Research Question

[JPodel]

Okay so I am graduation HS this week and summer is right around the corner.

Last summer, the summer between my Junior and Senior year in HS, I emailed a professor at a local university and she allowed me to come in her lab and help her with "dry" research (computer stuff), ZERO wet lab. I was sitting in front of a computer compiling a database for 6 hours a day... I went in everyday for about a month or more for 6-7 hours! I liked the idea behind what they were doing even though I didn't understand everything they were doing (I was a junior in HS...) When I left, she asked if I wanted her to write me a letter of Rec to the honors college at the University. She also said "You are welcome back next summer if you want...". Now that summer is approaching, I am getting ready to email her and see whats going on!

My question was should I go back to that lab? It was volunteer work, no pay. Would I be able to find something that would pay (as I need to make some money) or am I just being a little greedy? The PI that I was helping said, "If you stay here until you graduate, its an automatic publication." I really like what they were doing but sitting on the computer everyday, looking up peptides and making a list of like 4000 kicked my ass. Still got it done on time though

What should I do? Stay or find something else?

Thanks. P.S: I am attending the Honors college within the University she wrote me a LOR too. Its right next to the lab I 'worked' at.

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[mct2762]

Okay so I am graduation HS this week and summer is right around the corner.

Last summer, the summer between my Junior and Senior year in HS, I emailed a professor at a local university and she allowed me to come in her lab and help her with "dry" research (computer stuff), ZERO wet lab. I was sitting in front of a computer compiling a database for 6 hours a day... I went in everyday for about a month or more for 6-7 hours! I liked the idea behind what they were doing even though I didn't understand everything they were doing (I was a junior in HS...) When I left, she asked if I wanted her to write me a letter of Rec to the honors college at the University. She also said "You are welcome back next summer if you want...". Now that summer is approaching, I am getting ready to email her and see whats going on!

My question was should I go back to that lab? It was volunteer work, no pay. Would I be able to find something that would pay (as I need to make some money) or am I just being a little greedy? The PI that I was helping said, "If you stay here until you graduate, its an automatic publication." I really like what they were doing but sitting on the computer everyday, looking up peptides and making a list of like 4000 kicked my ass. Still got it done on time though

What should I do? Stay or find something else?

Thanks. P.S: I am attending the Honors college within the University she wrote me a LOR too. Its right next to the lab I 'worked' at.

STAY! sounds freakin awesome. I am about to start med school, and I will say that I have not heard of many people who did research in high school. Doesn't matter what you did. you showed dedication and the PI obviously noticed. She can write you LOR's in the future. Sounds like a solid deal, especially if you can get a pub out of it

 

[mmmcdowe]

Unlikely to get payed this summer but apply to SOLUR next summer and eventually you can get payed all year long through them. You may be able to jump directly to the researcher level like I did.

https://sols.asu.edu/undergraduate/solur

 

[JPodel]

STAY! sounds freakin awesome. I am about to start med school, and I will say that I have not heard of many people who did research in high school. Doesn't matter what you did. you showed dedication and the PI obviously noticed. She can write you LOR's in the future. Sounds like a solid deal, especially if you can get a pub out of it

Thank you Dr. Yang! Right now, I am pretty sure I will just stay with this lab! Do you recommend I ask to "volunteer" there during the academic year too? Or just keep this for summer?

 

[JPodel]

Unlikely to get payed this summer but apply to SOLUR next summer and eventually you can get payed all year long through them. You may be able to jump directly to the researcher level like I did.

https://sols.asu.edu/undergraduate/solur

Thank you mmmcdowe! I was reading through the page and I saw that you must be a SOLS student... Do you think it would matter if I'm not because my major is in CLAS. Sounds pretty cool though, maybe CLAS has something like this? Its cool how a lot of those projects they are looking for help on are being done in Biodesign and that's where I volunteer. So I think I'll maybe stick to this lab for now and gain some experience, and then maybe in a year or two I can either talk to them about getting paid or find something else. Or just stay there volunteering all 4 years and maybe get a publication. Who know!

 

[mct2762]

Thank you Dr. Yang! Right now, I am pretty sure I will just stay with this lab! Do you recommend I ask to "volunteer" there during the academic year too? Or just keep this for summer?

I would do it as much as possible, as long as it is not interfering with your classes. The more time you put in, the more the PI will get to know you, the better your LOR will be. I think its a really great opportunity! Make sure to make time for other volunteering too though!

 

[JPodel]

I would do it as much as possible, as long as it is not interfering with your classes. The more time you put in, the more the PI will get to know you, the better your LOR will be. I think its a really great opportunity! Make sure to make time for other volunteering too though!

Thank you!

Anyone else have any input?

 

[AbR124]

Are you by any chance located in California? If so, could you please give me details for the professor as I would also like to get experience. Thank You!

 

[JPodel]

Are you by any chance located in California? If so, could you please give me details for the professor as I would also like to get experience. Thank You!

Not in Cali. Email a lot of professors and see what they say, nothing you cannot do!

 

[AbR124]

Oh, alright. Yeah that's the plan, been emailing professors. Need to continue so hopefully I find someone by summer time. Anyways thanks for the support!

 

[JPodel]

Bump