University of Virginia

Biology Research Intern

May - August 2018 • Charlottesville, VA

What I liked

I liked the field work opportunities

What I wish was different

I wish there were more undergrads around.

Advice

If you have the opportunity to experience field work take it. There's no way to tell if that's what you're into until you try it.

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Undergraduate Research Assistant

May 2018 • Charlottesville, VA

What I liked

Freedom to work on our own schedules and contribute our ideas.

What I wish was different

Spend less time outside in the heat.

Advice

Make sure you pick a research field/topic that is interesting to you. Makes the work much easier.

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Undergraduate Research Assistant

June - August 2018 • Charlottesville, VA

What I liked

Great coworkers, great location, great PIs, and fantastic guidance.

What I wish was different

Wish I took the time to meet people from other departments.

Advice

When you apply to an REU, your essay should really reflect why you want to work there specifically, and your refernce letters are important!

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Researcher intern

June - July 2018 • Kigali, Kigali

What I liked

Learning about the culture and experiences of the Rwandans I worked with.

What I wish was different

Wish I had been better prepared for some of the logistical challenges on the ground that we encountered.

Advice

Don't expect things to go the way you planned, be ready for a change on the ground and embrace it.

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Undergraduate Research Fellow

May - August 2018 • Charlottesville, VA

What I liked

I gained valuable experience doing research in the field of chemistry. My skills in programming were greatly increased. I made new friends with the other members of the research group.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Research Assistant

May 2018 • Charlottesville, VA

What I liked

I had freedom and autonomy but received regular and helpful guidance from my research professor and other grad students. I thought it was an excellent way to learn what research is like and will be helpful when I apply to graduate schools.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Research Assistant

June 2018 • Charlottesville, VA

What I liked

I really liked that I had all summer to learn basic lab techniques. I was glad that I had a hands on experience learning things so that I did not have to cram everything into the school year. I was paired with a PhD student, who taught me how to do things. I had a lot of time and practice over the summer, which means that during the school year I am now able to do things on my own for the most part.

What I wish was different

I wish I had known that I was able to just contact professors without applying for anything specific online, or having been in a class with that professor.

Advice

Don't hesitate to reach out to professors about research. I was very discouraged because I did not think I was competitive enough to get a research position, however, it never hurts to apply or to ask.

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Electrical Engineer

June 2017 • Charlottesville, VA

What I liked

The job is very flexible and work is self-led. I was designing a robotic cell culture system. Dr. Felder allows flexible work hours and I got to select the project I worked on. The lab is well funded so acquiring necessary materials is easy. Overall it is a fun and exciting workplace.

What I wish was different

As first jobs go, this one was perfect. My only wishes stem from the project itself and not the job. Due to the multitude of people who had worked on this project prior to me, I had to redesign a large portion from the ground up which took substantially longer then I had hoped. I have also struggled with tech support for some of the devices used, but again these are small problems not related to the work environment.

Advice

Networking helps. I got this job because of personal contacts that matched me with Dr. Felder's lab and without that networking I would not have gotten that position. Also, know that you're getting yourself into. I met with Dr. Felder for an interview and talked with others who worked at the lab. By the time I had agreed to start working, I already knew my project and what was involved. Had I not know, I think I could have easily found myself frustrated by the process.

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Materials science lab assistant

March 2017 • Charlottesville, VA

What I liked

I got to work in a lab applying the things I learn in my classes to the work I got to do.

What I wish was different

I wish I had been given my own independent project instead of primarily working under a graduate student

Advice

Its not necessarily for everyone

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Undergraduate Research Assistant

May - August 2018 • Charlottesville, VA

What I liked

I enjoyed the experience of learning research techniques and getting an idea of what potential career paths in chemistry might look like. I also worked with an amazing group of people, with whom I am now very close.

What I wish was different

I wish I had had more contact with the professor who's lab I worked in because when we would meet it was very helpful to get ideas and suggestions.

Advice

This was a very good experience. I would encourage anyone interested in research to simply ask their professors what areas of research they are interested in and ask if they have any availabilities for you to help.

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Research Intern

May - August 2018 • Charlottesville, VA

What I liked

Got to lead an innovative nanoscale biomedical research project myself. I got to choose my own hours as long as the required number were met and I made the meetings and presentations.

What I wish was different

Nothing.

Advice

Must be an independent worker and able to take charge of a project with little oversight.

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Biology Laboratory Assistant

May - August 2018 • Charlottesville, VA

What I liked

I really enjoyed the added experience of being more autonomous in a lab setting.

What I wish was different

I wish the atmosphere of the lab had been more lively. I learned a lot and did a lot of good work but wasn’t given much of a chance to make connections with people in my lab.

Advice

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Undergraduate Research Assistant

August 2016 • Charlottesville, VA

What I liked

The connections I made

What I wish was different

Working in a group

Advice

Prepare for lots of individual work

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Undergraduate Researcher

May - August 2018 • Charlottesville, VA

What I liked

I liked the freedom to conduct my own experiments and help develop new procedures for future experiments

What I wish was different

I wish I had had more hands-on training with my boss as well as more guidance for when things went wrong or conclusions didn't make sense.

Advice

Ask lots of questions so you fully understand why you're doing every step of an experiment.

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Facilities manager assistant

August 2018 • Charlottesville, VA

What I liked

Kept busy and moving a lot

What I wish was different

Nothing

Advice

Do what you’re supposed to and you’ll be fine

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Undergraduate Researcher

May 2018 • Charlottesville, VA

What I liked

Everything about including the practical application

What I wish was different

Nothing too much

Advice

Make sure to contact anyone who you think could help you I finding a job including professors

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REU Intern

May - August 2018 • Boyce, VA

What I liked

I loved this internship. I spent the summer living on the arboretum with nine other college students. Each of us chose a mentor to work with after arriving and listening to them discuss their research. I got to have experience working in the field, greenhouse and lab.

What I wish was different

Advice

Take advantage of your time and speak with other mentors not just the one you work with. Its an amazing opportunity.

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Economics Research Assistant

May 2018 • Charlottesville, VA

What I liked

Flexible hours, independent work

What I wish was different

More self-guided research and less mundane tasks, more frequent meetings with supervising professor

Advice

Reach out to your professors to get involved in their research!

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Researcher

May - August 2018 • Charlottesville, VA

What I liked

The ability to learn new things at my own pace with an end goal at the end of summer. I was also working alone so I had full responsibility of my project and was able to work from many different locations when I wanted to.

What I wish was different

I wish the project I had done was more related to coursework I've taken because much of my time was spent teaching myself things I would have learned in classes had I been a different major. Looking back, it was probably good for me because I know a more diverse set of skills but it can become frustrating.

Advice

One of my past professors had a motto for research; "figuring out how to figure things out". This really stuck with me when I had to go about planning my project in a chronological manner. Planning and organizing my week day by day helped me to grasp new concepts and when all else fails, know how to ask for help from the people who can provide the right help.

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