I really want to do a STEM related research intern over the summer or next summer. Currently a sophomore, and I know there are research programs that I have to apply to, but the competition is probably really high. I literally don’t have any EC’s STEM related since 9th grade and my resume is blank, could I still land a research intern? I don’t have a bad gpa (3.8) and I’ve already taken sat subject tests with high scores.
I know another way is to email professors at colleges, but I’m not sure how to pick which professors at which colleges. Should I be aiming for professors at top colleges? How do I know which professor is doing a research project? It’d be nice if I could get a solo intern, so the professor could mentor me and possibly I could go out to competitions.
At this point, the application deadline for most formal programs for this summer has passed. First, contact professors at your school in person. Second, ask professors at your school if they have contacts at another college and could put in a good word about you. Third, ask students in your major where they have done summer research. Fourth, peruse departmental websites of each college you are considering and carefully examine the research of professors. Before contacting each one (phone call or email), know why you want to be in their lab for the summer, communicate how much time you have to commit, and be prepared to list your goals. Expect a lot of rejections and non-responses for the fourth option.
No reason to do that. Aim for research that interests you.
Contact them.
While you may be the only undergrad in the lab, the most contact you will have would likely be with a graduate student or postdoc as an extra set of hands. Of course, a good professor mentor will meet with you on a regular basis and hold weekly lab meetings.
Realize that professors with labs doing grant-funded research get very little to negative return on mentoring a novice student over the summer. They are focused on getting results so they can publish and renew their grants. A novice student is a drag on the resources of a lab. This is why it can be difficult to land a summer internship without connections.
I’m a high school student. Seems like you were speaking on a college undergrad perspective?
Here is one you can consider applying to for next year. http://sra.mst.edu/
Because there is a cost involved, and because it may not be as well known as the really competitive ones, there may be an opportunity for you here. We got a postcard in the mail about this one. That is how we learned about it.
There may be others similar to this one at other U’s around the country.