Getting involved with research without graduate degree?

[wj2cho]

Hello,

I am studying mathematics and biology as an undergrad. I have always want to do a PhD, but due to having a B- average, I need to set up a realistic plan, (i.e, not going to grad school and try to find a job) although I have not given up hope entirely.

I am seriously interested in aging. Recent results from Harvard and Stanford seem to show that the fountain of youth is not entirely fictional and I wish to get involved with research in aging. But obviously I can't get into Harvard or Stanford, I will be more than happy if I can get involved anywhere though.

So I thought of doing my undergrad in bioinformatics, (similar to what I have done so far, I can just stay for one extra year) getting a job as a bioinformatics developer. I will keep on studying on my own, get to know the people who do research and maybe share my own thought over a cup of coffee.

If my research interests were in pure mathematics or theoretical physics, I would not even have posted this. I can just read new papers on ArXiv. But for biology, I will need access to all the expensive lab materials. So my question is, how much can I get involved, with just a bachelor's degree, specifically in aging research with a bachelor's degree?

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

So my question is, how much can I get involved, with just a bachelor's degree, specifically in aging research with a bachelor's degree?

The quick answer is internships :)
@Ryan_m_b might have more advice

 

[analogdesign]

My wife conducts public health research studies (not aging specifically but similar type stuff) at a major university. She has a team of BS-level research associates whose job it is to implement the research. For example they recruit patients, take measurements, run stats, maintain databases, and collaborate on the paper writing. A lot of "large scale" research, and by that I mean the group is bigger than can be filled with grad students, is done by people with BS degrees. Often people do it a few years before going to graduate school.

 

[Almeisan]

Isn't a BSc in bioinformatics fine to get a job supporting PhD researchers at some lab or institution? Or at least at a company involved with bioinformatics/genomic data? Yeah, you won't be a true scientist but depending on how good your ideas are, the more influence you will have.

I'd say that as a biologist/bioinformatist it would be easier to get involved with research with just a BSc than with physics or math because there you would rather want a CS or engineering BSc as a supporting techician.

You can actually set up a mol. bio lab yourself and do a few experiments yourself. It is not that expensive. But of course it wouldn't be a way to generate the data you are looking for, but you can do a lot of stuff. Could be more of a hobby thing. I mean, compare that to a physics lab where almost everything is super expensive.

 

[clope023]

Hello,

I am studying mathematics and biology as an undergrad. I have always want to do a PhD, but due to having a B- average, I need to set up a realistic plan, (i.e, not going to grad school and try to find a job) although I have not given up hope entirely.

I am seriously interested in aging. Recent results from Harvard and Stanford seem to show that the fountain of youth is not entirely fictional and I wish to get involved with research in aging. But obviously I can't get into Harvard or Stanford, I will be more than happy if I can get involved anywhere though.

So I thought of doing my undergrad in bioinformatics, (similar to what I have done so far, I can just stay for one extra year) getting a job as a bioinformatics developer. I will keep on studying on my own, get to know the people who do research and maybe share my own thought over a cup of coffee.

If my research interests were in pure mathematics or theoretical physics, I would not even have posted this. I can just read new papers on ArXiv. But for biology, I will need access to all the expensive lab materials. So my question is, how much can I get involved, with just a bachelor's degree, specifically in aging research with a bachelor's degree?

I have two bachelors degree and my job at a national lab is essentially a research position. It's supporting the experiments proposed by the PhD's but I'm still doing research that can be published.