What can I offer to a professor for research?

[Nick tringali]

My question is, I want to conduct research with one of my professors, but she is a big research person and likely has a team so what use would I be to her? I want to know, if I ask my professor if she would like to conduct research with me, what can I offer as I am just an undergrad and don't think I can contribute that much. I want to get publications as it looks good for medical school plus I love science, but I don't know how to ask. How should I ask my professor, I don't know what to say. Any thoughts?

 

[jedishrfu]

What areas does your prof do research in? You could pose a project idea to her from her areas of interest. It would have to somehow showcase your skills and since you did some researched on it, shows you have an interest in her areas of research.

By asking her for advice on your project, you might get her attention. She might even consider sponsoring your project. Alternatively, it allows you to talk to her, get a dialog going, and to ask her what her team is working on. Perhaps from that meeting, you can identify a niche where you can help.

There's an interesting psychological strategy in asking for help as opposed to asking to join her team.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/...02002/4-tips-effectively-ask-help-and-get-yes

https://www.theverge.com/2018/6/22/17475134/heidi-grant-reinforcements-help-social-psychology

And from Patrick Jane of The Mentalist:

https://trustedadvisor.com/trustmatters/trust-mentalist

Advice Tidbit Number Three. “If you want someone to trust you, ask them for a favor – even a small one.”
The reciprocal exchange of risk gestures is the template of trust creation. While we usually think of doing someone else a favor as risky, Jane is quite right that the asking of a favor is also a form of risk.

If done sensitively, sincerely, and infrequently, asking someone a favor is a form of flattery. It shows the asker has such respect for the other that he is willing to suffer the embarrassment of refusal. It is a form of risk-taking. It demonstrates vulnerability.

Vulnerability drives risk, which initiates the formation of trust. There is no trust without risk.

The problem of course is how much you can contribute due to your level of knowledge. If you only know Calculus then you can't help with more complex math but if you have a larger body of math then it will make it easier to jump in and do stuff. The more math the larger your contribution can be.

Don't undersell yourself when talking to her. If she asks you about programming in say Matlab and you did it once in a course then say you know because clearly, you know enough to learn what you're missing. My nephew lost a job opportunity because he felt he didn't know C programming enough when he had in fact used it in a course. He answered no as opposed to I took a course on it which is a way of answering yes in a truthful way.

Basically, you need to show her your passion and interest in the things she is researching, sell yourself and your skills, and hope she starts to think that you might be an asset to her team or some new project she wants to start.

 

[Choppy]

Just ask her.

Remind her who you are (particularly if you're in a large class), attach a copy of your CV where you've included your education up to this point, relevant coursework and any skills you may have, and ask her if she's looking for any help with research projects in the coming months.

Assuming you're in North America, this is a good time to do this (at least in a relative sense). If you're looking for a summer position, for example, she might be able to help you write up some kind of funding application if she doesn't specifically have money to pay you.

Keep in mind though, that a lot of labs are closed right now due to COVID. So don't be too disappointed if you get put on hold.

 

[Dr. Courtney]

I usually work with the students I mentor closely discussing how their skills might line up with the research needs of a given faculty member they are considering working with. Some skill sets line up better with experimentalists than theorists, and even among different kinds of experimentalists or theorists, some skills might be a better match.

Look into what the prof is doing and think about what skills you might have in your toolbox. You may also reach out to other undergrads or grad students working with the prof and see what guidance they can provide. But most faculty know undergrads are going to be lacking in some skills, but most are hoping to take on undergrads that are not a complete blank slate.

 

[Andy Resnick]

My question is, I want to conduct research with one of my professors, but she is a big research person and likely has a team so what use would I be to her? I want to know, if I ask my professor if she would like to conduct research with me, what can I offer as I am just an undergrad and don't think I can contribute that much. I want to get publications as it looks good for medical school plus I love science, but I don't know how to ask. How should I ask my professor, I don't know what to say. Any thoughts?

Just the act of asking a professor to participate in a research effort is notable: I have never turned away any student who has approached me. So, what do you have to offer? Most likely, nothing. But here's the thing- that's ok, because having undergraduate students in the lab is primarily a teaching activity, secondarily a research activity. I expect my incoming students to not be able to do anything at first, other than have a positive mental attitude. After a semester they can do something on their own, and after a year they usually have enough results to write up.

Your sentence "I want to get publications as it looks good for medical school...", on the other hand, is of concern for several reasons. Do not take this attitude when approaching a research mentor. Yes, wanting to publish your work is great- but expecting a published paper after 1 semester's worth of effort, just so you can pad an application, is not great.

I suggest reading some of your professor's published work and finding something of interest to you, so that when you do approach the professor you have something to talk about- that paper you are interested in, and your interest in taking it to the next level.