How can I obtain a research position?

[honeypot]

I have a list of faculty that I would like to do research with and their email addresses. I tried emailing profs last semester (said that I was interested in doing research with them) but they told me that they did not have any available spots.

So I was wondering, how should I approach them this time around? And what should I say?

Thanks!

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[akademiks1989]

Besides looking at your university professors for research (they tend to only allow students they have taught and with superb science skills to help them anyways..they won't take a random student), have you tried other things? The best places to look are at medical schools (they are always hiring undergrads) and other organizations. Look there.

Someone before, in a different thread, mentioned the NIH. Try there too. Just don't limit yourself to the university.

 

[honeypot]

Besides looking at your university professors for research, have you tried other things? The best places to look are at medical schools (they are always hiring undergrads) and other organizations. Look there.

Someone before, in a different thread, mentioned the NIH. Try there too. Just don't limit yourself to the university.

Thanks I want to do research over the school year too though.

 

[akademiks1989]

Make sure your schedule is open. Try to have at least one weekday off and try to have the other days get out relatively early. You can find on campus jobs if you look hard enough. Is your undergrad affiliated with a medical school? If so, look there.

 

[honeypot]

Make sure your schedule is open. Try to have at least one weekday off and try to have the other days get out relatively early. You can find on campus jobs if you look hard enough. Is your undergrad affiliated with a medical school? If so, look there.

thanks

 

[akademiks1989]

I go to Cornell and the med school is in NYC.

Go look around

 

[airshad8]

Go look around

Be careful. Don't get into a lab that just wants you to wash dishes. As soon as you realize you're in one, throw the dishes at the nearest post-doc and run the other way. Trust me...they SUCK. but in terms of getting a position, the best advice I can give you...for someone who goes to a school that's isolated...is in the beginning of the semester, send emails to faculty with a CV and some words about their research that interests you. Make sure you talk to some advisor to find out which labs in your school get the most funding...that usually means they have more space and more time for UG kids. I followed this exact strategy, sent out ten emails, got replies from 9, and just picked the one with the most funding (I also had genuine interest in the stuff), and went with it.

Also, if this doesn't work out, move out to a city (or maybe near your hometown) during the summer and work something out there.

Good luck

 

[airshad8]

Besides looking at your university professors for research (they tend to only allow students they have taught and with superb science skills to help them anyways..they won't take a random student), have you tried other things? The best places to look are at medical schools (they are always hiring undergrads) and other organizations. Look there.

Someone before, in a different thread, mentioned the NIH. Try there too. Just don't limit yourself to the university.

The NIH thing usually requires prior experience. IRTA application for instance asks for recs from past PIs and detailed summaries of research done...etc. So it's probably not the place to start just FYI

 

[bola]

I went to a small school with not much of a strong research reputation so I had to look outside for research. I applied for SURP programs for the summer after my junior year and after that emailed professors at other schools for a position after graduation.