Expert: ScienceAdviser - 1/28/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi, I just started my first year of biology in university and I was wondering if you could advice me on where I could look forward to get a small job in this field of study (research assistant or something similar). I live in Canada (Quebec), but I have no problem in moving somewhere else for the summer for such a job.
Thank you!

ANSWER: Hi there,
First, congratulations for being so smart. You are doing a great thing for looking for a job in your field.
There are a lot of things that you can do. We have a lot of students in their last year of high school coming to the lab to expose themselves to research and bench work. So, these are the things that you can do:

1. Take some time to think what area of research you think you are interested in or would like to expose yourself. For example: cancer research, agricultural research, nutrition research, etc.

2. There are thousands and thousands of labs that are willing to take students for summer to help them. The trick is: Make sure to go to a lab that allows you to be involved with a project. Usually what they do is to ask you to help a grad student or a postdoc. This way, you will really be exposed to thinking and doing experiments. Also, having lab meeting or jounral clubs helps you to participate in the disucssion in a broader spectrum. These are things that you have to look for when looking for a job. It takes some times to get used to working in the lab, so have some patience.

3. So, to find the lab, the best way is to, as i mentioned, find the area that you are interested in, then, go to the universities that are close to your current location. Go to the department that has that particular research, and find the emails of the head of the labs (principle investigators, PIs), and email them and tell them that you are interested in that research area and would like to work in their lab. Then, tell them that you are interested to meet with them and talk more about that. Do not wait until summer. Start now. The reason is that many labs have already students working there or coming back, or even have contacted them to join their lab. The more you wait, the harder it gets to go to a good lab. Then, go and meet with them, talk to people, and see if you like it. The thing is that to find a lab that people are also willing to help you learn. Talk to them and do not be shy about that. You are there to learn not to just earn money and get nothing. If you start early, you can go to several labs, and choose the one that you like the most. I know university of Quebec in Montreal and McGill university have a lot of great lab in cancer research.

4. The best thing is to find a lab that is very close to where you are. The reason is that if the project goes well and you like it there, you may even be able to spend weekends or some afternoons or even school holidays to go there and continue on your project rather than just waiting for two or three months of summer. This way, you are more involved and you may even be able to be an author on their publication which helps you a lot if you want to be in research or go to medical school.

If you tell me more in detail the areas that you are interested, I may be able to point out some labs for you around there.

Good luck to you and let me know how it goes.

Best.
Gloria



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi,
Thank you for this FAST answer!
I'm just starting so I don't have specific preferences. If talking about a job in a lab, I agree on the point that it must be as close as possible to my location (that would be Québec City, so Université Laval or Université du Québec), but I am also interested in doing some field job if you know what I mean. I know there are some projects to tag-measure-observe deers for example, but most of these ask for grad students. Since these kind of projects are not local anyway, I wouldn't mind if I must go far. As for lab work, as long as I don't choke under pressure, I am ready to experiment in about of any field.

Thank you!

ANSWER: Hi there,
You are very welcome. Yes, if it is field project, I agree that  most of them are done during summer. However, do not worry if it requires grad students. Most of the labs hire students liks yourself either undergrad or high school to pair them with grad students and postdocs to help them with projects. These are better because they are looking to publish articles and your  name will be there, and depending on how much you put in, you may be second author which is pretty good for your future. What you can do, and this is just a suggestion, is to try both. During winter time, try the lab work and during summer time, try the field work and see which one you like better.

About being under pressure, that is some thing that you have to mention to the boss. Just tell them that you can put these certain hours, and they try to fit you in. Most labs do. We do it, and I know many other labs do it.

I am not familiar with the field trip, but for the lab work, try the labs that are in cancer or other human disease related areas because those are the one that are hot topics and you can get some real experiences out of those. For example in the laval university, thesea seem to be good:
Dimcho Bachvarov is in cancer
Luc Bélanger  also in cancer
robert.faure@crchul.ulaval.ca in signaling
Manjapra V. Govindan in signaling

Check them out in the website of the unversity and see what you think.

Good luck to you.
Gloria

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi again!
I took some time to think about it and I believe I am going to do exactly as you told, but I was worried about the kind of letter I should write to the project heads. Must I do the same thing I would do with a normal job? Anything particular? Must I join my CV? Since I am new in biology (first year) and also very young (I am 17), I don't have experience in lab work and so about work experience(only 2 jobs in total, absolutely not related to biology): does this situation handicaps me? If so, how can I "sell" myself?
Briefly, could you give me sort of an example of letter I can send, and maybe also tell me where I should put emphasis in my CV?

PS: As you probably know, people speak French in Québec, but the people you pointed me seem to be English speakers (I don't know). Should I send my letter in French or English ... or both?

Thank you for your great help!  

Answer
Hello again,

no, this is not for a job. This is just a letter telling them exactly the same thing that I told you:
You have read their research and you are very interested in what they do (mention about their project for example cancer research, etc). You are very intereted in exposing yourself to the research and to know how the real research enviornment is, and how you can apply things that you read in the text book into parctice, and therefore, you are looking for a lab tech position (lab techincian position) that allows you to be involved in the projects, and would like to see if they have an opening in their lab and if there is a possibility for you to go and meet with them. For their information, you are attaching your CV. Send your CV with all your work experinece, etc. Do not worry about your major. You have a good major. If they accept to talk to you, MAKE SURE you will be involved in doing research not just making media nad collecting trash for them. Make sure you can learn and help them with experiments. Be direct and tell them that you are there to learn not just to earn money.

You can write the letter and send it to me and I tell you about it.

Best.
Gloria