<p>neuroscience lab experience
I've emailed some profs for some lab experience during the summer and heres what i got back:</p>
<p>prof#1
[quote]
We could use some extra hands at mounting brain sections onto slides, at the moment, we can get you started doing that. You'll learn some neuroanatomy in the process.
[/quote]
prof#2
[Quote]
We are preparing a couple of expts that we want to start this summer. We are also kind of finishing off a couple more studies. If you want to get some experience in the lab, I'll find some work for you. A lot of stuff we do is very technical (like drawing stimuli for experiments, printing study related stuff, testing our tasks etc). These are not difficult to learn and if you're interested, you wouldn't have a problem fitting in. This summer is very laid back though so you might not be exposed to everything that we usually do.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I dont expect much since im a high school student but which reply sounds like I be somewhat involved with the project instead of being a "glassware washer"? Also, does anyone have a suggestion as to how say to a prof that you're working with someone else? any students majoring in neuro plz help. Some ppl have said to do both at once but I wouldn't know how to go about doing that...</p>
<p>But if you had to choose, I think that the second response sounds as if it has more potential. The first one sounds as if you'll just be a pair of extra hands - and maybe you'll learn something in the process. The second response seems as if it's something you might be able to continue throughout the year and as you learn more and more you'll be able to get more involved, and to me, it sounds more fun ("drawing stimili...testing tasks,etc) than "mounting brain sections on slides. But it's really up to you (though I say second :D)</p>
<p>I agree, the second one sounds more interesting. How'd you go about contacting the professors? Do you any special coursework/experience that the typical student wouldn't have? Or did you just express interest in what they were doing and ask if you could be involved?</p>
<p>Thanks for any info - my kids may want to explore similar options in a year or 2.</p>
<p>I think you should go with the second professor. At least he spent the extra few seconds to somewhat explain his research and what it entails - the first one seemed like he was too busy to give any details to a high schooler. If hes too busy to do even that, then I don't think working with him will be very exciting.</p>
<p>I'm not sure what else prof #1 told you in his email, but if it really is a curt reply, I probably wouldn't even bother responding to him (as long as you plan on not having any future correspondence with him). However, if you want to respond, don't worry about how you should, just tell him bluntly that you have found another research opportunity.</p>
<p>I'm currently working in a molecular biology lab (rising junior) and I have had no previous work experience/special coursework other than the basic honors/AP bio classes. I did tell them that I am valedictorian...but I doubt that really matters. A lot of professors turned me down, primarily because either they were low on funding/didnt want to waste time with a high schooler or I inquired too late - not because of poor qualifications or anything like that. </p>
<p>For anyone who wants to find a good research experience, I'd suggest starting way early. Some of the professors told me that I should've contacted them around Thanksgiving (I contacted everyone around March). If you're lucky, you might find a professor kind enough to pay you/spend time to mentor you/allow you to work on your own projects, like I did.</p>
<p>i think you should respond regardless of whether or not you want to take that research opportunity. even if you do not plan on having future correspondence with him, profs tend to talk to each other (esp within in the same department). by not even bothering to respond is just rude and that might make a bad impression.</p>
<p>What SlightlyConfused said is true. A lot of professors don't even bother to answer solicitations and requests for work, especially from high schoolers. You're really lucky that the two professors you contacted both offered to find work for you! It's true that the 1st offer doesn't seem like much more than gruntwork, but I still think that if a professor even spends the time to answer your email, you should at least respond if only to tell him you found another opportunity. The second professor sounds like he's pretty receptive to having an intern, it seems like a good option.</p>
<p>After doing a summer in a neuro lab last year, I would take the one that is currently and actively doing an experiment, rather than "preparing a few experiments" and finishing off some. Looks like your coming into a change of arms so to speak, and it might be pretty dead. If you know what the grad students are currently working on, how far into their schooling they are makes a big difference as to what your exposed to. If they are finishing up their thesis, you wont be exposed to much. None the less, if you get a good grad student they will show you alot of great things, but alot of lab work is grunt work even for the grad students.</p>
<p>I agree with everyone who posted above. I didn't really word that "don't respond" correctly in retrospect. You should always respond. </p>
<p>In my situation, I met with a professor who didn't seem willing to give me any worthwhile work and just planned to throw me to his lab assistant, who also did not seem very happy about it. He told me he would contact me when summer approached to fill out some paperwork. He never did. But I already found another professor by that point. So in that situation, I don't think it was necessary to tell the first prof that I found another prof, especially since he completely forgot about me anyway. Maybe not the most courteous decision, but I don't really care. He was not very courteous to me either.</p>
<p>do you mind PMing me your email to your professors? you seemed to have been very successful, and i was wondering if you could share. i'm interested in working in a lab over the summer as well.</p>