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DEB Program: Industrial Internships

Quotes from DEB Graduates

The DEB industry internship was an immense opportunity. After completing the internship, I feel that I could make an educated decision as to where to pursue my career. [...] I feel that I was more "marketable" having had industy experience.
                                -Fatema Aziz-Legrand - UC Presidential Fellow, Gladstone Institute

The internship was extremely valuable due to the biotech industry experience and an opportunity to gain additional technical skills.
                                -Melody Trexler - Research Scientist, Genentech, Inc.

[...] the internship was my first real chance to do independent research, and having succeeded in that arena I felt much more confident writing a dissertation.
                                -Blythe Durbin - NSF Fellow, UC Berkeley

The internship was the best experience of my life!!
                                -Angelica Giuffre - Post-Doc, USDA, APHIS

The DEB Program familiarized me with the industrial side of science [...]. The program provided me with an opportunity to show my expertise and experience at an industrial setting.
                                -Aaron Nguyen - Research Scientist, Scios, Inc.

This three month internship at Monsanto Calgene campus has provided me a great opportunity to experience research at an industrial setting. It is impressive to see how extensively people collaborate on one project. Meanwhile, by attending different seminars and activities, I am exposed not only to the company culture, but to the legal aspects of the industry. This internships is definitely one of my best expereinces during my graduate studies.
                                -Ying Peng - Research Scientist, Monsanto-Calgene Campus

The DEB is just great and I love it!! Without DEB, I wouldn't been able to get this good job and I would have definitely missed a lot of great stuff. Hope I could be of any help in the future, like try to get DEB students a good internship:
                                -Ruixiao Lu - Biostatistician, Affymetrix

Industrial internships provide students with the unique opportunity to experience research at the industrial level. Students will get exposed to: research activities in a biotechnology company; corporate culture; legal and business aspects of industry and another career option. A minimum of 3 months are required by the DEB program and while internships at cross college or national laboratories (i.e. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) are also accepted, we strongly encourage our students to take this opportunity to intern with a company. Industrial internships provide extensive experience and can be a deciding factor in securing positions in the industry.

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Internship - Instructions for Students

Internships - A History of Success

  • We have placed over 100 graduate students in various biotechnology companies over the last 15 years.
     
  • It has been a great experience for both the students as well as the scientist at the companies.
     
  • It has led to job offers and publications for some of our outstanding students.

What Students Gain from Internships

  • Opportunity to work in a highly creative non-academic environment.
     
  • Opportunity to participate in a focused team approach to defined research goals.
     
  • Opportunity to use equipment and facilities not available on campus.
     
  • Access to potential employment opportunities (Genentech, Scios, Monsanto-Calgene, and Bayer have hired previous DEB interns).
     
  • Get a better idea of which type of environment would be more appropriate for future career.
     
  • Participate in industry seminars.

What Industry Partners Gain from Internships

  • Access to highly talented & creative researchers.
     
  • Opportunity to gain inside tract on future employees.
     
  • Through students, further collaboration with scientists on campus.
     
  • Participate in the annual retreat to meet UC scientists, students, potential interns & other company scientists.
     
  • Potential to use UC facilities through the collaboration.
     
  • Opportunity to participate in weekly campus seminars.

Companies that have taken Interns include:

For more information about internships please contact the Biotechnology Program or Dr. Judith Kjelstrom, the Director of the Biotechnology Program.
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