
• A brief personal statement. This 2 page essay should include information that your resume does not - your reasons for applying, your career goals, the skills you would bring to the case study process, what you hope to achieve if selected, and how this experience will benefit your academic and career goals. Additionally, it should touch on the topics listed under "Selection Process". The essay should be free of grammatical and spelling errors and be no more than two pages, double spaced. Poorly written essays will disqualify applicants. Be sure to sell us on why you specifically want to participate in this independent study opportunity.
  Your current unofficial transcript printed from the Cornell web page.

Selection Process:

Applications and supporting documents will be examined by the H1N1: Risk and Response Committee and President Garner. The Committee will then narrow the applicant pool and invite the finalists to an interview before making a final selection.  Two students with an interest in Biology and two students with an interest in Public Policy will be selected.

Selection Criteria:

1. Biology candidates must have previous coursework in cellular and molecular biology.  The public policy candidates will be expected to have completed coursework in politics (POL 262 or POL 282 are recommended) and have some experience in the policy making process.
2. Work ethic and habits
3. Evidence of self-direction, taking responsibility for tasks and pursuing them to completion
4. Ability to work well with others
5. Evidence of strong written and oral communication skills
6. Strong performance in a substantial distribution of coursework

Expectations of Selected Applicants:

Applicants selected for this extraordinary opportunity will be expected to:

1. Complete adjunct course (BIO 511) during the fall of 2009 and the independent study project (BIO 390 or POL 390) during 6th block.
2. Complete reports on the pandemic and the response and present findings at the Student Symposium on April 18th.
3. Meet with Dimensions Coordinator and Berry Center Coordinator regarding personal conduct on the trip.
4. Review and submit a travel liability release form to the College.
5. Provide feedback to the Dimensions Operations Committee and the Berry Center Operations Committee about the experience and assist students interested in future trips.
6. File a petition to receive adjunct course credit and one to receive group independent study credit.