Letters of Recommendation

You should select people who know you fairly well.  Sitting in a basic biology lecture of 115 students is no guarantee that I know you.  If you desire a letter from me, you should allow me the opportunity to get to know you.  You can do this by having conversations with me outside of class, by taking more than one class with me, by being employed as a student worker in the biology department, or by conducting an independent study under my supervision.  I will get to know you quite well if you take a lab course with me (where I am the lab instructor).

If you decide you want me to write a letter of recommendation, it would benefit you to provide me a summary of your academic and extracurricular work.   Also, I would appreciate your request at least two weeks ahead of the date you would like the letter mailed.

I will be honest in my letters, and will emphasize strengths, but also note any apparent weaknesses.  If I cannot honestly recommend you, I will let you know that I can't.