research

[bluewheels]

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as an undergrade how should look for research oportunies?

 

[Thundrstorm]

The easiest thing to do is to go around to different departments at your university and ask professors who are doing research if they are looking for undergrad assistants or know someone who is. I got my research job by just asking my advisor if she knew of any opportunities and she happened to need the help herself.

You can also look online for opportunities in your area. I don't knwo where you are, but I found a list of good opportunities in research on the BU website, even though I don't go there.

Also, it's probably to late for this summer, but there are lots of summer research programs/internships that you can apply to for next summer (start looking in January).

There are probably a couple of threads about this already; you should do a search.

 

[UCLAMAN]

Originally posted by Thundrstorm
The easiest thing to do is to go around to different departments at your university and ask professors who are doing research if they are looking for undergrad assistants or know someone who is.

I emailed about a dozen professors at UCLA's Neurobiology department. I told them I was interested in their research and was wondering if they had anyopenings. Some had openings, some didn't. The email was basically a form email. I just copy and pasted for each prof and then changed their names. 😀 I eventually hooked up with the lab I was most interested in. This lab got me several publications and a 4k research scholarship. 😀

Finding research and excelling is all about initiative.

Prior to this lab that got me the publications I was working in a neuroimaging lab and colored MRI slices all day. Coloring brain slices is fun for...umm...maybe the first 10 minutes. Then it just sucks. So I quit that lab after a quarter. If you start up in a lab and hate it or see no opportunity to move up find a new one.

 

[Thundrstorm]

Originally posted by UCLAMAN
If you start up in a lab and hate it or see no opportunity to move up find a new one.

I agree. I started in a physics lab and it was sooooo boring; I was also very limited in what I could do. So, I started at another lab and I love it. My PI never makes me do dumb stuff like cleaning slides and she's even letting me do an independent side project next semester, which will hopefully result in a publication. :-D

This summer, I'm trying something new; I'm working in a fish lab at a museum. Too bad I know nothing about fish. Should be an interesting summer....

 

[c_skyeblu]

also sometimes its easier to get a position if you come w/ funding...apply for the howard hughes program at your school (you can also go to other schools for this too, it's a really good opportunity), ask your advisor about it. It's a summer program which if you want to keep working in the lab, you can file a funding extension detailing you research and stuff and can work there year round. tons of travel ops too

 

[vixenell]

www.chemstudent.com

has links to quite a few summer research programs organized by region, as well as co-ops and internships.

http://www.rit.edu/~gtfsbi/Symp/summer.htm#categories

This has an exhaustive list of summer programs and co-ops, divided into categories. There's even a section for pre-med students. Ignore the huge font, its worthwhile-- i found all of the programs I applied to through here. This is probably your best bet.