I successfully found a mentor who is willing to take me in during the fall of 2015 to work in her lab. I’m very excited, but have a few questions. Typically, how many hours should I spend inside the lab in a week? My mentor emailed me back asking for a timeline and schedule. I don’t have my schedule for school yet but am very willing to work around my schedule. She also asked me what requirements I’m supposed to follow. My school is very heavy on research, but I am doing this independently. There are programs but unfortunately, I was rejected. I talked to the research coordinator at my high school and she suggested that I present at the research symposium at the end of the year. Will a research poster be enough? Should I do more?
Well as for hours, that is between you and your mentor. What type of research will you be conducting? Talk to your GC about any specific requirements you need to follow (since you said the mentor asked about them). As for a presentation, it all depends on the research you’re doing. Can you present a powerpoint and talk about your research?
A poster should be good for a symposium; that’s the usual way of doing things (at least at conferences). The hours really depend.
Thanks, guys! My mentor and I agreed to at least 8 hours a week and I’ll most likely create a research poster at the end of the year.