At LAGSES we are committed to giving back to the community. Are you interested in getting involved? See some of the events we organize and contact us at lagses.contact@gmail.com to sign up!
BASIS & Caminos de la Ciencia
Do you want to serve as a role model for Bay Area youth while working on effective science communication skills? If so, then consider joining LAGSES’s Bay Area Scientists in Schools (BASIS) team! Once a month, we visit an elementary school science classroom to teach a hands-on lesson introducing the basic principals of engineering design. The dates we plan to teach this semester are the following:
Wednesday, September 25
Friday, October 18
Friday, November 15
If those dates do not work for you, but you are still interested in engaging the youth in our communities, please consider participating in Saturday library-sessions through Caminos de la Ciencia. At these events organized and hosted by Science@Cal, you will have a chance to teach the same BASIS lesson in Spanish in a more informal setting. The dates for these events are still TBD.
If interested in either opportunity, please fill out this interest form by Wednesday, September 11th. There will be a mandatory training session (~30 min) on Friday, September 13th. Please direct any questions and/or concerns to Daniel Ocasio at ocasio1@berkeley.edu.
LAGSES Buddies
The LAGSES Buddies program aims to provide support for incoming as well as current graduate students, and foster community among all students. We’re here to hang out, but also help discuss important parts of the grad school life and experience in an informal setting. Junior graduate students are paired with more senior graduate students to facilitate peer-to-peer mentorship. We are graduate students helping other graduate students.
Some activities we have planned for our Buddies this semester include a picnic on Memorial Glade, a scavenger hunt, and an arts and crafts night, among other. If interested in participating, please complete this information survey designed to help us pair you with your Buddy.
Cal NERDS Wednesday Lunch Series
The Cal NERDS programs are a collection of undergraduate STEM programs and scholarships that primarily serve URM students. They occupy a space in 230-C Stephens Hall where their students convene to study, socialize, and attend a variety of development events, such as their Wednesday seminars and free lunches. LAGSES has been invited to provide speakers for the month of October for these Wednesday lunches. These 10-15 minute talks can range from a technical description of your research to a story of your journey to grad school – it’s really up to you. The goal is to engage with Cal NERDS students and act as graduate student role models and mentors.
If you are interested in this unique opportunity, please contact Daniel Ocasio at ocasio1@berkeley.edu for more information. All members are welcome to attend any Wednesday lunch at 230-C Stephens throughout the semester, whether or not you choose to give a talk! They would really love to have graduate students around more often, if for nothing else than to increase visibility and show that we are here.
BE A SCIENTIST
The Be a Scientist program, organized by the Community Resources for Science (CRS) Program, is in need of volunteers. This is an an exciting science outreach program for Berkeley middle schools in which you would guide 7th graders through the process of designing and conducting their own scientific investigations in class. This is also a wonderful opportunity for you to serve as a STEM role model while developing your communication skills and gaining hands-on experience in important science outreach. The upcoming session will be held at Willard Middle School (2425 Stuart St.) from March 10-April 29(spring break week is skipped).
