I liked being on campus during the summer. I also liked being able to focus on one project for an extended period of time.
What I wish was different
I wish there had been more frequent communication between the other members of my Mellon seminar and myself, and that the allocated time for research was longer.
Advice
Communication is important!
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Thesis Research Student
June - August 2018 • Amherst, MA
What I liked
I got a lot of my thesis research done and had a very solid foundation for after the summer.
What I wish was different
The living situation wasn't optimal because of the humid weather and the lack of AC in my room.
Advice
I'd recommend anyone writing a thesis to do research on campus over the summer. I think it was well worth my time.
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Mellon Research Fellow
June - July 2018 • Amherst, MA
What I liked
I enjoyed doing academic research, and being able to figure out how to approach a research question.
What I wish was different
This wasn't really fixable, but my classmates who were working on this project with me weren't all there at the same time. It would have been helpful if we were all present for the same six weeks.
Advice
It is so important to stay organized when doing academic research. Keep track of everything.
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Research assistant
May 2018 • Amherst, MA
What I liked
Working environment, research topic, and interactions with professors
What I wish was different
N/A
Advice
Build relationships with professors and coworkers!
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Gregory Call Research Fellow
May - August 2018 • Amherst, MA
What I liked
I really enjoyed the flexibility of doing research on campus. I also liked that I was able to travel to Mississippi for a duration of the program to do some ethnographic research.
What I wish was different
I wish I would have had more time to actually do write-ups of my research.
Advice
I would encourage upcoming researchers to stick to a per-prepared schedule.
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Undergraduate Research Assistant
June - August 2018 • Amherst, MA
What I liked
The ability to control a personal project and receive feedback from my PI helped me development research skills that I anticipate using in the future. I benefited form having weekly goals and daily action items to keep me productive and working towards a goal.
What I wish was different
I wish we had a plan in place for what to do when our instrument was down so as to get more out of the time.
Advice
Having a clear plan at the start of the summer or before will help make each week productive as well as help keep on task when an instrument is down or a key component of the project falls apart
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Gregory S. Call Research Grantee
June - September 2018 • Amherst, MA
What I liked
This was an excellent way to get funding for personal research related to my thesis.
What I wish was different
Advice
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Research Fellow
June - August 2018 • Amherst, MA
What I liked
I loved that I got to work closely with students in my lab. I got to learn a lot from them, in terms of navigating how to do work in a lab setting and learning how to do standard lab procedures. They were extremely helpful in my understanding of lab research.
What I wish was different
I
Advice
Make the most out of it. Really dive into the research and research papers to better understand what you would like to do in STEM.
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Amherst College Admission Office Summer Intern
May - August 2018 • Amherst, MA
What I liked
I really loved working with people on a day to day basis and having the chance to possibly effect someone's life in a positive way. I loved giving tours and learning about the College itself, along with its admissions process.
What I wish was different
I wish that the pay was a bit more. Besides that, I wouldn't have changed a thing.
Advice
One piece of advice is to actually believe what you're pitching to the college's visitors. If you don't, the job just is not for you.
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Thesis Research
July - August 2018 • Accra, Greater Accra Region
What I liked
I enjoyed working independently on a topic that I was passionate about.
What I wish was different
I wish I worked close with my mentor's to prepare a plan of action to use in the field.
Advice
If you're doing research that involves interviews or you need assistance getting around a foreign country, don't hesitate to ask for help. People will surprise you with their generosity and willingness to lend a hand.
