Tips on getting research position at another uni?

[DressageGal]

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Hey yall,

I am interested in joining a research group at another university for the summer. The uni I have in mind has a fantastic program in my research interests and is also a school where I would like to possibly attend medical or grad school.

Any tips on dry emailing professors? How do I convince a professor to take on a student whom doesn't even go to their university?

Thanks!

 

[Boolean]

Hi Professor Blank,

I am a student at Blank majoring in Blank interested in your research in Blank.

Here is why I am great for you.

Here is how I can help your research.

Attached is my CV.

Thank you for your time.

 

[DressageGal]

Thank you! Really helpful.

 

[WhittyPsyche]

Hi Professor Blank,

I am a student at Blank majoring in Blank interested in your research in Blank.

Here is why I am great for you.

Here is how I can help your research.

Attached is my CV.

Thank you for your time.

I've done exactly this and had success.
One thing to note, that may or may not be your situation, is the lab I worked with had a lot of software that was incorporated into university accounts and as a non-student/non affiliate I did not have access to those things so it made my ability to work on my own projects extremely difficult. I had to be signed in by supervisors/PI just to run SPSS each time, which meant I could only come in on the hours they did. It seemed a nuance at first but like I said it limited a lot of the research I could have explored independently. Hopefully that will not be the case at your potential school. Good luck!

 

[DressageGal]

One more question - do you suggest sending out multiple of these emails to different professors or is it better to go one by one to avoid (should I be so lucky) multiple offers or possibly seeming insincere?

 

[WhittyPsyche]

Send out to multiple, some professors do not respond if their lab is full, some don't check emails. Maximize your time. Having multiple offers does not make you insincere. Just make sure you are graceful in your responses of why another opportunity was the better decision/ that you have already committed to another lab. No one will be offended.

 

[pluto101]

As a liberal arts graduate, my senior year I sent out five of these blind emails to profs at the local major research university. 3 replied, 2 offered an interview, and I ended up at an excellent lab which hooked me up with a job once I graduated.

This is a very effective strategy.