About three module sessions
- CV writing workshop
Among all three module sessions, I found the CV writing workshop is the most helpful one to me. Before the workshop, I was not sure how to write a good CV, the format and layout, the contents I should add for academic-based CV and the contents for skill-based CV and even not sure about the suggested pages for an official CV. The workshop was right on time, and it allowed to modify my CV for my postgraduate application, and I am sure I could use those CV writing skills that I learnt for the workshop for my future job application or maybe research position application.
- The assessment centres
The assessment centre and mock interview was a quite interesting experience. It is the first time for me to know and try the special stage when applying for a job, because it is not a common thing in my country. Also, the group task was valuable exercises for me to learn how to co-operate with strangers and quickly integrate into a team. Moreover, the mock interview helped me to build the self-confidence, which is quite useful for the later dissertation and group presentations in the semester.
- Building business plan
The lecture on building business plan gave me a basic overview of how a business idea could be converted into a good business model. The introduction of business model canvas really helped me with one of the assignments in another module about writing biotechnology start-up company proposal. Most importantly, I learnt a mature business plan requires multiple improvements, and there are always risks to start a business venture.
About the seminars
- Genomics for future trees
It was one of the few speeches that closely related to genetic technologies. It is interesting to see how the researchers apply genomic and biotechnology approaches in forestry and Ash tree diseases treatment. It pointed a possible career path for me.
- The United Nations: Working for global ecological stewardship
Although the speech was not well delivered by the speaker. It might be because the global ecological stewardship of United Nations is a big topic. But, the story of United Nations that shows how it became the advocate of global leading advocate for proposing global environmental concerns and delivering ecologically sustainable developments is interesting.
- The global trade in wildlife and its impacts & How humans change primate behavior in remote locations
Both speeches were around human and wildlife interactions, however, it seems human activities are causing serious problems to wildlife. It is surprising and pity to see human love could be so harmful to the wildlife (The Songbird crisis in Java). Those facts make me feel the crimes to wild animals are so close to everyone’s daily life, and the conservation of wild animals should be the duty for everyone.
- Living in Paradise: evolution, ecology and conservation of Seychelles caecilian amphibians
It is another topic that attracts me and might be a possible option for my future career choices. Because, it is interesting to use the biotechnology approaches, such as genetic markers to study the evolutionary process and the phylogeny of those mystery species. It is close to what I am currently studying, and I am hoping to have chances to do filed works in different natural habitats.
- The last British-Irish Ice Sheet; reconstructing its demise from the terrestrial and seafloor record.
It is a brand-new topic to me, and it is interesting to see how the studies for geoscience was carried out and how the reconstructing of BIIS was done.
Although majority of the seminars were about animal behaviors and conservations, which is not close related to what I am currently studying. It helps me to broad my horizon and provides good opportunities to learn different studies in other Biology fields. Also, the module gives me a good chance to learn and practice writing blogs, which might be a useful ability for future works.
Yicheng Jin's Blog 