<p>Hey everybody. Im thinking of different ways, other than summer research, that I can put down on a statement of purpose . Im a Post Bachelors student that completed a senior project, in electronics, at my previous school. I built a wireless remote mobile robotic arm. Now, Im studying CS to learn the software/programming side of robotics in embedded systems. Id like to continue my research with my project so I can add it to my experience when I apply to a graduate program. I know it would have better credentials if a professor assissted me with it. Does anybody out there think that professors would be interested in something like this? How would I approach a professor as far as initial contact? Im thinking sending an email with a brief proposal of my idea as an attachment.
Thanks for any advice.</p>
<p>I think you should go for it! Just be very clear about what you are asking the prof to do. My dad is a professor at UT (not CS), and I know he would be happy to hear from an enterprising student such as yourself.</p>
<p>If you send an email, I would follow up with a phone call. And remember that professors are very busy, so you might not get hold of them right away.</p>
<p>Yeah I know professors can be busy so would associate/assistant professors work? I looked at some of them to see if they have a few publications under their belt.</p>
<p>Yes, I think you should try both. Sometimes the younger ones are even busier, since they’re aiming for tenure.</p>
<p>I got to a small engineering program where all the professor’s know you, you can just knock on the door and talk to them anytime you like, so my perspective might be different. However what do you have to lose? My experience is that’s what most professor’s are there to do, you don’t become a college professor in many cases to turn away an excited student with ideas. Go for it, and in the rare case they don’t respond find someone who will!</p>
<p>I think you should go for it, but I would actually recommend focusing on tenured professors - tenure-track professors are (unfortunately) trying to meet certain metrics, and “number of graduated students who I helped with their personal projects so that they would be more competitive for grad school” isn’t a line item. Some may do it, but you will probably have more luck with tenured professors who don’t have to worry about missing out on tenure because they didn’t advise quite enough grad students or publish enough papers.</p>
<p>Also, you will probably have more luck volunteering to help on THEIR projects, rather than asking for help on yours, at least at first. If you are free labor for a professor, working on their projects, then they are more likely to help with your projects later. And if the goal is research experience for grad school, it is all the same anyway!</p>
<p>I say reach out, you have nothing to lose. But skip the untenured assistant professors, look to associates (especially newly minted tenured ones) or full. The assistant profs are under a lot of pressure to get tenure and need peer reviewed top tier publications in their specific area of expertise (so while your project might be interesting it can’t fit the bill).</p>
<p>Well Im a Sophmore right now, but definetely want to continue on to grad school. Another problem Im having is that if I dont take any summer courses this year I will become a Junior next Spring. Not sure if my school offers CS courses during the summer, thats next on my list to look into. Im assuming they onlly offer general courses because they are considered “mini classes” (8 weeks). Thats why I came up with the idea of continuing with my side project/hobby until I become a Junior. From the different threads and posts I read on here you usually have to be a Junior to start undergrad research. Then there is always that fork in the road of internship or research. Ive already searched posts about that. Id like to apply for REU/STEM when the time comes. So I have alot of ideas swimming around in my head.</p>
<p>From what everyone is saying I can agree to stay with the tenured professors/associates. What Im thinking is if I have never taken their class they dont know who I am, almost like a door salesman. </p>
<p>One last thought…Im a full time student (dont work). If I decide to volunteer for a professor’s research how do I do that? Create a resume of previous degree, interests, what I can provide for their research? Thanks.</p>
<p>zman, my son got to do some research as a freshman. He worked with a post-doc student. So you never know! It can’t hurt to ask.</p>