Diving headfirst into undergraduate research
Here's my advice for seeking out undergraduate research
Katherine Boylin
Biomedical Engineering, '24
Co-op: Student researcher, Cincinnati Children's Hospital; Vice President of UC's Society of Women Engineers
For years I have had an ever-growing love for science, especially research. When entering college, the idea of getting a research co-op, let alone getting research experience at all, seemed daunting. Here’s some advice from my experience finding a lab to join.
Start big
You might think you know exactly what area you want to go into, however I encourage you to keep your options open. On any academic research institution’s website, they will often list their broad departments. Take some time to investigate each field and then move forward with one or two that you find most interesting
Narrow down your options
Within any field there are bound to be many different labs with a variety of different projects, but it’s impossible to join them all despite how interesting they may be. I recommend making a list detailing what each lab focuses on and your level of interest in them. For me, this was the time to eliminate any labs that had a subject matter, model organism, etc., that didn’t interest me. Make sure to read up on what each lab does instead of just a summary. Reading through their most recently published papers is a great place to start.
Once you have made your list of highest interest labs, reach out
Research institutions are made to educate new people constantly and the worst answer you could get is no. Express interest in their lab, meeting them, learning about what their lab does and enquire about a position in the lab. Make sure you include why you are interested in their lab specifically (that’s why reading up on their recent publications is key!).
One of the most important things to remember: never be afraid to ask
Academia is a culture of learning, and everyone will want to help foster your journey. Research is an incredible opportunity to not only develop a skill set and further your understanding of the scientific process but also make connections with people you likely would not have gotten the opportunity to meet otherwise. The time I have spent at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital learning and forming relationships has been instrumental in my time at UC and I cannot wait to continue!
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Get answers to all your co-op questions
At the University of Cincinnati, undergraduate engineering degrees take five years to complete, unlike the typical four-year bachelor's degree program. But that extra year is incredibly valuable for students to gain a head start on building their careers. Students receive unique, hands-on experiences during their time at the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) through the cooperative education (co-op) program. Co-op is built into the curriculum and students alternate between semesters in the classroom and semesters working full-time in industry or research.