Presented a poster but is it research?

[907914]

---

Members do not see this ad.

So, I worked for almost 2 years on an NIH grant trying to design a simulation to better understand the folding mechanics of an enzyme/substrate interface. I presented our findings at my school symposium and abstract was accepted at NCUR (didn’t go because of limited travel funds).

My job was building the simulation, pressing go, and analyzing the data (we had some programs for it) to generate the simulation. Is in-silico research worthy of being labeled as ‘research’?

If not, can I still list the poster?

Edit:
My other research is about 400ish hours hours since January 2018 working with bacteriophages, Osteoclasts, and CRISPR/Cas9 type stuff. If needed.

I ask because of Harvard requiring a letter from every PI and I don’t really think the simulations one is worthwhile - it was like 3 or 400 hours that I feel should be on my app somewhere...

 

[965978]

What exactly do you mean by “building the simulation”?

 

[907914]

What exactly do you mean by “building the simulation”?

Like, import crystallography data from protein data bank to get the 3D structure, then design the aqueous environment, ensuring all cofactors are present, then ‘pressing go.’ Basically, imagine trying to program a novel animation from scratch, but you are putting all of the pieces in place and the computer does the actual animation.

In essence, it was just a boatload of Linux. There was a hypothesis, there were data to correspond to that hypothesis, but my role was to create the simulation and then analyze the data produced by the simulation.

 

[965978]

Like, import crystallography data from protein data bank to get the 3D structure, then design the aqueous environment, ensuring all cofactors are present, then ‘pressing go.’ Basically, imagine trying to program a novel animation from scratch, but you are putting all of the pieces in place and the computer does the actual animation.

In essence, it was just a boatload of Linux. There was a hypothesis, there were data to correspond to that hypothesis, but my role was to create the simulation and then analyze the data produced by the simulation.

But how much “intellectual power” did you provide? Did you develop and learn what data was needed and do that all yourself? Or was it given to you?

It’s like making a cake from scratch vs. using cake mix. Anybody can use a cake mix but you have to develop the skill to make it from scratch.

 

[907914]

I guess it is kind of like a climate model prediction or an ecologist that models population dynamics within an ecosystem. People get their Ph.Ds with these methods...So do I list them as research?

 

[907914]

But how much “intellectual power” did you provide? Did you develop and learn what data was needed and do that all yourself? Or was it given to you?

It’s like making a cake from scratch vs. using cake mix. Anybody can use a cake mix but you have to develop the skill to make it from scratch.

The intellectual power was in trial-and-error of the simulation. The data to go in to the simulation was already collected in a wet lab. We were attempting to confirm a hypothesized mechanism for the observations.

 

[965978]

I think you could list it as research.

But you have to be very clear cut about your role. ADCOMS are very aware of people in research exaggerating their specific role and responsibilities. So sometimes an interviewer will rattle you about your research to make sure you are not full of it.

So make sure that you clearly state who is generating the data, who actually designed the software/simulation, and who came up with how the data should be analyzed (which is different than analyzing the data).

And be very cautious of using certain phrases such as saying “built the simulation”. From what you said it seems more like that you tested and ran the simulation? Because when you use the word “built” it sounds like you designed the software or program for the simulation, at least that’s how I interpreted it.

 

[Goro]

So, I worked for almost 2 years on an NIH grant trying to design a simulation to better understand the folding mechanics of an enzyme/substrate interface. I presented our findings at my school symposium and abstract was accepted at NCUR (didn’t go because of limited travel funds).

My job was building the simulation, pressing go, and analyzing the data (we had some programs for it) to generate the simulation. Is in-silico research worthy of being labeled as ‘research’?

If not, can I still list the poster?

Edit:
My other research is about 400ish hours hours since January 2018 working with bacteriophages, Osteoclasts, and CRISPR/Cas9 type stuff. If needed.

I ask because of Harvard requiring a letter from every PI and I don’t really think the simulations one is worthwhile - it was like 3 or 400 hours that I feel should be on my app somewhere...

Molecular modeling is research

 

[Osteosaur]

everyone reads sdn, gets a bunch of buzz words in their head like "intellectual contributions", and then thinks they need to write a proposal to a PI and will then have free reign to design a project that they will be first author on. that seldom ever happens even for graduate students until dissertation time. most often you're given a little experiment within their broader project and you do it at their direction. that is 99.5% of people's research.

just make sure you can explain in layman's terms what you did, why its important, and what you learned during an application.

this is a thing you did and put time into. don't downplay it.

 

[907914]

everyone reads sdn, gets a bunch of buzz words in their head like "intellectual contributions", and then thinks they need to write a proposal to a PI and will then have free reign to design a project that they will be first author on. that seldom ever happens even for graduate students until dissertation time. most often you're given a little experiment within their broader project and you do it at their direction. that is 99.5% of people's research.

just make sure you can explain in layman's terms what you did, why its important, and what you learned during an application.

this is a thing you did and put time into. don't downplay it.

So I should just reach out for the LOR? I think Harvard is the only school that asks about letters from every PI. Would that still be an appreciated notion at most upper schools?

 

[907914]

I think you could list it as research.

But you have to be very clear cut about your role. ADCOMS are very aware of people in research exaggerating their specific role and responsibilities. So sometimes an interviewer will rattle you about your research to make sure you are not full of it.

So make sure that you clearly state who is generating the data, who actually designed the software/simulation, and who came up with how the data should be analyzed (which is different than analyzing the data).

And be very cautious of using certain phrases such as saying “built the simulation”. From what you said it seems more like that you tested and ran the simulation? Because when you use the word “built” it sounds like you designed the software or program for the simulation, at least that’s how I interpreted it.

Will be sure to see if I have the character counts to even give it a description 😀

 

[907914]

I think you could list it as research.

But you have to be very clear cut about your role. ADCOMS are very aware of people in research exaggerating their specific role and responsibilities. So sometimes an interviewer will rattle you about your research to make sure you are not full of it.

So make sure that you clearly state who is generating the data, who actually designed the software/simulation, and who came up with how the data should be analyzed (which is different than analyzing the data).

And be very cautious of using certain phrases such as saying “built the simulation”. From what you said it seems more like that you tested and ran the simulation? Because when you use the word “built” it sounds like you designed the software or program for the simulation, at least that’s how I interpreted it.

Will be sure to see if I have the character counts to even give it a description 😀

 

[Kpw101]

100% list it as research and be clear about your role. Not sure why someone would be worried about the potential of it being "up-played" if you can coherently speak about the project at an interview.

 

[907914]

100% list it as research and be clear about your role. Not sure why someone would be worried about the potential of it being "up-played" if you can coherently speak about the project at an interview.

I currently have 2 of my 15 activities sections dedicated towards research - one for posters and one for research. Since all of the posters were at my school symposium (save for abstract being accepted at NCUR) would it be better to instead use those two slots two talk about each of the two labs I have worked in and list the posters alongside them? Or, if I can figure a way to combine 2 of my other activities (not sure where, but I can try) should I have one devoted to each lab (one of the labs I have three different projects ongoing...) and one for posters?

 

[907914]

And as far as LOR goes, I should get one from the other OI (the simulations one)?