Finding Research Opportunities

This page provides a comprehensive guide for finding research experiences. Use the table of contents below to navigate between sections. Downloadable resources are available in some areas. Please consider reaching out to our facilitators if you have unanswered questions after reviewing these materials.

How to Narrow your Research Interests

Before searching for potential mentors, determine what you might like to study. Interested in Biology? Physics? Psychology? Math? The RTP has an extraordinary number of opportunities across all of these disciplines. Reflecting on your interests and exploring different research groups will help you understand which topics interest you the most within broader areas of study.

What’s motivating you to get involved? Consider the influence of the factors below on your research pursuit.

- Academic Goals

- Career Aspirations

- Extracurricular Interests

- Hobbies

When looking at a particular research area, try asking yourself, “how does this field fit with my academic/career goals?”, “what about this field aligns with my interests?” or “why is this field better for me than another?”. This stage in the process is also a great time to discuss your interests with family, friends, and advisors. Those who know you well may illuminate interests you have difficulty identifying. You might also look for inspiration in pop culture. Watch a documentary or a sci-fi movie and see what intrigues you. Think about which parts draw your interest and which areas seem particularly mysterious—There may be a group that researches that subject!

After identifying a few exciting research areas, brainstorm specific keywords. For example, in the broad scope of “biology,” you may be interested in “population genetics” or “colon cancer.” This list of keywords will help you find investigators that share your passions.

How to Identify Research Groups

After narrowing your interests, you may be wondering where to find researchers in these fields. How can you gather specific information about research groups and projects?

Popular search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.) can be a great way to start. Try entering a keyword related to your research interest + the institution you're interested in +"research" (Ex. "NC State food science research") to retrieve an initial list of related websites. Some of these may link to investigator profile pages, some may lead to department webpages, and some may completely unrelated, but if you've identified a related department, you can peruse department research faculty through the college's website. You may also search for department webpages directly, but these are often more general than the keywords you have developed (Ex. Department of Cell & Molecular Biology, Duke).

This process will take time, and it can be challenging to navigate department web pages, especially if you don't have experience searching for research faculty. Our facilitators are here to help you through this process, and we encourage to you to ask them for help if your search strategy has not returned your desired results.

After sifting through websites, you may have identified a few particularly attractive research groups. Ultimately, you will want a list of 5-20 researchers you are interested in working with, as you may need to email quite a few groups to find an opportunity. Therefore, it is important to keep track of faculty information in a well-organized list of potential mentors. Here we have provided a mentor search spreadsheet, which can help you keep track of the information you have gathered during your search.

Mentor Search Spreadsheet

Sifting and Winowing

Hopefully, you found an abundance of exciting research groups. However, if you feel overwhelmed by the wealth of information you’ve assembled, don’t worry—This is the perfect time to take a step back and review your priorities. It is important to consider your time commitments, research interests, and learning needs during your search. Below are some strategies to help you refine your list of potential research mentors

When reviewing potential mentors, it is best to start with a short list of candidates, usually around ten researchers. We recommend contacting five researchers at a time during each round of introduction emails (explained in the next section).

Start sifting and winnowing by re-ordering your potential mentor list by level of interest.

Assign each research group an “interest score” between one and ten, with one being the group for which you have the least interest and ten being the group for which you have the most (it’s okay to have more than one group with the same interest score).
Use your assigned interest scores to rank your list. Put the groups in descending order, with the highest interest scores at the top of the list and the lowest at the bottom.
The first ten groups are likely the best candidates for your initial rounds of introductions but be sure to save the rest of your list. If at any point you need to reach out to more research groups, it may be necessary to look further down your list.
If you are having trouble assigning interest scores, revisit Narrowing Interests for tips on introspection.

Consider learning more about the research groups before evaluating potential mentor candidates. Peer reviewed articles can be challenging to read without context, so be sure to search for accessible media, like popular press articles and interviews. Twitter and other social media platforms also host active research communities that are worth exploring.

How to Write Professional Introductory Emails

After you have selected your top research groups, you can begin to craft email introductions. Your email is the first impression you make with potential mentors, and it is important to write professionally and concisely. Therefore, we suggest you…

Start your email with a professional greeting. Address the investigator as Dr. or Prof. last name. Open with "Dear," "Hello," "Good morning," or "Good afternoon" as your greeting.
Email during traditional business hours (9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Monday-Friday).
End your email with a polite closing line, such as "I look forward to hearing from you," "Thank you for your time," or "Sincerely."
Include an email signature with your information (full name, academic year, and school email address).

Consider these reflection questions as you write your email:

What is the purpose of your email?

Here you should be brief but clear about why you are emailing. If you have seen the research group posting open positions for students on their website, reference that here. If you haven't seen any specific information about recruitment (which is normal), be clear that you are interested in research opportunities for high school students.

Why are you interested in their research topic, and what do you hope to learn from this experience?

This is the most important part of your email and should be tailored toward each research group. Avoid generalities, like "I am interested in science, so I would like to engage in research." Instead, be specific about your interests. For example, you could mention the particular research projects that intrigue you, previous research you found impressive, or techniques you would like to learn more about. It is normal to encounter techniques or concepts you don't understand, but this gives you a chance to ask questions and demonstrate your interest to potential mentors. Generating questions from reading publications is particularly helpful during the interview phase of the research-finding process. Essentially, this "why are you interested" part shows investigators that you made an effort to learn about their research and highlights your motivation to be part of their team, making you stand out.

Do you have any previous experience or skills relevant to this opportunity?

It's okay if the answer is no. Focus on your interest in their research topics and what you hope to get from a research experience. After all, you can always be trained in techniques. What matters the most to many investigators is your interest in their research, eagerness to learn, and devotion to training. Additionally, many faculty like to work with students early in their careers. If the answer is yes, elaborate on your previous experience, but be wary of overconfidence, and understand that each research group may approach techniques differently.

What is your anticipated time commitment? Would you like to earn credit? Would you prefer to volunteer?

This is where you should indicate how you would like to engage in research. You will have the chance to discuss options further once accepted into a research group. However, it is still necessary to provide a brief outline of this information in your introduction email. This gives the investigator a sense of the commitments they can expect to make during your training.

To attach or not attach

Some research groups may request specific information/documents be included in your introduction email, the details of which can usually be found on their website. Of course, including your resumé, cover letter, or transcripts in your email never hurts but may not be necessary. Unless otherwise specified, only include the documents you feel comfortable sharing in your introduction. You can find a resumé template attached below. If you need extra help writing your resumé, your school's career advising services may be able to assist. Additionally, our facilitators are available to help with email and resumé drafting via one-on-one appointments.

Timeline

Once you've sent your introduction email, you will have to wait for a response, which can be nerve-wracking. If a week has passed and you haven't heard from an investigator, don't be disappointed. Some researchers receive hundreds of emails every day, and it's possible your email was simply lost in their inbox. We recommend waiting two weeks before sending a follow-up email. However, if two weeks have passed and you are still interested in their research, send a follow-up email to restate your enthusiasm. Feel free to include additional interests, accomplishments, or questions in your follow-up.

Example Professional Email

Resume Template

How to Prepare for an Interview

After establishing a rapport with a research group, you may be invited to interview if they have open positions for high school students. Investigators typically interview students to assess their fit within the research team. Of course, you are also determining how you would mesh with their research culture. The interview format is often casual and conversational but can be structured like a traditional job interview. Either way, it is important to be professional and well-prepared.

When preparing for an interview, you can start by reading a few recent publications. These often illustrate the group’s current initiatives and trajectory. Researchers will not expect you to understand every detail of their projects; however, you should, at a minimum, read the abstracts and grasp the main ideas/significance of their work. During the interview, you should be able to state your specific interests in their work, just like you have done in your emails, but in more detail. This means you should be able to articulate what about their research fits your interests and pursuits. Be sure to listen attentively and ask follow-up questions when appropriate.

You may also generate a few questions to ask during the interview. This demonstrates your eagerness to learn about their research topic and your ability to think critically. Their answers may strengthen your resolve to study in a particular field or could point out aspects of their research that are less attractive. Either way, the information gained empowers you to make the best possible decision. Additionally, questions are a great way to gauge what you can achieve through a research experience. We encourage you to ask about expectations for high school students and opportunities to publish and present research.

Remember that the interview process is just as much about them interviewing you as it is about you interviewing them. Be clear about what you want from this research experience. You can ask about what your specific roles and tasks might be and how many hours you would be expected to work. You may also discuss options for compensation, including course credit or hourly wages. This is an excellent time to bring up long-term goals, including future professional goals and how they tie into research. In turn, investigators may ask how long you are looking to be involved in their research, and while you are not committing to a timeline during the interview, you should be prepared to offer a general idea of your plans.

Overall, investigators are always looking for mentees who are passionate about their research. Be yourself, express your interests, and ask lots of questions—We know you’ll be great!

Interview Follow-Up

Congratulations! You’ve completed your interviews. You’re almost done! At this point, you’ve already written a ton of emails, but you’re not finished yet. Following up with researchers after your interview is the important last step in securing a research opportunity.

You may have been offered a position at the end of your interview, but more likely, you’ll have to wait to hear back over email. This is a great time to send a follow-up email thanking the researcher for their time and reaffirming your interest. These emails should be sent soon after your interview—We recommend within 24 hours. If you have interviewed with more than one research group, take a step back and evaluate which experience would better fit your needs. Keep in mind that the subject area is important, but the mentoring experience is paramount.

After some time has passed, you may begin to receive offers to join research groups. It is a gratifying feeling and validating of all the hard work you’ve put into this process. You may jump at the opportunity to join a research group but do not feel inclined to accept the first offer you receive. It’s important to think carefully about your preferences. After all, accepting a position is a commitment for yourself and the research group.

If you haven’t heard from the investigators you’ve interviewed with, that’s okay too. Feel free to reach out again after about a week. In the event that a research group is not able to accommodate you, thank the investigator for their time, ask them to keep you in mind for future openings, and inquire about opportunities with research collaborators. Oftentimes, investigators may know of other groups actively recruiting students and can direct you toward similar research.

When the time comes to accept an opportunity, thank the investigator again, confirm your acceptance, and set up a time to review next steps. The onboarding process is different for each research group, but you can expect to be paired with a primary research mentor and given materials (papers, online trainings, protocols, etc.) to review before starting.

For the research groups that you decide to “turn down,” it is important to thank the investigators and inform them of your decision.

We would like to acknowledge the Wisconsin Institute for Science Education and Community Engagement (WISCIENCE) at the University of Wisconsin for inspiration, training, and support in developing this site. Many of the resources we have made available to students have been adapted from materials developed at WISCIENCE.