Prototypical Email To Gain a Research Project?

[Confused 20]

I am very much interested in getting involved in a research project this summer. My university has a website devoted to the Office of Undergraduate Research that provides research-related opportunities and information to students interested in engaging in independent or collaborative research with faculty members and research professionals. I emailed them last summer in hopes of attaining a research project. Unfortunately, they never emailed me back to notify me that I had received a project. I very badly would like to become involved in a research project this summer and therefore have decided to email all the science professors at my university in hopes that one would respond to my request. Is this the best method to attain a research project? Also, what is the prototypical email to send an email to a science professor asking to join them in his or her research project? What vital points do I have to get across in order for a professor to accept my offer? What other methods could I utilize to get involved in a research project? It is very vital that a attain a research position this summer. Any input will be appreciated. Thank you.

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[deleted127837]

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[degoo_]

Agreed. I know for a fact professors talk. Its ok to send to multiple professors, but make sure the letter is different each time.

Also, investigate the lab a little more, and try to make more of a story.

Dear Dr.Glomerulus (sorry.. i have physiology exam tomorrow).

Little about me, i'm interested in your lab.. I read the article recently published in PNAS on ... I think it was very interesting and wanted to get involved to further my understanding of... and gain research experience.

Profs love it if you know something about their research.

Also, getting in through TA/graduate student contacts is very good too. Sometimes a grad student will bring you into the lab without the PI even knowing, and you can integrate yourself from there.

 

[stat3113]

I'd send this out, ideally, 2-4 weeks before the start of the semester you want the position in, and worst case 2-4 weeks into that semester.

Here is my sample, which I sent out to ~30 profs, got back ~20 responses. (Eventually decided not to do it b/c of course load lol)

My school has a website where profs from all over the school post looking for undergrad research assistants. Also, we have a Work-Study listing page that has a lot of Lab Assistant positions. In many of these latter cases, if you email the prof that I have experience in X,Y,Z these Lab Assistant positions can become more like research ones.

If your GPA is good, include it. If you've taken some tough classes that are relevant to the research, mention them explicitly, with your grade if it is good (i.e. I took Bio 451, got an A)

If you want you can suck up more (i.e. I was really hoping to work with a smart talented genius like you), but this is just a probing email and usually they will respond with details about what kind of work they can offer, or they'll say I already have 2 kids working so thanks anyway. You really don't have to include your resume, but if you want, go ahead.

(replace the underlined stuff with your situation)

Dear Dr. James,

I was interested in your posting for undergraduate research in biomechanics. I am a senior-year Math/Economics double major and have completed 1 sem Bio, 2
sem Chem, 15 cred. Physics, and over 30 cred. in Math/Stat.

I would appreciate if you could give me more details about the position. I am
available for an interview after 9/4.

Thanks,

John Smith