Reaching out to Professor about Summer Research

[anxietygirl]

Hi all,

I recently decided to attend UCI to get my phd in history. I am really looking to have something to do the summer before school starts (mostly to get out of the house). Would it be inappropriate to reach out  to my future advisor and ask her if she needs any help with research? I don't want to be too forward, but I would love to help her if she needed any assistance. I'm not looking to get paid or anything; it would just be for fun. 

 

[Dedi]

I did a similar thing actually (but my discipline is biology). However, what I did is a little more subtle. I introduced myself and asked if he was taking in graduate students. When I found out that he did, we did a phone interview. We found that we had similar research interests and he wanted to stay in touch. I was planning to do research at my undergrad, but it didn't work out, so I asked him if it was possible to do research at the University he worked in. It ended up working out (and now he's my PI), but I will say that your potential supervisor cannot guarantee a spot for you in the program. However, he was a large influence on whether I was accepted (a PI has to be willing to take you in their lab for my program). I applied to two programs in the same University that he was cross-appointed--got into one of them.

[Pink Fuzzy Bunny]

I did this, but during the visiting weekend (since I knew I was going to go there). The professor said he would talk to the group, and after a few of them ganged up on me at a bar that night, the professor e-mailed me to let me know that "consultations were complete" and that he'd love to let me work with him over the summer The worst they can do is say no, you might as well ask!

[anxietygirl]

Thanks everyone! I emailed her today, so I'll update with what she says. Hopefully I wasn't too forward. 

[Need Coffee in an IV]

Don't worry about being too forward! They should be happy that you are excited, I mean my potential PI said she would photograph apartment listings and tell me what she thinks since I'm moving from states away. Pink Fuzzy Bunny is right, the worst they can say is no!

[Pink Fuzzy Bunny]

1 hour ago, Need Coffee in an IV said:

They should be happy that you are excited, I mean my potential PI said she would photograph apartment listings and tell me what she thinks since I'm moving from states away. 

Wow, you really got lucky in the PI department!! That's super nice!

[Need Coffee in an IV]

1 minute ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said:

Wow, you really got lucky in the PI department!! That's super nice!

I know! I was super flattered/shocked that she would do that for me. I'll ask her about recommendations for neighborhoods but I don't want to scare her away so I won't ask her to drive around! I just got a really nice gut feeling from her and she told me she would be more than happy to be my PI.

[Dedi]

Whoops, I got confused. I thought you were asking a potential PI. I didn't think that this was the "officially grads" forum and you were already accepted! Congrats! I also did do a summer position (and got paid for an RAship) before grad school but we already decided this ( I asked) before I actually got accepted. 

Again, I apologize if I confused any of you.

[GradSchoolTruther]

On April 7, 2016 at 1:46 PM, anxietygirl said:

Hi all,

I recently decided to attend UCI to get my phd in history. I am really looking to have something to do the summer before school starts (mostly to get out of the house). Would it be inappropriate to reach out  to my future advisor and ask her if she needs any help with research? I don't want to be too forward, but I would love to help her if she needed any assistance. I'm not looking to get paid or anything; it would just be for fun. 

 

I would change the attitude of working for free. You are devaluing your skills.

[Danger_Zone]

@GradSchoolTruther I had a really hard time finding research opportunities during undergrad that weren't for students on financial aid (basically any summer scholarship was reserved for only these students and I wasn't even eligible to apply) so I used to ask my professors if I could help out for free. They seemed very confused as to why I would ever volunteer for this, but it can be tough to find research opportunities and I feel like I was at a disadvantage because I lacked the experience others were able to get. I was also eager to do research and was happy to volunteer my time, which seems to be why @anxietygirl was asking about this.