Useful Information for Your Graduate School Visit

Welcome, Jeongbin Park!

Your graduate student host is: Caroline Stanton (cstanton@scripps.edu). Here's the agenda for your visit to Scripps Research's Skaggs Graduate School.

Thursday, February 16, 2023

• 6:30 p.m. - Dinner (Green Acre Campus Point)
• 8:30 p.m. - Return to Estancia Hotel
   

Friday, February 17, 2023

• 7:30 a.m. - Meet in hotel lobby
• 7:45 a.m. - Walk to Graduate Office (shuttles provided for rain) 
• 8:15 a.m. - Photos & breakfast (Hazen Courtyard)
• 8:45 p.m. - Dean's welcome presentation (Auditorium)
• 10:00–10:30 a.m. - Interview with Michael Constantinides (Room IMM 304)
• 10:45–11:15 a.m. - Interview with Howard Hang (Room IMM 115)
• 11:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. - Interview with Bryan Briney (Room IMM 308)
• 12:15 p.m. - Luncheon (Beckman Atrium)
• 1:30–2:00 p.m. - Interview with Ilia Droujinine (Room SR 208)
  
• 2:15–2:45 p.m. - Interview with Peng Wu (Room MB 210)
  
• 3:00–3:30 p.m. - Interview with Michael Zwick (Room IMM 219)
  
• 3:30–4:00 p.m. - Free time to visit labs, meet with additional faculty by request, or just relax!
• 4:00–5:00 p.m. - Faculty poster session (Hazen Courtyard)
  
• 5:15–7:00 p.m. - Reception/dinner (Hazen Courtyard)
• 7:30–10:00 p.m. - Party (Hazen Courtyard)
  NOTE: On Friday evening there will be a shuttle near the Graduate Office that will transport students who do not wish to walk back to the Estancia. The shuttle will run from 6:30–10:30 p.m.
   

Saturday, February 18, 2023

• 9:00 a.m. - Breakfast with faculty (meet in Estancia Hotel lobby)
• 11:45 a.m. - Meet in Graduate Office lobby before heading out for afternoon activities. Remember to grab a to-go deli lunch! Board buses at 12 p.m.
• 12:00–5:00 p.m. - Afternoon activity:
  • Hike with graduate students
    
• 6:30 p.m. - Bus to dinner (meet in Estancia Hotel lobby)
• 7:00–9:30 p.m. - Dinner (Kairoa Brewing Company)
• 9:30–10:00 p.m. - Take bus back to the Estancia Hotel, or enjoy the evening out and Uber back later. To access the Uber code, click here: https://r.uber.com/rsHySRlkj2q

Preparing for the Visit

Interview day dress code is business casual. You will be walking across campus and through active research laboratories. Please dress sensibly, including comfortable, closed-toe shoes and garments that reasonably protect your arms, legs, and torso. There will be a fair amount of walking, so we highly recommend wearing comfortable shoes.

It can get a little cold at night (for California); therefore, we suggest you pack a light jacket/sweater and check the weather before you depart. You may want to bring a swimsuit and shorts if you are participating in the kayak activity on Saturday. Other recreational activities may be outside in direct sun, so sunblock and a hat are good choices, as well.

Hotel

For students arrving on February 16, a hotel room will be reserved for you at The Estancia La Jolla Hotel and Spa. For students arrving on March 2, a room will be reserved for you either in The Estancia or the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines, both of which are easy walking distance from Scripps Research.

You will be sharing a room with another visiting student of the same gender and that shares similar research interests. Your roommate will be: Yangyang (William) Zhao.

Check in will be on Thursday and check out on Sunday morning. If for any reason you plan to arrive/leave outside of the visit dates, we are not able to accommodate you. You will need to make arrangements on your own for any days outside of the visit. Local students are encouraged to stay at the hotel as well, although it is not required.

Travel Issues or Delays

If you experience inbound flight delays, please contact us immediately via email at sdeck@scripps.edu or 858-784-2171 or cell phone 619-850-7477

Ride Share Codes (Uber)

We have purchased a preset Uber code for you to use while visiting, if needed. This code will be valid for use to/from the campus, hotel and airport during the scheduled visit dates only: February 16-19 and March 2-5.

To access the Uber code, click here: https://r.uber.com/rsHySRlkj2q

Welcome Packet

You will receive a welcome packet when you meet your host. Your name tag will be included. Please remember to wear it at all events – especially on Friday while at Scripps Research.

Schedule

To view an overview of the weekend's activities broken down by day and time, view this preliminary SCHEDULE OVERVIEW. Please note that that information contained therein is subject to change, and students should check their email frequently for the most up-to-date schedule details.

Your detailed interview schedule is included on the "Your Weekend Schedule" tab above. A printed, personalized schedule and campus map will also be included in your packet.

Your official interview weekend concludes after dinner on Saturday night. If you choose to go out afterward with graduate students, you can take an Uber back to the hotel. Please note that many visiting students have very early flights on Sunday. It is your responsibility to make sure you do not miss your car service or flight.

Parking

Parking at the hotel is paid for by Scripps Research. Parking on the Scripps Research campus in available in lot 10 (near the Dorris Neuroscience Center), as well as in the Scripps/MD Anderson Cancer Center parking lot, which is a short walk from the Office of Graduate Studies. These two parking locations are highlighted on a map HERE.

The following links offer more information about life in the San Diego area.

• Our International Services Office maintains a great webpage about Local Activities and Resources for students, postdocs and staff. In addition to lists of local attractions & events, and an events calendar, the webpage includes links to on-campus clubs and organizations.
• What's the weather like? Check out the San Diego Weather Profile
• How do you get from A to B? Regional Transportation Information
• What's for dinner? Dining options in San Diego are many and diverse. Here's a list of 38 highly rated restaurants, a page you can use to search by neighborhood, and a list of some of the hottest new restaurants in the region.
• Scripps Research is in La Jolla, a beautiful place to work and live. Learn more about what this seaside town has to offer. (includes video!)
• It would take weeks to explore everything Balboa Park has to offer. Almost 20 museums, the San Diego Zoo, theatres for plays, musicals, orchestras, ballet, and more.
• This page offers a broad overview of things to do throughout the San Diego area.
• Want to explore Los Angeles, visit Disneyland or see Santa Barbara... without driving? Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner is a great way to get around the region.
• The International Services Office also maintains a useful page with extensive regional Transportation Information

BENEFITS OVERVIEW

Learn about medical, dental and many other benefits afforded graduate students on the California campus of Scripps Research.

Email

Have any questions or concerns? Please contact us! On the California campus, Shannon Deck can address any issues or questions: sdeck@scripps.edu

Reimbursements

Please contact Whitney Wagner with any reimbursement requests from your visit. She can be reached via email at: whitneyw@scripps.edu.

Social Media

Stay updated about our program, grad students, and educational outreach activities via our social media platforms:

TWITTER: @ScrippsGradPrgm

INSTAGRAM: @scrippsresearchgraduateprogram and @scrippsresearchoutreach

FACEBOOK: @ScrippsGradPrgm and @ScrippsResearchEducationalOutreach

YOUTUBE: Scripps Research Graduate Program and Scripps Research Educational Programs

Download or view our Career and Professional Development Services flyer.

To explore in detail the many services and resources made available to graduate students via the Career and Postdoctoral Services Office, explore the Career Services section of our website.

A wide array of support services are available for graduate students. Here is just a sample:

International Services Office - The International Services Office (ISO) provides comprehensive, professional and individualized immigration and support services in a welcoming environment. ISO staff can support students in many ways, including personal, social and cultural matters; immigration expertise; travel questions; employment questions; health insurance and medical issues; support for dependents; and resources to support you on campus and in the community.

Counseling and Psychological Services - Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) teams on both campuses provide free, confidential counseling services to benefits-eligible employees and their family members. Non–emergency counseling by licensed professionals is available for issues ranging from job stress to major depression. Clients at CAPS are usually seen in individual counseling, couples counseling or support groups.

Ombuds Office - Scripps Research's Ombuds Office offers a safe and confidential place to discuss issues and explore possibilities for informally addressing them.

HOUSING

Our International Services Office has put together a fantastic set of Housing Pages that provide detailed information about housing options adjacent to both of our campuses. Follow the link above to learn more about:

• Neighborhoods closest to campus.
• Housing search services and websites.
• No-charge realtor services to help students find affordable housing.
• Room rental and roommate finding suggestions. The Graduate Office also invites all incoming students each year to a campus-specific Facebook group, which is moderated by staff and current students who share housing and roommate opportunities as they become available.
   

RELOCATION TRANSPORTATION

Relocation transportation, either by airline, train, bus or other public means, is reimbursable at coach fare. Students who plan to travel by air to San Diego or Jupiter can contact our travel agent, which will then bill Scripps Research directly.

Numerous clubs and student-run organizations exist on both campuses. For a list of groups that are open to graduate students, postdocs and staff, visit our Campus Interest Groups page, with links to detailed pages for groups on both campuses, including the Network for Women in Science (NWiS), Scientific Diversity Association, Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Interest Group, Toastmasters (public speaking), ScrippsAssists (our community volunteering group), and Society of Fellows groups. (CA | FL)

In addition, graduate students have organized and run a number of other groups, including:

• Graduate Student Council
• Outdoors Club
• Indoors Club
• Biotechnology Club
• Distinguished Lecture Series (student-run program of visiting speakers)
• ...or start your own student-run club!

Both campuses offer extensive educational outreach opportunities, allowing students to develop teaching and mentoring skills while giving back to their local communities. Moreover, on our Intranet site, we maintain an interactive calendar of outreach activities and programs that allows students and postdocs to search available outreach volunteer opportunities by campus, interest, activity type, even by the type of skills volunteers can expect to gain by participating.

Here is just a sampling of outreach opportunities that graduate students may elect to volunteer for:

• High School Summer Internship Program - Mentor a high school intern in the laboratory (7-10 week time commitment)
• SURF/REU Program - Mentor an undergraduate summer intern in the laboratory (10-week commitment)
• SPAM Program - Assist undergraduates who are seeking summer research internships by helping them find the right program and assemble a competitive application. (5-month commitment)
• SMILE Program - Join a small team of other students and/or postdocs to develop and present short science lessons to K-8 students in their classroom 
• LEADR Program - Lead a journal club discussion, present a short research or topical seminar, or provide hands-on instruction to groups of community college students.
• Seminars & Webinars - Present a talk to groups of middle school or high school students on scientific topics, or discuss academic and career possibilities in science.