Becoming a PI

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qwe7791

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Is it possible for an undergraduate to eventually become a PI if said undergraduate accumulates perfect lab techniques and shows a long time commitment?

Also, when do undergraduates usually receive more responsibilities in lab? Obvious question, but I wanted to see some not so obvious answers.
Thanks!
 
Is it possible for an undergraduate to eventually become a PI if said undergraduate accumulates perfect lab techniques and shows a long time commitment?

Also, when do undergraduates usually receive more responsibilities in lab? Obvious question, but I wanted to see some not so obvious answers.
Thanks!

Its all about earning your stripes. Keep performing good work and eventually it will come.

Survivor DO
 
I have never heard of an undergraduate having their own lab and getting major research funding. But hey, I'm not going to be the one to crush your dreams...go for it! :nod: :laugh:
 
Is it possible for an undergraduate to eventually become a PI if said undergraduate accumulates perfect lab techniques and shows a long time commitment?

Also, when do undergraduates usually receive more responsibilities in lab? Obvious question, but I wanted to see some not so obvious answers.
Thanks!
Do you know what a PI is?
 
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Is it possible for an undergraduate to eventually become a PI if said undergraduate accumulates perfect lab techniques and shows a long time commitment?

Also, when do undergraduates usually receive more responsibilities in lab? Obvious question, but I wanted to see some not so obvious answers.
Thanks!

Thank You for the laugh my friend. I really needed that with all the stress from MCAT coming up this week.
 
Is it possible for an undergraduate to eventually become a PI if said undergraduate accumulates perfect lab techniques and shows a long time commitment?

Also, when do undergraduates usually receive more responsibilities in lab? Obvious question, but I wanted to see some not so obvious answers.
Thanks!

Facepalm.gif
 
yeah, i know it's a principal investigator, but this was a serious question. Now i know.
 
To answer the question I think you were asking... If you work in a Professor's lab and come up with your own project related to their work, frequently you will be able to do your own project. Funding for these types of projects can come from a grant from the school (Honors colleges usually have undergrad research grants), the PI could support you if he/she is really interested in the project, or the PI could just provide you with the lab space. It all really depends on the situation, but as an undergrad you CAN conduct your own independent research project and present your results if they're found to be noteworthy.
 
Have you tried asking your PI nicely? Maybe he will let you take over as PI for a few months

Actually, this is a great idea, Josh. It sounds similar to those "become the mayor of x city for a day" contests.
 
To answer the question I think you were asking... If you work in a Professor's lab and come up with your own project related to their work, frequently you will be able to do your own project. Funding for these types of projects can come from a grant from the school (Honors colleges usually have undergrad research grants), the PI could support you if he/she is really interested in the project, or the PI could just provide you with the lab space. It all really depends on the situation, but as an undergrad you CAN conduct your own independent research project and present your results if they're found to be noteworthy.

Yeah. This is what I meant. Sorry for the confusion.
 
To answer the question I think you were asking... If you work in a Professor's lab and come up with your own project related to their work, frequently you will be able to do your own project. Funding for these types of projects can come from a grant from the school (Honors colleges usually have undergrad research grants), the PI could support you if he/she is really interested in the project, or the PI could just provide you with the lab space. It all really depends on the situation, but as an undergrad you CAN conduct your own independent research project and present your results if they're found to be noteworthy.
I have done this before and presented the work at a conference followed by a first author publication.

I developed the project on my own, showed a proof a concept then recruited some staff under me and now that I have moved on to grad school (at a different school) the project is part of the lab being carried on by other students

Its rare that one gets to do that I had worked in 4 labs beforehand and developed my own projects previously but it is possible
 
If you want to become a PI all you need to do is secure lab space and gain sufficient funding. Of course, that last bit typically requires you to prove you know what you're doing (PhD and evidence you've used all the techniques you're going to use before) and have the equipment and collaborators necessary for the project. Considering that even highly successful and talented scientists have a difficult time getting funded, I wish you the best of luck in your endeavor.

Now if you just want your own project, all that requires is coming to your PI with an idea that is both good and is something that fits the PI's interests. Or you can just do what most people do and ask your PI to hand you one of the many projects the lab has on the back-burner for you to go wild with. The latter is far more likely than the former. In my four years of research experience spanning three labs, and having seen around a dozen undergrads do projects as well as two masters students, I've only ever seen one person come up with their own research idea which they then presented to their PI and got turned into a full fledged project. And that person was me, as a lab tech, after I had three years of experience, a degree, a thesis, and a publication under my belt. I was also on very good terms with my PI, and I proposed it at a time when we were looking for a new project anyway. And even then the project ended up getting handed off to a master's student anyway because she needed a thesis project and as a lab tech I have to oversee everything in the lab, not just one project. So that should tell you just how common it is for people to be given projects, not make up their own.
 
I'm pretty sure you can become a PI in high school, as long as you have a ****load of money money to support a lab and personnel.
 
Even with a PhD and a post docs under your belt its incredibly difficult to find an independent position..
 
Even with a PhD and a post docs under your belt its incredibly difficult to find an independent position..

At a university, but what if you started your own research company as a high schooler? Is this possible?
 
At a university, but what if you started your own research company as a high schooler? Is this possible?

Well if you have the money (i.e. you're a rich kid and your parents supply several million for you) you can buy whatever supplies and hire whatever tech staff you need. I'm not sure how submission of manuscripts to peer-reviewed journals works when you're an independent company. I've been under the impression that most industry research isn't published, but is instead kept internally due to contribution to patents, etc.
 
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