FAQ for Potential Undergraduate Research Assistants

What kind of research do you do?

Please see this page for a list of current projects.

What will I be expected to do?

I encourage all of my RAs to get involved in research projects and I hope they will eventually start projects of their own.  That said, an independent project is not for everyone.  All RAs are asked to come to and participate in weekly lab meetings, run subjects, and potentially code data. Some RAs also come to a weekly or bi-weekly reading group on current research topics. I also invite RAs to join a particular research project as a researcher.  This latter group gets involved with experimental design and possibly data analysis.  Those involved in an independent project will also work closely with me and a graduate student on a project of their choosing including coming up with a research question, designing, implementing, and running an experiment, analyzing data, and, if all goes well, writing the experiment for publication.

Why should I be an RA?

There are a number of excellent reasons to be an RA.  First, you get hands-on experience with research, i.e., you get a better idea where all those diluted facts in your textbooks came from. Second, if you're interested in going to graduate school, an RA position provides both valuable research experience and an early indication of whether a particular field/topic is right for you. Third, you get to work closely with a faculty member, a relatively rare experience in a large school. Fourth, that faculty member will be in a very good position to write you a personalized letter of recommendation. Finally, it looks good on your resume.

How can I get more information?

Please feel free to email or call me (5-4714). You may also want to contact a current or former lab member.

I'm interested, how do I sign up?

Please email me and set up an appointment or just stop by (Tobin 427). All of the paperwork is listed on this page.