Not assigned enough work at times, but can always request for it
Advice
Need to take a initiative with your supervisor
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student research assistant
June 2020 • Berkeley, CA
What I liked
I loved learning about soil data analysis! I learned how to do data analysis using python. I learned so much! And I am looking forward to presenting at the AGU (American Geophysical Union) meeting this winter.
What I wish was different
I wish I could have gone to the actual Lab Site! I never actually got to experience working at the Laboratory, since all my work was remote due to the pandemic. I never got to work in the field as well in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, which I was most excited about!
Advice
It never hurts to apply! And it always helps your chances if you reach out to that person you met at a networking event, because you never know if that person can get you into the company for an internship, which is exactly what happened with me.
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Student Researcher
May - August 2018 • Berkeley, CA
What I liked
Great work environment and people.
What I wish was different
Nothing.
Advice
Prepare to enter a true working environment where everyone is excited about what they do and share their enthusiasm with you, in a way that makes you very interested as well.
1
One person found this helpful
Science Unfergraduate Labaratory Intern
June - August 2019 • Berkeley, CA
What I liked
Developed a protocol for chemical and physical characterization of soils.
What I wish was different
Wish I had more access to labs
Advice
I advice other students to ask their mentors for collaboration with other departments.
1
One person found this helpful
Database research Intern
June - September 2019 • Berkeley, CA
What I liked
Really good environment and fun work.
What I wish was different
More social opportunities for interns.
Advice
Amazing experience where you get to work on projects that have a huge real world impact.
1
One person found this helpful
Undergraduate Researcher
June - August 2018 • Berkeley, CA
What I liked
It was a great learning experience. As a national lab, they have equipment that a university laboratory would be unlikely to have and so many bounds and restrictions on your research are lifted. The scientists have great input and allow you to develop your ideas without taking over the thought and experimental processes.
What I wish was different
I wish the culture of the lab was different. It felt very corporate-like and interpersonal relations was minimal.
Advice
Be confident about your skills, be open to criticism, and define clearly what your expectations of this experience are at the beginning.
3
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Research Associate
January - August 2018 • Berkeley, CA
What I liked
I liked getting to work alongside extremely qualified, knowledgeable, and passionate scientists and engineers from all over the world.
What I wish was different
I wish I could work there longer!
Advice
Taking a semester off to get real experience in your field of study is an extremely valuable learning opportunity. It gave me the opportunity to see what kind of things I can do with my degree.
1
One person found this helpful
Computer Science Intern
June - August 2018 • Berkeley, CA
What I liked
Work environment was friendly.
What I wish was different
More specific problems to explore. The amount of deliverables made the internship somewhat stressful.
Advice
Expand your network. Use the internship as an opportunity to think about the kind of carreer you want to pursue based on how you enjoy different aspects of the internship.
1
One person found this helpful
Computer Systems Engineer
June - September 2018 • Berkeley, CA
What I liked
Very smart and dedicated scientific and IT staff.
What I wish was different
I wish it had been more structured and organized, and that I had been giving mentoring.
Advice
1
One person found this helpful
Research Assistant
May 2018 • Berkeley, CA
What I liked
The people and the trust that my superiors put in me to do excellent work.
Being able to use the coding I had learned to process data.
Learning new skills and understanding the research work environment.
What I wish was different
I wish I had a larger variety of jobs to do over the summer. A majority of my time was spent on one project doing one monotonous task. I think now that that task is done, I will be able to do more diverse things.
Advice
I got to do this by emailing my professor and asking if he needed help. His lab relies on students emailing them about research assistant positions rather than actively posting the position on job boards, because they know then that the students are actually interested in the lab's work. So you never know what can happen if you just ask!! The worst thing they can say is that they don't have openings, and then you know for sure.
