Welcome to Undergrad in the Lab!

Undergraduate research can be incredibly rewarding, but where do you start and how do you succeed? Navigating this unfamiliar territory is not easy. Here you will find advice on how to find a research position, and how to get the most out of your experience.

Research is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought.

— Albert Szent-Györgi (1893-1986) U. S. biochemist.
07
Feb

Seize Your Undergrad Research Interview: Ask the Questions That Matter

Submitted by undergrad-admin

—from the PI's desk

Ask relevant questions for a successful interview

Each semester, when you select your classes, you apply a methodical approach. You no doubt consider several factors such as: what will satisfy major requirements, help you prepare for the MCAT or GRE, add weight to your transcript, and, of course, what sounds the most interesting. Essentially, you don’t play “registration roulette” and find yourself in advanced string theory when you really need a cell biology course.

interview
undergraduate research
STEM
Experiential Learning

Sometimes Friends Just Don't Understand

Ever have one of those great moments in the lab that you try to explain to a friend who doesn't do research and their response is a blank look or an understated, "That's....great....?"

Moments such as getting the exact amount of chemical you need in a single scoop, pouring the exact number of pipette tips out you need to fill the last box, or having the exact number of microliters left in a tube to set up your reaction. Sometimes those little moments brighten our day, but non-lab friends simply don't get why they are exciting.

tips
09
Oct

Choose Your Research Position Wisely

Submitted by undergrad-admin

—from the PI's desk

Why passion for a research position will help you get an interview, and faking passion will hurt your chances

Each semester, I post an advertisement for the open undergrad research positions in my lab. The ad includes a description of the project, methods my lab uses, and overall objectives of my lab's research focus. Yet, each semester, several undergrads with interests completely unrelated to my research program apply for a position in my lab.

position search
search

Fungi, Fieldwork, and Photography. Undergrad Blog Feat. James Iremonger

Wannbebio is the next blog written by an undergrad that we’ve chosen to feature.

Its author, James Iremonger, who lives in Edinburgh, started his blog during his first undergrad studentship. He describes Wannbebio as “a place to write about biology in general, as well as anything else (heavy metal, films, cats, abject nonsense).” So far, James has worked on several research projects such as urban parasitic fungi, bacteriology, and shellfish immune response to thraustochytrid pathogens.

tips
featured blogs
27
Sep

I'm Published. Now What?

Submitted by undergrad-admin

—from the PI's desk

We received an inquiry from an undergrad about how to use their co-authorship on applications (edited here for brevity and to maintain anonymity):

I have been working on research projects for a year now. Just this summer I have received a co-authorship on a study. I was wondering, how do I record this information or something along those lines to be used for graduate school applications?

Dear Undergrad In The Lab,

Congratulations on your publication!

CV
resume
publication
21
Sep

How You Doin'?

Submitted by undergrad-admin

— from the Lab Manager's bench

One of the reassuring things about taking an undergraduate lab course is knowing exactly what you need to do to earn the letter grade you want. For most instructional labs, you can calculate your grade at anytime to know whether or not you’re excelling, and opt for the extra credit assignments if needed.

in the lab
recommendation letter
self-assessment

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