<p>So right now, I'm a junior in high school and want to get into some research at my local university. I have a general idea what field i want to do research in and if I do get to do research, I would be able to go about 1-2 times a week.</p>
<p>Based on my situation, how do you think I should go about getting a research position with a university prof? Is it even plausible to do something like this considering I won't be able to contribute much to the research since I will only be able to go a limited amount of time per week.</p>
<p>Are you thinking you can go 1-2x a week during school days? How many hours in the day? Or is this a summertime activity? Do you live near the university? All these aspects are important. </p>
<p>Getting some research experience may be tough, especially as a HS student, unless it’s endorsed by one of your teachers. You’d also only be doing their research, nothing of your own. You’d best start your effort by going through one of your science teachers, who may be able to hook you up with a professor who needs an assistant.</p>
<p>DD started by finding professor in the field of her interests and emailing them. She emailed lots of professors and was able to make contacts with couple of them. Two ended up offering internship offers while one a summer jobs.
She didn’t avail the opportunity as she got into a competitive summer internship program but her effort did work.</p>
<p>Read on the website what different professors are doing for their research. Email the ones you’d be interested in working with and explain why you are interested. Repeat.</p>
<p>If your high school teachers could help you, lots of kids would be doing research. If none of your peers are doing research at the local university then assume your teachers don’t have connections. On the other hand, if lots of hs students have internships, ask them how they got started. That will point you toward the helpful adults that got them their opportunities.</p>
<p>In most places you have to exercise a lot of initiative to find a suitable lab to work in. Good luck, though. You can do it!</p>
<p>Some universities have a special contact person who distributes this type of inquiries to labs/PIs at the university.
There are a few things HS students must realize when looking for research:
No matter how good your intentions, and how dedicated you are, you are not “helping” the lab - they are helping you, and doing you a big favor. It takes time, effort and patience to teach a student with no lab experience to do anything.
The reason the profs do it is because they see it as their mission to get young people excited about science and going into research careers. </p>
<p>Don’t be too narrow in your choice of labs and professors. Go with whoever is willing to take you on. You might find that your interests change.</p>
<p>Remember too that when you first start things out you might be doing rather humble things and then be able to work yourself up from there. Any and all exposure to research is invaluable. </p>
<p>Present yourself really well. Go full geek and agree to anything offered that will work with where you are at right now at your high school.</p>
<p>I heard one well known TV executive describe her first job: walking the dog cast member of a local TV show and cleaning up after the dog. You start that way.</p>
<p>Finding research opportunities requires persistence. Start first at the high school, not just with your physics prof. If someone knows someone, if someone went to school nearby, etc., all that might help.</p>