Quantitative & Computational Biosciences Interview Information

Dear Candidate,

Thank you for applying to the Quantitative & Computational Biosciences Graduate Program at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. 

We have completed a review of your application and are delighted to invite you for a personal interview with our program faculty and students. Your interview date is included in the email notification that you received. Please respond to our program administrator, Jenna Brown (jenna.brown@bcm.edu), regarding your availability to interview at your earliest convenience.

All interviews will be virtual this year. You will receive a detailed schedule for your interview days along with Zoom links one week in advance. We recognize the challenges you are facing in selecting a graduate school this year and commit to doing our best to help you gather the information you require to determine if the Quantitative & Computational Biosciences Graduate Program at BCM is the right fit for you. Unfortunately, you will not have the opportunity to walk our campus or to have the casual encounters on interview visits that provide a clearer picture of the diverse and supportive culture of program. Instead, we have put together activities that will include virtual tours and social activities that will introduce you to our outstanding students and faculty and show you what our program has to offer. In addition to meeting with program leadership and faculty, you will meet with current students, hear short research presentations from both students and faculty, and take virtual tours of the Texas Medical Center and BCM campus.

This website provides additional information to aid you in preparing for your interview and collecting the information you need to determine if our program is right for you. You may return to this website as often as you want during the interview and selection process.

Please feel free to email Jenna Brown or me if you have questions about the interview process.

We look forward to interacting with you.

Sincerely,
Aleksandar Milosavljevic, Ph.D.
Director, Program in Quantitative and Computational Biosciences
amilosav@bcm.edu

Jenna Brown
Program Administrator, Graduate Program in Quantitative and Computational Biosciences
jenna.brown@bcm.edu

One of the strengths of the Quantitative & Computational Biosciences Graduate Program is that each student has the freedom to choose a mentor from a select, multidisciplinary group of over 65 outstanding world-renowned scientists. As part of your itinerary, you will meet with members of the Program Executive Committee, as well as faculty who work in various research fields. Please review the program faculty at the link below to identify faculty members with whom you would like to meet. We request that you identify 5-10 faculty members and send the list when you communicate with Jenna. Please note that the faculty you select may not be available during your interview times, but we will do our very best to accommodate your requests. You may also be able to visit with those faculty during our virtual recruitment dinner.

Quantitative and Computational Biosciences Graduate Program Training Faculty

Quantitative and Computational Biosciences Faculty Research Interests

To help your interview days go as smoothly as possible, we encourage you to:

• Check that you have a stable internet connection.
• Use a computer or tablet with a good webcam and microphone (Phones may be used, but a computer or tablet will improve stability).
• Find private, quiet and well-lit space.
• Test your technology before the interview starts– check your microphone and camera to make sure they are working well and the picture and sound are not poor quality.
• Check your internet speed. You can do this at SpeedTest.net. Sometimes switching from Wi-Fi to a wired ethernet connection improves your internet speed. If your home’s internet connection is to slow, consider going to a local library or find a space at your school where you can do the interview in a private room with stable Wi-Fi if possible.
• Look at the device’s camera, not the screen, and keep your head and shoulders centered in the camera’s view.
• If possible, record yourself before your interview so can get a sense of your eye contact, sound quality and whether you are fidgeting, swiveling in your chair or making distracting gestures, such as covering parts of your face.
• Make sure your device is fully charged and have a charger with you so you can plug into an outlet in case there is a problem with your battery.
• Have a backup plan in case technology fails – the email you receive with your schedule will contain a cell phone number you can call if you have any last-minute issues. Be sure to have this number with you just in case.