My Advice to Aspiring Researchers

This one may seem obvious, but it is my most important piece of advice. More often than not, I see a lot of my peers in research feel hesitant to ask their mentors question, especially after they may tasked with an independent project. This notion is completely contrary to the spirit of research! Even mentors themselves will ask questions to their peers if they're unsure of something. By not asking questions, you run the risk of misunderstanding the topic you research and wasting time trying to figure it out on your own. 

Additionally, you can ask people other than your mentor when conducing research. UGA libraries offers research librarians who can consult you on your research question and approach to information gathering. Additionally, UGA CURO offers a lot of valuable information regarding research in general. These tools are indispensable for anyone both new and old to research.

Literature is the backbone to any research study. It is what enables research to advance by allowing us to share our discoveries with each other, thus saving time by avoiding mistakes or utilizing breakthroughs made by peers. Thus, knowing how to fully digest a paper in whatever field you are in is pivotal to successfully conducting a study. The best way to get a hang of reading literature is to have a discussion about it with your mentor. This not only gives you the opportunity to ask questions on areas of confusion, but it also helps to solidify what you learn and practice presenting research that is not your own. All of this helps to make your a much more knowledgeable researcher and to potentially make connections between ideas that no one else may have done.

On top of that, I highly recommend learning to use a citation manager such as EndNote. UGA offers this for free, and it is one of the most important software you will come to know. It's like creating your own personal library with all the sources that you will use throughout a study. By taking advantage of EndNote, you can streamline your research and better organize your notes.

If you were to ever get lost in this process, then you can always go to the UGA libraries site. There are so many resources here, all of which I have used and loved. From research guides to consultations, it is a solid starting point whenever trying to do any form of research.

You and your PI are not all that different. It may seem intimidating to talk to a professor, especially one who may have a lot of honors in their belt. However, you have to remember that professors are not out for blood! When meeting my own professor for the first time, I was very hesitant to be more relaxed and ask questions that came to mind. I believed that I had to give off the impression that I was smart enough to work in their lab. This couldn't be further from the truth. Your professor understands that you are a undergraduate student, and they will not expect more than what you are capable of doing. With this in mind, try to get close with your mentor! Ask them questions about how they got to be in their position and what really motivated them to get into research. Their years of experience can be a resource to help guide you through your current research experience and future professional endeavors. 

Any research you do is only valuable when it is shared. If you never try to share your research with others, then everything you do is ultimately pointless. Thus, you should always try to present your work whenever you can. For most undergraduate students, including myself, this typically comes in the form of poster sessions. Poster sessions, such as the CURO symposium, allow for a more relaxed way to show off your work to crowds of curious peers. You may also find yourself wanting to do an oral presentation. While an oral presentation is generally considered more prestigious than a poster session, it's something seen more among the upperclassmen. However, sharing your research in any way is always valuable.

It may also be worth discussing potential publication options for your research. Publishing your work is an important moment and is something that takes a lot of time to achieve. Luckily, UGA offers various different journals to publish your work. These include JURO and UGA Catalyst, but some specific departments may have their own journal for student publications. 

There a so many opportunities, both internal and external to UGA, which can enrich your research experience even more. One of the most notable ones is the UGA CURO award and CURO summer fellowship. These scholarships offer you money for whatever you may need it for. This can come in handy if you want to travel for conferences or need to pay for necessary textbooks. Speaking about conferences, try to ask your mentor about any relevant conferences that you can attend. While there are large conferences for disciplines as a whole, there are often smaller conferences that are aimed at a specific niche. These can be undergraduate research conferences or ones that aim at specific topics like structural biology. These conferences can expose you to other professionals in the same field, providing an opportunity to network and learn more about the field you are researching in.