Who is your PI? – David Ji

How did you get into Undergraduate Research? – I got into UG research because I heard of it from a T.A. at the Mole Hole.  He, like me, had a scholarship requiring a certain amount of credits, and he told me that it was a nice way to help fulfill that requirement while gaining real work experience and helping others.

What advice might you have for other Undergraduate students thinking of pursuing research or just getting started? – I am very happy with my UG research position. I enjoy going in for UG research, and learn a lot from it.  I also really like the UG research system, as it is a symbiosis, with both parties benefiting. It is difficult to tell others what to expect in the position, because that will vary greatly depending on what T.A. he/she works for, and what department of chemistry he/she works under.  In general, you should expect to aid the graduate student with their experiments in any way he/she asks, be it preparation work, clean up, experiment assistance, individual conduction of experiments, etc.
The best advice I have regarding UG research is to meet with the T.A. that you will be working for during the first week of the term and set up a timetable detailing what days and how many hours you will be coming in to work, fitting this timetable around both you and your T.A.’s schedule.  This assures that there will be no time conflicts for either of you, and will allow the research to run smoothly.