Pam Mertz, professor of biochemistry, gave an invited talk at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology symposium held in San Antonio, Texas, July 25-29.
With “Integrating Professional Skills into the Curriculum,” Mertz’s talk focused on the skills students need to learn to navigate entry into any field, such as writing resumes, applying for jobs, working on teams, and networking. Resources which help students acquire these skills are available through professional affiliations and career centers on campus but students often do not know of their existence or how to use them effectively. In an attempt to combat this, Mertz described how St. Mary’s College’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry scaffolded professional skills throughout the curriculum for chemistry and biochemistry majors, starting in the first semester of their first year, so that different skills are introduced at different levels as appropriate, and all students benefit from the experiences.
