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Trelawny Learning Community
...for Biology First-Years with an Interest in Research
The Trelawney residential learning community is a group of new Biology majors with an interest in research and the great out-of-doors! This is our group on a recent excursion to the Safari Park near Lexington, VA. WHO WE ARE
The Trelawny Learning Community (TLC) is designed for 8-10 first-year Biology students - a small group for an informal feeling and more individual attention to each member. Check out the Biology Department’s website at http://www.jmu.edu/biology/
Each TLC member is matched with a faculty member or graduate student working on research in an area of interest to the student.
This year, we have a diverse and motivated group of first-years working with faculty in these areas:
Aquatic Ecology ~ Physiology of Stress in the Neonatal Brain ~ Neurobiology ~ Digging Behavior in Mammals ~ Mechanisms of Cell Death in Development and Disease ~ Immunology ~ Amphibian-Bacteria Mutualisms ~ Role of Hormones in Amphibian Development and Evolution ~ Lower-Limb Injuries in Humans
LIVING ENVIRONMENT
TLC students live in or near Hoffman Hall (http://www.jmu.edu/orl/halls/hoffman.html).
Hoffman is a newly renovated 'green’ (eco-friendly) dorm. It has some interesting features the other dorms don't have, like bamboo floors, and it’s air-conditioned!
ACADEMICS
Courses for TLC students include a 1-credit seminar in fall (Bio 201), which provides ground-training in research skills, while students meet their faculty research advisors and start getting involved in their respective research environments. The seminar is an opportunity most of our majors don't have - because although JMU students can get involved in research, they don't necessarily get a lot of information on how to carry out research as a scientist would.
Students have input from faculty, grad students, and various invited speakers who offer their insights to the group on how to write out a hypothesis for their specific topic, plan out their project for their first semester, and then delve into literature and data collection. For example, you might begin analyzing a paper that was suggested for you to read by your faculty advisor – or learn how to do the statistics that your lab does!
Students constantly have the chance to report their progress and get feedback on how to interpret a data set or how to proceed from there. The group setting allows a first-year researcher to bounce ideas off their peers and the support group of mentors, and talk about problems that might arise - again, something many of our UG students say they would love to have done!
Second semester entails a 2-credit seminar where students are expanding and evolving their original projects, to the point where they're analyzing data and learning to write up an abstract for a presentation. We have a Biology Research Symposium here every spring, and TLC students will be involved not only in preparing presentations (poster or oral, team or individual) for this symposium, but in helping to critique abstract submissions and schedule the program.
The main goal of the TLC experience is to build a solid group of UG researchers with a real presence and identity in our department. I see it as being a sort of mini-graduate student experience. In fact, we’re developing a course for our grad students where they will help mentor the TLC group and provide their own unique expertise!
Students are enrolled together in one lab section of our intro Biology course, BIO 114, so they can work on class assignments and study together, strengthening their bond as a community.
SOCIAL/FUN STUFF
The social aspect of the TLC, like in any good learning community, provides regular group meetings to simply touch base on first-semester campus life and how things are going in general - and students will have the opportunity to take part in social events and field trips. TLC students help decide what kinds of events and trips they’ll do as a group. This Fall, the group plans to carve Halloween pumpkins with local kids and help out at the local animal shelter.
TIME COMMITMENT
Research: Students work a minimum of 2-3 hours per week with a faculty mentor in a research lab or in the field.
Students participate in 3 out of 5 group-planned community service activities per semester.
Students attend the weekly TLC seminar and participate in group assignments, all of which are linked to the development of the research they’re doing.
Questions? Contact Katrina Gobetz at 540-568-3643 or gobetzke@jmu.edu. You may also contact The Office of Residence Life at res-life@jmu.edu or 540-568-4767.
The Trelawny Learning Community is named after Dr. Gilbert Trelawny. Dr. Trelawny was head of the Department of Biology at James Madison University for 17 years. Through his work, Dr. Trelawny made a lasting impact on the University. He is admired for his work in building the department and supporting the development of undergraduate research programs
Our Mission Statement
Photos
Trelawny Learning Community members take a road trip to Washington D.C. National Zoo
Roop Learning Community members take a trip to Kings Dominion in VA for a day filled with fun and physics study.
