Interview/Correspondance difficulties

Parents Forum
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<p>Hi CC parents,</p>

<p>I realize that this is the parents forum, but I was hoping since many of you are professors/other distinguished people, I could see how it is from the other side?</p>

<p>I moved to a new city recently, and I wanted to continue working on research (I'm a HS sophomore), so I wrote a few emails to a couple of professors, where I talked about how much I enjoyed science, what I learned before, why I like their research etc.</p>

<p>Initially, I got 2 yes's and one response from a professor who no longer does research but said if I stopped by sometime, we could talk about possibilities in the hospital. </p>

<p>When I actually <em>moved</em> and emailed after labor day weekend, one professor stopped responding period, and didn't get back to me after 2 emails, so I gave up on her. </p>

<p>The other prof invited me to meet with him-he's sort of important, a director of a cancer initiative but I met with him eventually ( a few weeks ago). He was really nice and very happy to meet with me and assured me that he would 'find some projects and possible mentors that I could work on/with. </p>

<p>So, the next day I sent him a thank you note and waited 2 weeks. Then I emailed him again a week ago, and he didn't get back to me. I tried calling his secretary and she never got back to me either.</p>

<p>Because of this, I emailed 2 more professors-one has already agreed to meet with me and gave me a time/place already for next week. His work is really very interesting and according to some people that I've talked to, is a very nice and chill person.</p>

<p>The other is a little bit more prominent-he is one of the leading faculty and does incredible , widely recognized research-he's been published in Nature and Science quite a few times. I consider his work <em>mindblowing</em>.
He responded very nicely to my email, saying that he would talk to his lab manager and people in his department and see what he could do for me. (He forwarded the email to the lab manager).
I responded to both of the profs and expressed my sincere gratitude, my eagerness to go forward with this venture etc. </p>

<p>My meeting is in a week and I'm sort of confused with how to go forward with this. I feel like I did everything properly and in a courteous manner in the prior situations, yet I didn't get any response back, even after a meeting. I know that professors are very busy people, but I felt that I made a positive impression on the Prof I met and waited for a reasonable period, so I'm kind of confused as to why these Profs in general haven't been getting back to me.</p>

<p>I was just wondering if you CC parents had any advice for me on how to go forward with my next 'interview'/'correspondance'? I really, really miss working in the lab and doing 'legit science' (opposed to boring HS material). </p>

<p>I also would absolutely kill to work in the 2nd prof's lab-not for the 'prestige', but the work just really captures my imagination and is just so...cool! However, the lab manager hasn't responded either (the mail was forwarded on friday morning, so I'm not sure if he just hasn't seen it yet). I'm not sure on how I should approach the lab manager if he doesn't get back to me because I know that the professor is probably way too busy to even think about this. </p>

<p>The other professor's work is really fascinating too, though perhaps not as 'mindblowing' as the 1st's.</p>

<p>I really wanted to get started on research as soon as I can, so I'm hoping to resolve this issue fairly quickly! </p>

<p>What would you all recommend that I do?</p>

<p>Thank you so much!</p>

<p>Edit: I just realized how long this is..sorry!</p>

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<p>Oops, I just realized I spelled it wrong, it should be ‘correspondence’. Does anyone have any thoughts regarding this? Sorry for the bump, it’s just that i’m really afraid on missing out on this opportunity!</p>

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<p>I am sorry; I don’t have a suggestion for you. Here is one possible explanation - It may be that some of the people you are talking to have post-docs, grad students, and undergrads from their own academic departments who want to work in their labs and that you are too low on their priority lists to have a real chance, but that they didn’t want to say that to you because they didn’t want to hurt your feelings. I am just guessing.</p>

<p>I hope you hear from that lab manager - or another lab that suits you - soon. Good luck!</p>

<p>(Be on the look out for applications for summer research opportunities.)</p>

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<p>Thanks Midwestmom for your kind response! I think it’s either that or perhaps they are simply too busy? </p>

<p>Do you think I should try to contact the lab manager myself, soon? I’d love to work in that lab, if I know that it’s not possible, I might as well concentrate on getting in with the other lab. </p>

<p>I want to email him, but I’m not too sure about what to say.</p>

5

<p>Here’s what happens when a high school student wants to work in dh’s lab. He talks to them. He hates to say know. He really, really doesn’t want them as they generally can’t be very helpful both because they don’t know enough and because their hours are limited. At one of the lab meetings he asks one of his grad students or post-docs if they would mind doing it. He writes grants, reads grants, goes to a meeting and a couple of weeks go by before he remembers he said he would get in touch with that high school student he really really doesn’t want. My husband works 14 hour days during the week and puts in several hours on both Saturday and Sunday. He’s busy.</p>

<p>That said, by all means write an email. Say "Thanks for taking the time to meet with me. I really appreciate your taking time out of your busy schedule. I know you are very busy, but I’d love to hear from you if it will be possible to work in your lab soon as I want to be able to look into other opportunities if you are not able to have me.</p>

<p>Good luck. My husband did have a high school student working in the lab a year or two ago. The student worked with a grad student, didn’t bother my husband at all and worked out better than most of the summer students who are in college.</p>

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<p>Thanks Mathmom, for the advice! I worked with a professor before and he explicitly told me (in kinder words, of course) that taking on a HS kid was essentially extra work for all lab members, even during the summer when students can work all day. I really appreciate the time that they even take out to meet with students like myself-the prof I worked with told me he works 12-14 hours a day and answers email, calls for almost 17. </p>

<p>The professor with whom I met with originally told me that his own daughter had done the same thing, and seemed very willing to help me, even suggesting projects and possible mentors. This person doesn’t really do research anymore, he does mostly administration work, so I think he may have just been really busy, or he can’t fulfill his earlier promise. I think I will wait another week before sending the last email.</p>

<p>I have contacted a couple other professors, one who is ready to meet with me next week, and another (who happens to be more of a hotshot) who referred me to his lab manager. </p>

<p>I’m going to prepare for the 1st meeting anyways, but I was wondering if I should contact the lab manager that I was referred to as well, or if I should wait for a response. (the prof asked his lab manager and those in his department what i could by forwarding his response and my original email).</p>

<p>Thanks to everyone for the replies! I really appreciate it-sometimes it is better to see things from an adults perspective :stuck_out_tongue: :)</p>