Graduate Handbook - Faculty of Health Sciences - McMaster ...

allows them to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams. Our graduate program provides this kind of
training and research opportunities. A candidate will register for the MSc or PhD degree in any of the
participating five departments and, in addition to the special regulations summarized below, will be
subject to the general regulations and course/thesis requirements that govern graduate work in the
department in which he/she is registered. The Astrobiology portion is carried out by the OI in close
collaboration with these departments. Some course work and research seminars in astrobiology (see
below), as well as Astrobiological research and thesis, lie at the heart of the program. Required courses
are defined according to prescriptions for each home program. Additionally, MSc students are required to
take a one term, ORIGINS *701 Survey of Astrobiology course and the bimonthly ORIGINS *705
Astrobiology Research Seminar and Journal Club course. Doctoral students are required to complete
(one term) course work from outside their research area, from the Astrobiology course list as well as the
ORIGINS *705. With supervisory committee permission, the courses below and entries in the
Astrobiology course list could count toward requirements for a home program. All students are required to
attend the Origins Institute Colloquium series. This is an important resource for students, as they will have
the opportunity to interact directly with distinguished leaders and scientists in the field. Doctoral students
must complete a Comprehensive exam that is administered by their home department.”
BIOCHEMISTRY INTERNAL DEPARTMENT AWARDS
Karl Freeman Prize for Graduate Seminars
The Karl Freeman Prize is awarded annually to graduate students in the department who are deemed to
have presented the most outstanding graduate seminars. The School of Graduate Studies awards the
prizes on the recommendation of the Department. Prizes are given for first and second place seminar
ranking in the MSc and PhD program. This prize was established in 2001 by Karl Freeman, Chair of the
Department of Biochemistry from 1973 to 1979 and acting chair for six months during 1982.
Impact Awards (Recognition for Student Publications)
This award will be presented to Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences graduate students for highly
meritorious contributions to scientific literature during 2012. A prize for the most impressive first-authored
publication(s) by our graduate students will be given based on the recommendation of the Departmental
Graduate Admissions Committee. Nominations should be submitted in the form of a letter to the Chair
from the graduate supervisor. The letter should briefly outline the achievements of the candidate,
indicating the student’s accomplishments with respect to the publication, and should be accompanied by
a copy of the publication. Nominations must be received no later than March 1, 2013. The department
anticipates bestowing up to three awards annually.
Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Student Travel Awards
The Department will grant up to 20 competitive $500 travel awards each year to assist students planning
to attend scientific meetings. To qualify, students must be enrolled on a full-time basis in either the MSc
or PhD program and must present data either as a poster or as a speaker at the meeting they plan to
attend. Students who have received a travel award in the past will only be eligible for another one if
funding permits. Students applying for these awards are strongly encouraged to apply for travel funds
from other sources including, in particular, the GSA. There are three application deadlines: September
28 (for meetings scheduled between September and March 30); March 15 (for meetings scheduled
between April 1 and June 24; June 1 (for meetings scheduled between June 25 and August 31).
Students must apply to the department by the deadline in advance of the meeting they are to attend. The
completed application form must be accompanied by a one page (maximum) letter explaining the
relevance of the meeting to the advancement of their education and how it will benefit their work. The
Graduate Coordinator and Department Chair will review and approve applications.
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