Lehigh University

Undergraduate Researcher

June - August 2022 • Bethlehem, PA

What I liked

The active role I played in experimentation and choosing what issues to follow in our research. I also liked the variety in each day of my internship—some days were spent doing optical alignment while others I spent with collaborators synthesizing gels.

What I wish was different

I wish we had worked with a greater variety of samples.

Advice

Work from the beginning to synthesize your research and summarize justifications for each part.

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Mountain Top Project Fellow at Lehigh University

May - August 2019 • Bethlehem, PA

What I liked

What I wish was different

More guidence

Advice

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Undergraduate Researcher

May 2019 • Bethlehem, PA

What I liked

A lot of freedom, along with a lot of learning. I was taught how to use a lot of different analysis techniques and instruments that graduate students use, including Uv-Vis and XRD. In addition, I was basically treated like a graduate student, which was cool. (Went to group meetings, read papers etc)

What I wish was different

Research is hard. Be ready for weeks (months) of no data, failed experiments, frustration, not understanding, and boredom. Also, since you are the lowest on the totem pole, you will be responsible for making buffers, filling pipette tip boxes and other busy work that needs to get done for the graduate students. However, this is only a small part of the experience and you will also learn from this. Mostly though, research is hard.

Advice

Honestly, the experience depends on the professor and graduate student you are paired up with. Some are really friendly whereas others are strict and make the experience unpleasant (I have seen this happen to my peers). Also, if you enjoy your research topic you will have a good time and vice versa.

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Physics Research Intern

June 2019 • Bethlehem, PA

What I liked

I like the work I've been doing. There's a lot of data analysis that I enjoy. I also enjoyed networking and doing the physical construction of new detectors.

What I wish was different

Advice

It's important to reach out to professors about research opportunities. They have plenty of work for you to do, and you'll learn a lot along the way!

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Undergraduate research assistant

June - August 2019 • Bethlehem, PA

What I liked

Lots of hands on experience

What I wish was different

Advice

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Mountaintop Project: Beyond Bars

May - August 2019 • Bethlehem, PA

What I liked

I liked the experience of research, especially when the research ends in something that can make a real world difference. It was great to learn about planning meetings and appointments to gain knowledge and also learn about other projects that were occurring from technology to South Bethlehem News.

What I wish was different

I wish there was a more collaboration between the project I was in and possible outside partners.

Advice

Enjoy everyday on the project, because the research days are the difficult days before the impact, it leads to the best results of impact towards the community.

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