"You be the PI"?

[futureapppsy2]

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So, I received an email from the professor I'm planning on working with this summer (I'm a junior UG, applying next year), and much to my surprise, she said that due to my "extensive research experience," she thinks my time working with her would best by spent by my being the lead author/PI on my own study with her and included a month by month breakdown (6ish months) on what would happen and when from conceptualization to submission. Thoughts: "That's awesome", and "Eeek! Imposter syndrome!" 😱

I've been the PI on my theses and have perhaps been handed more responsibility than the average RA (though that's debatable, I suppose), but I have to say that I really wasn't expecting to be handed PIship. It is a bit flattering but also a tad intimidating for reasons I can't quite articulate. Should I accept it, or might a traditional RAship serve me better?

 

[cara susanna]

Wowza, that's really impressive. I've been offered project leadership before, but I was told undergrad PIs are almost unheard of.

Sorry, I don't know what to tell you, but I did want to chime in my congratulations to you. Even if you don't take it up, just being offered it is great.

 

[deleted176373]

So, I received an email from the professor I'm planning on working with this summer (I'm a junior UG, applying next year), and much to my surprise, she said that due to my "extensive research experience," she thinks my time working with her would best by spent by my being the lead author/PI on my own study with her and included a month by month breakdown (6ish months) on what would happen and when from conceptualization to submission. Thoughts: "That's awesome", and "Eeek! Imposter syndrome!" 😱

I've been the PI on my theses and have perhaps been handed more responsibility than the average RA (though that's debatable, I suppose), but I have to say that I really wasn't expecting to be handed PIship. It is a bit flattering but also a tad intimidating for reasons I can't quite articulate. Should I accept it, or might a traditional RAship serve me better?

I would run with this... Lab leadership experience is a BIG deal, especially if you want to get into many clinical Ph.D. programs that are research heavy. You have to mix in prestige and likelihood of publication, but if you think that the study you will run has the probability to generate a publishable work, then hell ya, be the PI and publish! Unless you are turning down NIH or something really important, there is no real reason to look back.

Mark

 

[futureapppsy2]

Thanks for the input. I emailed her back and tentatively accepted the offer/plan, provided she doesn't withdraw it for some reason (I don't know why she would but I generally don't take things as givens until they are)--I'm excited and flattered but was honestly a bit shell-shocked at first. She actually asked if I would be disappointed in the plan (what I had initially proposed was more of a traditional RAship), and I assured her that was in no way the case!

 

[glasscandie]

Good for you! Maybe you can give me some tips, I'm going to be writing a paper as first-author this summer and I'm a little intimidated!

 

[futureapppsy2]

So, additional question: Under this timeline, I have 5-6 weeks this summer where the professor is out of town and all my work (lit review and methodology) can be done remotely. I have two options:

1) Return to UniversityCity and work for my PI here.

Pros:
-Get paid (pay will cover food and rent plus a bit of extra cash)
-I can volunteer while I'm here, which is relevant to my application (school psych--I don't have a lot of child-related experience)
-I adore my PI and her research, which is very much in the niche of what I would actually want to do.
-I could work with my thesis adviser on my honors senior thesis, possibly even defending my prospectus (though unlikely), which would be nice, seeing as I want to start data collection ASAP in the fall.

Cons:
-This isn't a PI(ish) position, just an RAship (it's likely but not guaranteed that I'll get my name on some things from this work, but likely not in time to help with grad school apps.
-My PI will actually be gone for two of those weeks, so I'll be working with our graduate research assistant and by myself (not like there will be any lack of work to do!)
-I would feel really bad to turning down OtherState professor

2) Go to OtherState and work with a professor there.

Pros:
-This professor's plan is to have me analyze and write-up some of his already collected data into something to be submitted for publication, possibly this Fall (in time to impact grad school apps).
-He does work in child psych -> good for school psych apps?

Cons:
-No pay (I would have to pay for food/housing, so I would actually lose money)
-No way to volunteer while I'm in other state

Thoughts? I need to decide ASAP and having an extraordinarily difficult time. Both are wonderful options!