<p>I'm a second year and I really want to score a lab job. I'm going to be honest and say that I have some (but pretty limited) lab experience. Also, none of the professors that I'm acquainted with are conducting research. I remember there being a lot of postings on the work study job website, but I didn't receive work study this year, so I'm out of luck on that front too.
Anyway, I've been looking through the labs on campus, and picking out some of the ones that have undergraduates on staff. However, I feel strange just emailing the professor. Is there a more tactful way to express interest, such as contacting a grad student in the lab? I really have no idea what I'm doing.</p>
<p>When I was a sophomore in high school, I emailed over 100 professors at UCSF/Berkeley for an internship at their lab. Because I was a HS student, very few replied. About 5 professors ended up offering me a summer internship. In the end, I joined a lab at UCSF and after awhile. they let me conduct my own experiments and research. I’m sure if they’re willing to let HS kids work in their labs, they’d be much more willing to accept Berkeley students. Emailing a professor is definitely not a strange way to express interest.</p>
<p>there’s also URAP or SPUR (for CNR students) and I think a few other programs you can use to streamline an application and apply to up to 3 professors’ labs and work under them.</p>
<p>It might be a little awkward but just show that you genuinely care about the subject of the research and play up what relevant skills you have and you stand a chance of being selected.</p>
<p>Your best bet is to do very well in a professors class, and then ask them if they know of any open positions. Even if they don’t have anything themselves, they may end up emailing their colleagues and recommending you, something that helps a lot.</p>
<p>The other way is to just email a bunch of professors and ask if they have anything available. Ideally would specifically state why and how you are interested in their research. A “generic” email to everybody will have much lower chances of eliciting a response.</p>
<p>Anyway, you have nothing to lose. You’re right that it’s a bit awkward, but not in a bad way. Just ask in a respectful and intelligent manner. I actually did a similar thing a while ago (though my situation was a bit different) and I got a position out of it. Good luck.</p>
<p>I’m a Molecular Toxicology major, and I’m looking into doubling in Microbial Biology. I’ll try my luck with SPUR/URAP, and send out a few emails. Thanks everyone!</p>
<p>As long as you can genuinely see yourself being a (minor) help to the prof’s lab, it’s OK to contact professors. It’s OK to be a little awkward at times, but if it leads to a mutually beneficial relationship, it’s all good.</p>
<p>I can say that you won’t be anywhere near as awkward as the recruiters who contact me and try to get me to apply for a job that’s far below my current position. Even then, I just tend to forget about them, and I’m still open in case they come back with something I’m actually interested in.</p>