throwawaygradstdnt

I was dropped because I wasn't contributing to research activities. I was doing coursework so I could get a higher GPA so I could get funding so I could work on research. I should have clarified that I'm in a class with another professor who is new and seems to like me. This is what I was referring to initially, but I just found all of this today, so I'm a bit scattered. This professor has seen that I work hard in coursework and I do well on tests. I've changed from the person I used to be, and I want him to see that. I guess it's pretty desperate, but I would like to ask him if I could have a shot at his lab. I haven't really done research in a 2 years now.

Long story short: I had a bad GPA in undergrad, making me a terrible candidate for most fellowships. I'm an introverted PhD engineering student who has been focused on course work. I haven't done any research and so my research advisor stopped advising me. I've been given an academic advisor, who apparently is not my research advisor, and I am to meet with him. My bad GPA in undergrad was due to me spending all my time on research that never really went anywhere. My advisor was very laid-back about guiding, fearing that guiding might clamp down on creativity. I did get something into a conference (SPIE) based completely on my own idea with no guidance from my professor, who despite how this may sound, I really do like. And I got a third authorship on a paper in 2011. But, the bad GPA makes it really difficult to get fellowships. I'm taking a class with him right now and I'm doing really well in it. I would like to be in his lab group (which consists of only one other graduate student, but I have seen others work with him and ask for advice related to his lab's projects), but I am worried that the fact that my research advisor dropped me will weigh negatively on his impression of me. What should I do next?