<p>I spoke with my Biology professor today and he wants me to work with his in a new research project for 3.5 years and then publish a paper together.</p>
<p>What exactly can I expect to do?</p>
<p>He wants you to commit to 3.5 years?</p>
<p>If he's a good professor, you'll learn a lot along the way, see some interesting things, and help give direction to your studies. If he's not great you'll be doing anything that he doesn't want to do.</p>
<p>Surely you'll get experience with lab equipment and procedures. Being a new project you might have to do cleaning and setup. You might spend time filling out paperwork, ordering supplies, and deal with secretaries and administrators. If he trusts you, you might design apparatus, read publications, work with software, and stay actively involved making decisions and discussing the research. Never count out manual labor. Sometimes they recruit you for helping out in their undergrad laboratories.</p>
<p>Ask him. No one else knows what he'll have you do. Some undergrads do next to nothing useful, others like myself have their own projects. Most likely you'll start out small and get a bigger role over time as you gain more experience. Again though, only your professor knows what he has in mind for you.</p>
<p>@ AHeartLikeHis</p>
<p>This opportunity could boost your application for graduate school or medical school depending on what type of project it is and if it's similar to your research interests. I would take it only if you're getting paid too.</p>
<p>There has been nothing said about pay or anything of that nature....which is fine.</p>
<p>Ask for more details. You haven't even started your first semester right? Your interests might change... ask if there are any catches to this- can you still back out if you're not interested anymore?</p>
<p>Hold on a second while Madam OKgirl gets out her crystal ball.......</p>
<p>At most schools, kids battle for research positions and aren't just handed one before they even start class (usually you have to prove yourself and compete with others). It might sound great that you will be able to do it, but do you really want to dedicate a ton of time and get no compensation for it?</p>
<p>As with every other topic you create, this differs according to each person and school and can't exactly be generalized. Your best bet would be to ask the professor for more information and the compensation for it.</p>
<p>get more information, but i would def do it. most undergrads don't get paid right away if they're doing meaningful stuff (ie learning and not just washing dishes), so this seems like a pretty good scenario for you.</p>