Research at LAC

Graduate School
1

<p>tiyusufaly posted on another thread: </p>

<p>"Something I feel I should mention with regards to "research opportunities" at LACs:</p>

<p>Simply put, it's hard for an undergraduate to make serious, hardcore, extremely useful contributions to research in math and science. For any undergraduate, anywhere, especially in my opinion in math and physics, but also in biology and chemistry.</p>

<p>The reason for this is that math and science are very advanced, and require a lot of training and coursework to get to the level of truly understanding the current, cutting edge research literature. In physics, to name one example, you usually need to have advanced understanding of graduate electrodynamics, quantum mechanics, oftentimes classical and quantum field theory. And then you have to learn all about the advanced details of the topic of your sub-specialty. Simply put, it's HARD for most undergrads to gain a level of background in mathematics and science to really seriously contribute at the level that graduate students or postdocs do. This is to be expected of course.</p>

<p>But the reason I am bringing it up is because I think it is for this reason that, for undergraduate at least, the breadth and depth and type of research that is offered is not so important. What is more important in my opinion is that you have good role model faculty members and student peers who can help you build up your bag of tools and skill set. To be a good graduate student and overall researcher, you should understand how to perform experiments, how to program and code, how to write and communicate (VERY IMPORTANT!!), and most importantly, HOW TO LEARN NEW THINGS INDEPENDENTLY! There will always be new things to learn when one is doing research, such as different programming languages, various experimental techniques, conceptual theories, etc... You have to have the ability to figure things out for yourself.</p>

<p>Most high school students, when they first start college, do not really understand what true serious research is like and how it is conducted (I know this, my professors have told me of their experience with undergrads). It is therefore important that you have people who will look over you, and slowly, carefully wean you and polish your skills. That way, with proper care and attention, by the time you have graduated, your abilities and understanding of how science and math are really done has matured to the appropriate level.</p>

<p>The importance of understanding how to do research cannot be underestimated. Without this understanding, it really doesn't mean that much if you have so many different professors working on so many different problems and projects. You have to develop the skill set and the knowledge base to be able to maturely, independently, productively contribute to such a research project. Which brings me back to my initial point, that one should not really worry too much about certain state schools or universities having more cutting edge research than LACs. While you are still an undergrad, it is more important that you have some research there period, and that you have people who help you develop your research abilities. That way, by the time you are a graduate student, you can really, successfully contribute to those cutting edge groups at the larger schools. I think LACs in general do a better job of helping this personal development along, and I think that's why so many LAC alumni can successfully complete Ph.D's."</p>

<p>What do you think about this?</p>

2

<p>
[quote]
Most high school students, when they first start college, do not really understand what true serious research is like and how it is conducted (I know this, my professors have told me of their experience with undergrads). It is therefore important that you have people who will look over you, and slowly, carefully wean you and polish your skills. That way, with proper care and attention, by the time you have graduated, your abilities and understanding of how science and math are really done has matured to the appropriate level.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Oh my god. This is so, so, so true even for History. I am actually just in middle of the grad school admissit reons process and my major/thesis advisor is treating me like I am definitely going to graduate school. It wasn't really until this year that she finally took me under wing and is now kicking my ass every week over my thesis. Without her attention and looking back to last semester, I am even more ready for graduate school (though probably still a ways bit away) because this professor can give me all the time and energy to assure that I'm really prepared to handle some of the first year work since she's not spending all of her time on her research like the professors at major univeristies. True that my professors here may not be "cutting edge" as the major universities but they know how to teach!</p>

3

<p>I agree that the critical skill is learning how to do independent research, but I think there's value in going to a school that has cutting-edge research and participating in that research as an undergraduate. I also think there's value in going to a school that offers breadth and depth in terms of research topics, because it's important not just to do research, but to love what you're doing. For me, choice of research topic was crucial to my excitement as an undergraduate, and that choice of research topic helped to guide my choice of a graduate thesis lab.</p>

4

<p>I agree with Mollie. I am currently at a LAC and am going to be pursing a Ph.D in materials science next year. I am a Chemistry major and must complete 3 semesters of research and write a thesis in order to graduate. First off, this may just be my LAC, but there is nothing remotely close to materials science with regards to research or coursework here. That said, there was nothing for me to do here that could in any way better prepare me for my graduate field. I ended up joining an organic synthesis research group doing natural product syntheses. It is a real struggle to find any motivation to go into the lab since I have no desire to do anything related to this field. I wasn't loving what I was doing and that is a real problem. I recognize that I have received three years of training in the lab and have been taught how to work independently in the lab, which is real valuable when applying to graduate schools. Who says students from Research One schools don't have the opportunity to learn how to perform independent research?</p>

<p>This also made it difficult to judge what area of materials science I was going to enter. A Research One level institution would have given me the exposure to different fields and the possibility to find my research niche. That said, going to graduate school from my background is a real leap of faith. I am choosing a research field based on the limited exposure I received last summer during a REU and the hundreds of journal articles I have read on my own to find the type of research that best fits my interests.</p>

<p>I guess as a conclusion: Yes, going to a LAC has provided me with a wealth of research experience (3 years and 1 summer) on campus and provided me with a solid understanding of the nature of academic research; however, what does that experience really mean if it is just a tool to prepare you for graduate level research without giving you a real direction. This lack of direction and exposure to the breadth of research topics, I feel, is a real problem.</p>

5

<p>
[quote]
I guess as a conclusion: Yes, going to a LAC has provided me with a wealth of research experience (3 years and 1 summer) on campus and provided me with a solid understanding of the nature of academic research; however, what does that experience really mean if it is just a tool to prepare you for graduate level research without giving you a real direction. This lack of direction and exposure to the breadth of research topics, I feel, is a real problem.

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</p>

<p>Exactly what I meant to say also. That's part of the reason why I'm getting in trouble with PhD programs in the subfield that I want to do because we don't have that professor on campus :( And I have to look at MA programs so I can get the right people to give me direction and offer me a wider breadth of topics to explore while refocusing my research interests. I may have an insane amount for an undergrad from LAC in research but it's the coursework prep that's lacking.</p>