Bioscience Summer Internships

Now is the time when summer internships for university students start to be marketed.

In terms of bioscience research there are several different sources where you can find these internships. Below are the ones I am aware of:

1. Chiasma www.chiasma.auckland.ac.nz
2. School of Biological Sciences – NB: you can also find ones for HRC, Auckland City Council, Comvita and Landcare Research on here.
3. Fonterra
4. Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences
5. Plant & Food Research

For undergraduate bioscience students these studentships/ internships are a valuable addition to your career development. I cannot speak more highly of them. During your undergraduate studies you are only exposed to a limited number of techniques/ skills and small scale investigations. Summer studentships provide you with a more potent dose of laboratory experience all in the space of 10-12 weeks.

• You get to learn a number of different techniques in-depth.
• You are able to implement your recently acquired knowledge into to actual practical research.
• You get to learn how a research investigation is undertaken.
• You get to learn how a laboratory functions.
• You get to work with leading New Zealand scientists, postdoctoral and postgraduate researchers – all great sources of knowledge and advice for you to absorb.
• They can be a great sources of postgraduate research projects.
• You get to test if a bioscience research career is for you.
• You get $$.

Even if you don’t end up working in lab this short stint in a laboratory environment is immensely valuable for your future career. Check them out!

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Graeme @ graemefielder.com

TechNZ Innovation Forum

I attended the TechNZ (FRST) Innovation Forum at the end of June. It was essentially a showcase of New Zealand’s emerging technologies, products and tech-based businesses matched with networking opportunity. Below are just a few notes from the day.

Vincent Heeringa – business journalist and publisher

“NZ doesn’t have enough cows or bungy jump locations” – in relation to our dependency on agriculture and tourism to drive our economy going forward.

“need to be weightless not carcass”, “high value not high volume”

Vinod Khosla – VC of Khosla Ventures

• Didn’t read fiction books. Found non fiction more fun.
• Black Swan = Represents large leaps in technological advancement. They are typically unforeseen/ unpredictable.
• We are not simply seeing the population increasing. A lot of people are moving into a new lifestyle that demand more energy. Going to need multiples of the worlds resources to meet this demand.
• We can be more productive but that’s not good enough
• Licensing technology just doesn’t work. The organisation that takes on the license just doesn’t have a passion to make it happen. 
• Wants scientists with a passion to lead the charge of these new start ups. Allow scientists the opportunity to leave their job to commercialise the tech they have invented and then allow them to come back to their previous jobs if they want.
• “The only predication I have is that people can’t predict. Technology that is truly ground breaking cannot be predicted. But we can encourage more shoots at goal”

 

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Graeme @ graemefielder.com

Icehouse Google Advert

Just came across a Google advert for the ICEHOUSE on the end of a blog post on the popular ‘A VC’ Blog by Fred Wilson. I don’t know about generating new prospects for the ice accelerator programme but definitely great international exposure!

 

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Graeme @ graemefielder.com

Spark $100k Challenge

Spark’s flagship business planning competition, the $100k Challenge, is underway.

The competition gets entrants to submit a max 3000 word venture summary document about their business. From here the top 10-15 qualifying teams are announced on 20 August at the Qualifiers Ceremony (UoA Business School 6pm). The qualifiers are then put through a mentorship and workshop programme,  the Launch Pad (worth $5,000), to enable them to build a killer business plan (and obviously in the process build a business). They then pitch their business to a panel of distinguished judges. The winners get:

1st Prize: $20,000 seed capital + business incubation @ The ICEHOUSE

2nd Prize: $10,000 seed capital + business incubation @ The ICEHOUSE

3rd Prize: business incubation @ The ICEHOUSE

Overall the Spark $100k Challenge provides a great AND PROVEN ecosystem for getting a business off the ground.

Deadline for the Challenge is 9th August 12pm

All information, guides and entry forms can be found on the Spark website @ www.spark.auckland.ac.nz

I look forward to your entry!

Spark is supported by its foundation partners; the University of Auckland Business School & the ICEHOUSE, its gold partners; Ernst & Young, NZTE, TechNZ/ FRST and Auckland UniServices.

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Graeme @ graemefielder.com

Not good

Salary guide

Science & Technology, as the new foundation of our economy this has got to and will change!!