UMass Boston

Student Resources

Biology Research Opportunities

Club & Society Opportunities

Biology Club

Biology Club is currently seeking CSM student officers to run, maintain, and organize club enrollment and events - please contact William Hagar via email  at william.hagar@umb.edu.

Please contact the Student Affairs Office to activate the club:
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
phone: 617.287.5805
fax: 617.287.5811
student.affairs@umb.edu

Do you have an idea for a new undergraduate student organization? Please go to SAGroups (www.clubs.umb.edu) for more information on starting a new club.

TriBeta Honor Society

History of Beta Beta Beta

Beta Beta Beta (TriBeta) is a society for students, particularly undergraduates, dedicated to improving the understanding and appreciation of biological study and extending boundaries of human knowledge through scientific research. Since its founding in 1922, more than 175,000 persons have been accepted into lifetime membership, and more than 430 chapters have been established throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.

TriBeta was founded in 1922 at Oklahoma City University--the Alpha Chapter--by Dr. Frank G. Brooks and a group of his students. The idea of an honor and professional society for biology students spread rapidly and by 1925, the society was a national organization. Biennial national conventions of student and faculty members began in that year and in 1930 the society journal, BIOS, began publication of student research, articles of interest to biologists and society news. As the society grew, it was divided into regional and district groups, each of which holds a convention annually. At the heart of every district and national meeting are student research papers presented in the style of graduate meetings. Awards are given for outstanding individual and chapter accomplishment.

Responsibilities of TriBeta

  • To encourage research.
  • To promote scholarship in the biological sciences.
  • To promote dissemination in the biological knowledge.

History of the Theta Omicron Chapter

Thanks to the dedication and efforts of Dr. Alexia Pollack, Associate Professor, Biology Department, the Theta Omicron Chapter of the TriBeta was founded at UMass Boston in May 2004. An official induction ceremony of the officers and members took place at the UMass Campus Center. In May 2005, the second session of the Theta Omicron Chapter was inducted and the officers have already begun planning a year full of new activities. Associate Membership in TriBeta is available to students of all majors with an interest in the biological sciences. Students who have successfully completed at least three Biology courses (with a minimum of two completed at UMB) & have a minimum 3.0 GPA calculated for all Biology courses are eligible for Regular Membership. Graduate, Alumni, and Honorary Memberships are also available and anyone interested in becoming a member should contact Prof. Pollack for details. Since TriBeta is an honor society, participation and involvement is not only encouraged but also expected. As your are finding ways to get involved on campus, we hope you will come check us out and see how easy and rewarding it is to be part of TriBeta! Non-members are also welcome to attend our meetings and activities.

Scholarships & Aid

Undergraduate

Graduate

Undergraduate Career Opportunities

Employment & Research Opportunities

Student Positions

Note: Full job descriptions for student positions are available through Student Employment. Work study students are strongly preferred for these positions, but all applications will be considered. If you are interested in applying for a position, please click on the job application link for instructions.

On-Campus Opportunities

The Biology Department currently has openings for two types of lab positions, lab prep assistants and lab tech assistants. The lab prep assistant is an entry level position for freshman and those students who have not taken BIOL111 or BIOL112 or equivalent. The lab tech assistant is a position for students who have completed BIOL111 and BIOL112 or its' equivalents, and have completed at least one year as a Lab Prep Assistant or have prior laboratory work experience. Please fill out the OneDrive Form if you would like to apply. 

Off-Campus Opportunities

​Nantucket National Wildlife Refuge

  • There is currently an open position at Nantucket National Wildlife Refuge for a coastal biological technician that will be taking applications starting on April 30th. 

Manatee Photo-identification Internships

The manatee photo-identification program is based in St. Petersburg, Florida at the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI). FWRI is the research arm of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), a state agency. FWRI’s manatee photo-identification research focuses on the long-term monitoring of Florida manatees in southwest Florida. The primary goal of our program is to document individual manatees. These capture histories are used to estimate annual adult survival rates and to model population dynamics for state and federal assessments of Florida manatee status and recovery. Photo-identification data also provide insight regarding manatee movements, site fidelity, habitat use, behavior, intra- and inter- specific associations, and reproductive parameters such as calving intervals and length of calf dependency.        

Interns will primarily assist staff members with photographing manatees and collecting behavioral and environmental data at sites around Tampa Bay. Interns will also be responsible for a number of lab-based photo-identification tasks, such as downloading images, entering information into databases, scanning data sheets, and matching images to known animals. Interns often collect data independently in the field, thus responsible, detail oriented applicants are encouraged to apply. Most field work is land-based, however during the winter session opportunities are available to assist with boat-based manatee photo-identification. Other responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, data entry, special projects, and outreach activities. This internship provides a great opportunity to gain valuable field and lab experience at a government agency. 

Two positions are available each year: one position in the winter (November-March) and one position in the summer (May-September). Start and end dates are flexible, however, a minimum commitment of four weekdays per week for four months is required. Work hours are typically 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is no compensation for these internship positions and successful applicants will be responsible for their own housing and transportation to and from the institute. Positions are open until filled.

Qualifications:
• Computer proficiency; Microsoft Access literacy preferred.
• Working knowledge of SLR digital cameras, filters, and lenses preferred, but not required.
• The ability to lift approximately 50 pounds of equipment.
• A valid U.S. Driver’s License.
• Enthusiasm and willingness to learn field and lab based research methods.

Application Process:
Please submit your cover letter, resume, college transcripts (unofficial are sufficient), and the contact information for three references via hardcopy to FWRI’s Intern Coordinator, Robin Allen, at the address listed below. Alternatively, application materials may be submitted via email to Interns@MyFWC.com. Please indicate in your cover letter the position for which you are applying and the dates you are available.  

Robin Allen
Internship Coordinator
Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
100 8th Avenue SE
St. Petersburg, FL 33701-5020

Applicants may contact FWRI’s Manatee Photo-identification Project Manager, Kari Rood,(727-896-8626 x1912) with questions regarding the internship.

JoVE (Journal of Visualized Experiments) - Editorial Assistant/Internet Researcher

JoVE is an innovative, peer-reviewed, PubMed-indexed academic video methods journal for the biological and physical sciences. We are the first and only of our kind and are currently looking for smart, self-motivated, hard-working individuals for an entry-level position. Please click here for more information. 

If qualified, please send your resume and a cover letter detailing why you are an exceptional candidate to: careers@jove.com.

Process Development – Protein Purification Intern at MassBiologics

In this role you will be assisting our Process Development group to purify our antibody products. This encompasses protein purification, protein formulation and routine laboratory maintenance. 

Process Development – Cell Culture Intern at MassBiologics

In this role you will be assisting our Cell Culture group to develop chemically defined media (CDM) for cultivating selected CHO Cell Lines for Monoclonal Antibody (MAb) production. 

MATCH Teacher Residency Program (Seniors and Recent Graduates)

Do you want to be an unusually effective first year teacher in a high-poverty charter school?

If so, you should consider MATCH Teacher Residency--an innovative, one-year teacher residency program.

Basically, we give recent college graduates one year of intense training. We then help them find positions in high-need schools, and continue to support them as they begin their careers in the classroom.

What sets MTR apart from other teacher prep programs? 1) We’re prescriptive, like a sports coach or piano teacher; you learn and practice very specific “Teacher Moves.” 2) Trainees are specifically being prepared to teach in certain charter schools with a track record of “turning around” low-performing kids. 3) We have a very particular approach, which involves building relationships 1-on-1 with kids and parents, then using those relationships to run a tight ship in class, enforcing rules consistently, and pushing/demanding a LOT from our kids.

MTR is no different from the MATCH Corps (our full-time tutoring
program) from Monday to Thursday. However, unlike MATCH Corps, MTRs want to go on to become full-time teachers in high-poverty, “No Excuses”
charter schools. So on Fridays and Saturdays, MTRs learn about the nuts and bolts of teaching, do tons of practice, and get a lot of coaching.

We’re especially proud of our brand new elementary school, MATCH Community Day, which specifically serves students who speak a language other than English at home. MATCH Teacher Residents have the option to serve at MATCH Community Day, or our previously established High School or Middle School. 

Additional Biology Job Opportunities

For the latest jobs, events, and announcements exclusive to the members of UMass Boston's Department of Biology, visit the Job Resource Center.

McNair Program

Mission

The mission of the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program is designed to provide opportunities for undergraduates from disadvantaged backgrounds especially from underrepresented academic groups (Blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans/Alaska Natives/Pacific Islanders) to excel at the undergraduate level in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM), progress toward doctoral degrees, and undertake careers in college and university teaching. 

Research is an important part of the program with McNair students pursuing a year of independent research under the supervision of a faculty mentor.  This mentor is usually a faculty member at the University of Massachusetts Boston, but may also be from a hospital research laboratory or from another research institution.   This research experience culminates with each participant giving an oral or poster presentation at a Scientific Conference, and also to the Scientific Community at the University of Massachusetts Boston. 

Students also may submit their research findings to journals within the participant’s discipline for publication.  Students enrolled in the McNair Program form peer support groups, tutelage academic and career counseling, and take part in a variety of cultural, educational and social activities.

Fact

The McNair program is built on the assumption that many exceptional individuals from low-income, first-generation backgrounds who would make superb college teachers may not be easily identified. Inadequate academic preparation at the secondary level and the resulting mediocre performance in lower division courses, combined with cultural barriers, often result in their potential being overlooked by already overburdened faculty.

McNair intervenes to identify these students early in their academic programs to facilitate mentoring relationships between them with outstanding faculty in their chosen disciplines. Seminars are often conducted focused on specific skill areas such as library research, technical writing, or special issues in a given discipline. Ongoing counseling allows each McNair fellow to increase his/her-self confidence while, honing his/her academic interests.

McNair mentors work with the fellows as they develop application for admission to doctoral programs and applications for financial assistance. Often it is the personal involvement of McNair mentors at this stage with colleagues at other institutions that is the critical factor in securing a student's admission to a particular graduate program or securing a fellowship or assistantship.

McNair Program Application