<p>To start out, I am a freshman and very interested in going to grad school and conducting research in the future. I started out this year by getting a position in a mostly graduate level (3 undergrads + ~15-20 grads/phds) lab in the agro dept (im actually a biochem major).</p>
<p>When I started out with this position my boss, the post doc, made it pretty clear that I would essentially be doing the many of the same things that he would be doing and would concentrate on two projects of his. One project would be to find some gene for fungal resistance in wheat plants and another has something to do with chromosomal crossover. Reason why I am not 100% clear on these topics is because he has spent most of the time we are together on trainning me on lab procedures, etc. So far I think I will spend most of my time doing field work (planting/harvesting/caring for plants), DNA isolation + PCR + analysis of results, and some other things (sequencing, plasmid work?, etc) that he hasn't really shown me but has mentioned. He wants me to stay for ~2 yrs and has said I will get 1-2 papers published by the end.</p>
<p>Questions are:
1) Is this really considered "research?"
2) Based on a cost-benefit analysis, should I make the commitment to stay for the 2 years?</p>
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1) Is this really considered "research?"
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</p>
<p>Yes, it is really research, according to what you said about a postdoc working on a project in a university lab. If that's not really research, then I don't know what is :) Postdocs are usually very productive in doing research and try very hard to do a good job, because they want to place themselves in positions for advancement to become professors (or move onto industry positions).</p>
<p>One thing you might be concerned with is whether the actual work YOU are going to be doing is considered research. Chances are, you will be doing a lot of GRUNT WORK, like a lot of mundane field work and lab work, like a lot of it. You might think, 'oh crap, this isn't research, it's BORING drone work', but remember your position: You are a freshman in a postdoc's lab. You are at the bottom of the ladder. Think about what the postdoc had to do when he/she was a freshman; probably the same grunt work. Sorry to be harsh, but I want you to be realistic about the nature of the work you are about to do, so you don't get disillusioned early on. Nobody starts off doing brilliant genius work and inventing new things and discovering novel whatevers, but as long as you are humble, diligent, willing to learn, and self-motivated, I think that you should be fine :)</p>
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Based on a cost-benefit analysis, should I make the commitment to stay for the 2 years?
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</p>
<p>If you can get 1-2 papers published by the end of 2 years, that's a HUGE WIN ... I'm serious ... having 1 publication as an undergrad puts you in great shape for grad school apps, and staying in a lab for 2 years shows the admissions committees that you are well-prepared for being in a lab during graduate school for 5-6 years. My advice is to just go for it because it seems like a good opportunity, and prepare to do a good deal of mundane, un-glamourous work. Don't be an idealist about the true meaning of 'ivory tower research'; be pragmatic, and do your best.</p>
<p>I agree with everything pgbovine says above.</p>
<p>The reality is that at the beginning of a research project, you really don't need to know that much about the actual problem you're trying to solve, you just need to learn the techniques to investigate the problem. If you want to learn more about the underlying topic, you should ask the postdoc for some relevant scientific papers or do the research yourself, but at this point it's more important that you become technically proficient.</p>
<p>Biology grad school admissions committees will really like it if you stay in this lab for two years and publish. They like to see that you can make a commitment to a single lab, because that's what grad school in biology is all about anyway. (A buddy of mine who'd worked in three labs was asked repeatedly at interviews how the school could rely on him to choose a single thesis lab.)</p>
<p>
[quote]
One thing you might be concerned with is whether the actual work YOU are going to be doing is considered research. Chances are, you will be doing a lot of GRUNT WORK, like a lot of mundane field work and lab work, like a lot of it.
[/quote]
I understand that undergrads will probably do grunt work at first, but is it likely for them to keep doing those grunt work even after 2 or 3 years without getting an opportunity to try out real research? If so, then they'll be wasting a lot of time.</p>