One of the most valuable experiences for an undergraduate life sciences student is gaining hands-on research experience. During my time as an undergraduate, there was a big emphasis on “internships.” However, in the sciences, these are often called research assistantships.

These positions are specifically designed to get you in the lab and build essential lab skills. The great part about these roles is the variety and uniqueness of each lab’s research scope. Additionally, the fundamental skills you learn can build on each other. For instance, in one lab you might work on evolutionary biology, using Python to create phylogenetic trees that help analyze relationships between species. In another lab, you’d be able to use your Python skills to run statistical analyses comparing two drug treatments. Research experiences like these broaden your understanding of scientific questions and how to approach them scientifically.

There are two main ways to secure a position – internally at your university or externally at another another university.

When you look for a PI (Principal Investigator) at your home institution, you’ll probably be reaching out to them personally. This is done either in-person or virtually. While reaching out to professors can feel intimidating or challenging, this is an effective way to find research opportunities. The most important thing to showcase is your interest in their research and how you can be helpful to them. Here is a link to help you draft your email. These types of assistantships have more flexibility in terms of start date and length. Depending on your lab, you could work for the lab following your summer. The work might become part of your senior thesis or a first-author publication.

If you’re open to travel, Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) are a really cool way to spend the summer. These are targeted at students who want a research experience at another institution. These are competitive programs that you apply for. If selected, you’ll receive a stipend to cover housing, food, and travel. Once you arrive on-campus, you’ll meet your cohort and be assigned a PI. These PIs typically have a research question for you prepared and you’ll spend the next 8-12 weeks answering that question. At the end of the summer, your work will be presented in the form of a poster presentation. You’ll get the chance to take it to larger conferences in the future. Here is a link to a popular site for identifying REUs.

In 2022, I was fortunate enough to secure another REU, but this time in Germany. This was an amazing experience, as I got to travel (fully-paid-for!) internationally and conduct research. It was so interesting interacting with my labmates, who weren’t all German – it was quite the international bunch, actually! I had a great time doing cancer research in the lab during the week and exploring Germany (and neighboring countries!) on the weekend.

When reflecting on my college experience, REUs definitely were top of the list of “cool” things I did. It was great to have these opportunities to contribute to science and still have a fun summer. REUs look great on your resume and they prove you can contribute to the scientific community.