Chapter Information
The American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) is a national professional organization comprised of scientists from academia and industry as well as post-docs and graduate students from 28 universities, including UIC as a recent addition in December 2002. The UIC-AAPS Student Chapter is the only graduate student organization on the west campus at UIC. It began with strength of 30 members, but has grown to over 100 members over the last four years. The members belong to various departments such as Anesthesiology, Bioinformatics, Algorithms and Genomics, Biochemistry, Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, The Center for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Pharmacy Administration, and Pharmacology.
AAPS provides for researchers, who share a common interest in pharmaceutics and related sciences, a platform for interaction with one another to help learn and stimulate professional development. Our goals as an extension of the national organization include increasing student participation in the activities of AAPS at the local, regional, and national levels, to increase student awareness of career opportunities in the pharmaceutical sciences and the latest advances and discoveries in the pharmaceutical sciences and also to foster participation in outreach activities that is further the goals and objectives of AAPS.
The Student Chapter at UIC has organized a variety of events for the benefit of its members, including tours of Abbott Labs and Fujisawa Inc, sponsorship of the Graduate Student Choice seminars in the College of Pharmacy, and sponsorship and organization of the Pharmaceutical Graduate Student Research Meeting in first year.
In second year, the chapter organized a career seminar to offer tips on writing resumes, salary negotiation, interviewing skills, and what companies look for when hiring. The chapter also has focused on reaching out to the community by organizing an event called Senior's Outreach and participating in mentoring high school students to assist their science fair project and in judging high school science fair.\
Over the past one year, we have organized social events in form of a movie screening to promote participation of chapter members to the activities on November 18th, 2004. In this event we introduced new executive committees to members and provided opportunities for members to meet new students. Chapter members also took part in the Windy City Scramble Contest organized by the UIC West Campus. The UIC-AAPS Chapter team won the 3rd prize of $100 in the contest.
On March 23rd, 2006 Eli Lilly and Co hosted members of the UIC-AAPS Student Chapter and provided a tour of its corporate research center at Indianapolis. A total of 30 members attended the event.
The UIC-AAPS Student Chapter has not only been successful in organizing social events but also been a platform for getting speakers from varied interests talk to the graduate students. Our chapter was fortunate to host Dr. Jay Sisco, President of AAPS on the 18th of April, 2006. We also invited Dr. Wright Nichols, Director of Microbiology, AstraZeneca R&D, and Boston. His seminar titled ‘Antibacterial Drug Discovery: Advances in Target-based Approaches’ was followed by lunch and a round table discussion with students.
We have many events planned for the future such as, industry visit, Career seminar and workshop, group outing and other fun social events in the coming years.
The UIC-AAPS Student Chapter offers numerous opportunities for graduate students to become acquainted with the pharmaceutical industry and the scientific community. For more information about the chapter, please visit http://www2.uic.edu/stud_orgs/prof/aaps/ or contact Vandana Keskar (vkeska2@uic.edu), Chair in 2006-2007.
Proposed Activities and Events
August, 2006
Student Chapter Executive Committee (2006-2007) elections were held and new committee members elected.
September 12, 2006
An informal dinner meet was organized with all current and ex committee members and the faculty advisor to discuss the AAPS activities for the coming year.
October 13, 2006
As part of AAPS events for the coming year, our first event — a movie screening has been organized for Friday the 13th of October.
December, 2006/January, 2007
An industry speaker from a Pharmaceutical company will be invited to give a seminar cum discussion with students.
Spring, 2007
An icebreaker event like Pot Luck or Bowling will be organized.
The Student Chapter plans to organize an industry visit to one of the pharmaceutical companies in Chicagoland and to participate in local AAPS functions like discussion groups, etc.
The Student Chapter plans to perform outreach programs that will spread information about opportunities in pharmaceutical sciences.
Activities
2005-2006
November 18, 2005
Friday Night Movie Screening — As part of our first event of the year, we organized a special movie sceening of Ace Ventura—When Nature Calls. The event got a good response and was attended by at least 30 members. All the members enjoyed the movie along with Pizza and drinks served during the event.
March 23, 2006
Trip to Eli Lilly — Eli Lilly & Co. hosted members of the UIC-AAPS Student Chapter and provided a tour of its Corporate Center in Indianapolis. A total of 39 members, including faculty advisor Dr. Richard Gemeinhart, attended the event. The program included a historical tour of the Eli Lilly R&D Center, a tour of the research center and panel discussion with scientists.
April, 2006
Windy City Scramble Contest — Our Chapter President Prem Mohanty, Treasurer Ashwini Pai and Chapter member Jinghu Li participated on behalf of our student chapter in the Windy City Scramble Contest organized by the UIC West Side Campus Programs. The contest involved deciphering a set of puzzles related to landmarks of Chicago and actually visiting them/collecting objects. The UIC-AAPS Chapter team won the 3rd prize of $100 in the contest.
April 18, 2006
Special Seminar by AAPS President — Our chapter was fortunate to host Dr. Jay Sisco, President of AAPS. A seminar titled “I Can See the Light...So Now What?” and a Round Table discussion over lunch was part of the highly successful program organized by us.
July 12, 2006
Industry Seminar — The UIC-AAPS student chapter also organized a second seminar. Dr. Wright Nichols, Director of Microbiology, AstraZeneca R&D, Boston was kind enough to accept our invitation. His seminar was titled “Antibacterial Drug Discovery: Advances in the Target-based Approach.” The seminar was then followed up by a lunch and discussion with faculty and students.
2004-2005
January 30, 2004
Career Seminar: Stephanie Lyford, College Relations Recruiter, Abbott Labs
February 2004
Industry Tour: Baxter Healthcare
October 2004
Student Chapter Elections
December 2004
Grant-writing Workshop
January 2005
International Potluck
Additional Planned Activities:
- Career Seminar
- End-of-the-Year Picnic
2003-2004
August 27, 2003
UIC Fun Fair
September 2003
Student Chapter Elections
September 4, 2003
Welcome Back Lunch
October 31, 2003
High School Outreach
December 3, 2003
Elder's Outreach Event
December 17, 2003
Curie Metropolitan High School Science Fair
2002-2003
April 18, 2003
College of Pharmacy Graduate Student Choice Lectureship
Guest Speaker
Thomas A. Baillie, Ph.D., D.Sc.
May 15, 2003
Tour of Fujisawa Healthcare, Inc.
May 28, 2003
Tour of Abbott Labs
June 2003
Hosted 35th Annual PGSRM
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