I want to ask my lab manager to be my mentor for my honors thesis. Should I ask her in person or send her an email?

[TrishaK1997]

So I work in an autism research lab and I'm currently researching the development of social language in typically developing kids vs abnormally developing kids through play. I really enjoy this work and would like to continue to explore it for my honors thesis. I want to ask my lab manager to be my mentor because she is extremely well known in the world of autism research. She's very busy though and often traveling. Should I try to find a time to pop in her office, or would it be better to just send her a formal email? Also, should I come prepared with new ideas for my thesis? I don't really know if you can come up with an entirely new experimental design for a thesis, it would probably take more than a year to complete that sort of project. Which is why I'm just trying to build off of what I'm already researching. 

[fuzzylogician]

Email to schedule a meeting. Ask in person. Come prepared with some ideas but be ready for her to lead the conversation. She's done this before and will have ideas about whether it's best to continue your ongoing work or start something new. If you have a preference, you can state it and negotiate to find something you're both happy with. You don't need more than ideas -- certainly not a fully fledged proposal or anything of the sort. 

[clinical_chicana]

Definitely schedule a meeting and ask in person. If you have a general direction for your thesis and some preliminary ideas, I'm sure that will be sufficient for a first meeting with her! Good luck! 

[Lindsc237]

Hi Trisha!

So cool to see someone else on here doing autism research! I'm currently in the process of doing mine on using a parent training program my mentor and I designed to promote joint attention behavior. Around this time last year (about to graduate), I met up with my mentor and asked him to sponsor my thesis. This is definitely a conversation you want to have in person, as it shows that you are dedicated to the project. (Not to mention, it makes it harder for them to turn you away in person.)

I'm rooting for you! There is definitely a need for autism researchers in this field. Best of luck to you!

[TheFork]

After the meeting, send a follow-up email confirming what you two spoke about. That way you have it in writing!

[neuronfire94]

I don't have much constructive advice to add, but I'm an ASD researcher who will likely be starting grad school this fall so @Lindsc237 and @TrishaK1997 if either of you would ever like to connect or ask any questions about the application process or my research in general please feel free to get in touch!