By Krithika Santhanam, Peer Research Ambassador
Are you interested in getting involved with research but have no idea where to begin? Have you applied to programs and are unsure where to go from here? Are you interested in finding a different research opportunity that aligns with your WHY? Then you are definitely in the right place! Welcome to a crash course on the proactive versus reactive processes that students tend to take when finding a research opportunity that truly aligns with their passions.
The REACTIVE process involves applying to research positions and programs that are available to you through different mediums. This can include opportunities through the Office of Undergraduate Research such as the Change grant, Caxide Scholars Program, and Summer Undergraduate Research Fund. Some of these funding opportunities involve prior mentorship with a primary investigator. However, programs like the Health Research Program and the SHARE Summer Research Apprenticeship can be gateway opportunities for students who want that initial research experience that can turn into something more. Also, opportunities posted by departmental websites, outside funding opportunities like Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) through the National Science Foundation, and programs. The components for reactive processes involve deadlines usually requiring a completed application, essay responses (varies), and letters of recommendation (number varies).
The PROACTIVE process involves creating your own research opportunity by reaching out to faculty who are currently engaged in research. This process does not have a designated timeline with deadlines and occurs at the pace of the student and primary investigator (usually faculty). A useful resource to use is Lincus, which is a UConn based program that can show you faculty across all UConn campuses and papers they have published. It is important to know if you embark on the proactive journey to take this at your own pace and show the primary investigator you are truly interested in the topic. Once you have spent some time doing your homework on the research across UConn campuses, the next step would be to write an email asking the faculty member for a conversation about their research. This email could have a little bit about the research you did, times you are available to meet, and your resume. It’s important to be mindful of the length and what time you are sending emails (time of day as well as during major holidays). Students tend to send emails to numerous faculty they are interested in working with, in order to receive a couple emails back. However, it is important to remember that you are sending emails to faculty members whose projects truly interest you because if you end up with an opportunity you didn’t like reading about, chances are you might not like performing the research. Once you have set up a meeting with the primary investigator, this is your chance to LEAD the meeting and showcase your interests and passions. Since you asked for the meeting, it is good practice to prepare for the meeting with some questions and guiding concepts. This is also the time for you to evaluate whether you think this faculty member would be a great mentor for you. If everything goes smoothly, don’t hesitate to ask if the faculty member has any opportunities of openings in their lab for an undergraduate research assistant! Overall, this may be a long and time-consuming process, and you may feel discouraged at times. Nevertheless, this process is very rewarding, and your hard work will pay off.
Here is a “How to” document on Lincus that can be found on the Office of Undergraduate Research website.
As always, if you are confused on which process to take, or your journey to get started in undergraduate research, I highly recommend booking an appointment with a Peer Research Ambassador! Good luck!
Krithika is a junior double majoring in Molecular & Cell Biology and Health Policy and Racial Disparities (IMJR). Click here to learn more about Krithika.