IB Alumni Mentoring Program

Review some common research questions and answers

• Scroll to the bottom of the page: https://sib.illinois.edu/research/undergraduate

Peruse your options

• IB Research Options: https://sib.illinois.edu/research/undergraduate
• MCB: https://mcb.illinois.edu/undergrad/opportunities/research/
• NRES: https://nres.illinois.edu/undergraduate/research
• Crop Sciences: https://cropsciences.illinois.edu/current/research-opportunities/
• Research Park: http://www.researchpark.illinois.edu
• IGB: https://www.igb.illinois.edu
• Prairie Research Institute: http://www.inrs.illinois.edu
• Illinois Natural History Survey: http://www.inhs.illinois.edu
• Illinois State Geological Survey: http://www.isgs.illinois.edu
• Illinois State Water Survey: http://www.isws.illinois.edu
• Illinois Sustainable Technology Center: https://www.istc.illinois.edu
• Industry - for example internships at Illumina conducting biotech research
• Clinical Research
• You may also find research positions on the Virtual Job Board hosted by the Office of Student Financial Aid: https://www.osfa.illinois.edu/types-of-aid/virtual-job-board
• And many more!

Review faculty profiles

• IB Faculty: https://sib.illinois.edu/people/faculty_390_490
• MCB Faculty: http://mcb.illinois.edu/faculty/by_research
• NRES Faculty: https://nres.illinois.edu/research
• Crop Sciences Faculty: https://cropsciences.illinois.edu/people/research-areas/

Review faculty websites

• Faculty usually have their own lab webpage, with their research interests and research team.
• If there is no link through the departmental website, do a quick Google search

Keep track of what you like

• Quickly eliminating labs or fields you don't want to study will make the next steps a lot easier, as will keeping track of what you liked and didn't like about your top choices
• Don't forget to save the links to the faculty websites of your top choices!

Research your top choices

• Faculty interviews: https://sib.illinois.edu/faculty_interviews
• Faculty websites - review what kind of research they do, what their research team specializes in, and get a feel for the "personality" of the lab
• Lab publications - you won't understand everything, but are you excited by their work or their results? Could you see yourself contributing to a project like that?

Decide what matters to you

• Do you want to work in the field or in a lab?
• Are you interested in macro or micro level questions? Ecosystem or cell first?
• Do you want to work in a big or small lab?

Ask a current student questions

• What are their duties?
• How do they balance their classes and lab work?
• Do they work on independent projects?
• Do they work with the grad students or the professor?

Craft a professional email

• Address the professor formally, and as Dr. or Professor - e.g. "Dear Dr. Smith,"
• Include specifics about who you are, why you want to join their lab, and what you would add to the research group
• Reference some of the research you did - what did you like about their lab that made you reach out to them specifically?
• TAILOR each of your emails to that specific professor's research group and interests
• Sign the email formally, with your full name - e.g. "Sincerely, John Smith"

Focus on your strengths

• Don't worry about not having enough lab experience - focus on the skills and experiences you do have. How could those help you to be trained in lab techniques?
• Convey your excitement for the lab and the position, and why it's a good fit for you

Enlist a second set of eyes

• Fellow student
• Graduate student or TA
• Writers Workshop: http://www.cws.illinois.edu/workshop/
• The Career Center: https://www.careercenter.illinois.edu

Getting Funding

• Integrative Biology: https://sib.illinois.edu/undergraduate/support
• Office of Undergraduate Research: https://undergradresearch.illinois.edu/students/funding.html
• Research Experience for Undergraduates: (REU) https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/

Getting Credit

• Research Courses: https://sib.illinois.edu/undergraduate/research_courses
• Lab Courses
• There are also several courses that include research projects!

Graduating with Distinction

• Graduation with Distinction: https://sib.illinois.edu/undergraduate/distinction

Research Certificate Program

• From the Office of Undergraduate Research: https://undergradresearch.illinois.edu/students/research-certificate.html

Research Skills

• Guidelines: https://sib.illinois.edu/undergraduate/guidelines/

Working with non-IB faculty

• You can still get IB credit! Read all about the process here: https://sib.illinois.edu/research/non_sib