The group I joined was incredibly supportive of my research. They helped me through as many problems and challenges I came across and ended up with great relationships.
What I wish was different
I wish the experience was not completely virtual, but regardless I enjoyed my time.
Advice
Reach out ahead of time to potential advisors and make a connection!
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Undergraduate Researcher
May - August 2021 • Río Grande, Río Grande
What I liked
Flexible, got to design my own research project
What I wish was different
More cultural knowledge before and during my trip
Advice
Immerse yourself in the culture as well as the research on your internships.
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Research Scholar
June - August 2021 • Boston, MA
What I liked
I liked the experience of having a mentor, designing an independent research project, and getting training in different geochemistry methods. I also liked the general REU program training - it was very helpful and informative.
What I wish was different
I did wish that the independent projects were a bit more structured, but this was a mentor-based issue.
Advice
Definitely make sure you are interested in the project, as you will be working with that for the whole summer.
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RI EPSCoR C-AIM SURF fellow
June 2020 • South Kingstown, RI
What I liked
Despite COVID-19 changing the SURF program from a 10 week program to an ongoing, flexible one that now ends in August of 2021, and preventing me from doing lab work, I was very grateful to be a part of this fellowship program. I loved going out in the field for drone flights, and working with the photos at home. I liked how my team quickly came together to be creative and devise an alternative plan. It gave me the chance to develop new problem solving skills, as well as skills I never thought I would achieve; such as working with GIS software.
What I wish was different
I wish that I could have participated in lab work, as that was going to be a main part of my job. With COVID-19, the Graduate School of Oceanography had to adapt and compensate. I missed the experience and feeling of being in the lab, but it gave me a positive opportunity to work from home and develop other skills.
Advice
I learned that it is not always easy to work from home, and look for GIS software that can do specific tasks with raw data, but I found it important to reach out for help. People and faculty at URI are more than willing to help us students. Additionally, communication with my team was regular, and that really helped each of us to stay in "the loop" and feel connected even though each of us was working on different items of interest and could not be together.
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Rutgers University Ocean Data Labs REU Intern
May - July 2020 • Newark, NJ
What I liked
This was a great way to learn more about oceanography and research, and I enjoyed learning how to code with Python. My mentor was incredibly helpful and encouraging and made the experience enjoyable. I gained a lot of relevant knowledge.
What I wish was different
I do wish it had not been a virtual experience, but the Rutgers team and my mentor did a fantastic job of making the program engaging, useful, and fun by creating a community of acceptance and friendship in the midst of this pandemic.
Advice
Don't opt out of an internship opportunity just because it's online or not quite what you are looking for. This internship was outside my usual biological interests, but I learned a great deal and found it fascinating, and I know I learned many relevant skills that I can use in any scientific field I choose. Just going through the process will help you grow as a professional. Also, I was leery of accepting an online REU, but it was an amazing experience. Just go for it!
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Undergraduate Researcher
June - July 2019 • College Station, TX
What I liked
I was able to conduct my own research as an undergraduate, with the help of a professor and graduate student at Texas A&M University. I was also able to travel to New Orleans, Louisiana to present my research at the Southern Demographic Association 2019 Annual Meeting.
What I wish was different
I wish that I would've known about these kinds of opportunities sooner in my college career.
Advice
Do not get discouraged! Things will get tough, but as long as you have a strong support team behind you, you will be okay!
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REU
May - July 2013 • Baton Rouge, LA
What I liked
It was an awesome experience. I learned that conducting research is multidisciplinary.
What I wish was different
I wish it was mandatory to meet up with your mentor several times a week.
Advice
Open up your mind and be creative.
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Undergraduate Researcher
June - August 2019 • Pittsburgh, PA
What I liked
It introduced me to the world of research.
What I wish was different
I wish I could have known about it freshmen year.
Advice
Try to plan alot of things.
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Reseacher
May - August 2019 • Darmstadt, Hesse
What I liked
Such a wonderful experience. Being abroad for 10 weeks with everything paid for is a dream come true. Weekends was for travelling around Europe. Every weekend I was in a different place. Of course during the week you have to work, but I can guarantee that the work was so interesting that I loved both travelling and the work itself equally.
What I wish was different
Really I wish I was there for longer. It would've been great to stay there the entirety of August rather than leaving on August 10th.
Advice
Don't be afraid to go abroad for 10 weeks. It is scary, and education is different in other parts of the world, but it's worth exploring.
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Research Fellow
June - August 2019 • Orono, ME
What I liked
Housing and a meal plan were provided with the job. I had a lot of independence and was able to learn a lot in a lot of different areas through the project I was working on (i.e. designing a custom printed circuit board, modeling in solidworks, 3D printing with the Formlabs 2 printer, animal testing, etc.)
What I wish was different
Advice
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Icthyologist/ physiologist REU/MARC fellow
June - August 2019 • Friday Harbor, WA
What I liked
I loved it all
What I wish was different
I wish I didn’t have to come back to California
Advice
Don’t get on the ferry back
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Student Researcher
June - August 2019 • Santa Barbara, CA
What I liked
Doing research in mathematical cosmology!
What I wish was different
Advice
Take a semester off
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Student Researcher
June - July 2019 • Madrid, Madrid
What I liked
The chance to work with cutting edge research, to get an idea of how graduate students conduct research.
What I wish was different
A bit more clarity on what was expected would be helpful. The requirements were nebulous at best for what we were expected to turn in.
Advice
Be willing to take risks and go outside of your comfort zone. I had no idea that this position was international until I got off the phone screening, but I went for it anyway. The experience was entirely worth it.
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Structural Engineering Intern
June 2019 • Buffalo, NY
What I liked
Experiencing new opportunities outside of the classroom.
What I wish was different
I could have done more research before the summer began so I would have had a better idea of the type of work I would be doing.
Advice
It's very new material, so researching and understanding the mechanisms are important.
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Undergraduate Researcher
June - August 2019 • Charlotte, NC
What I liked
I enjoyed being able to design and conduct my own independent research on a public health issue in West Charlotte.
What I wish was different
Advice
To do independent research you have to be very self motivated, organized, and driven. However, it is very rewarding and educational.
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Government Affairs Research Intern
May - August 2019 • Potsdam, NY
What I liked
I loved the people that I met and the experiences I had academically, professionally, and socially!
What I wish was different
Advice
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Undergraduate Researcher
May - August 2019 • Vermillion, SD
What I liked
The first-hand experience I got in the lab and field. I was an active member of the team, not just shadowing.
What I wish was different
The organization of the larger program beyond our lab was poor and some co-workers were aggressive and not qualified.
Advice
Apply for as many internships and opportunities that you can, you might not get any of your top five.
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Mechanical Engineering research intern
June - August 2019 • Princeton, NJ
What I liked
I enjoyed the place, the people and the experience. I learned so much
What I wish was different
I wish I took more advantage of programs offer in the program
Advice
Everyone should take some time to do research, especially with as a group
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NSF REU Research Intern
May - August 2019 • Provo, UT
What I liked
I absolutely loved being able to conduct graduate-level research in an area that was very applicable to what I would like to do in the future.
What I wish was different
Nothing. It was wonderful.
Advice
Just go for it. It's worth it.
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Lab Assistant
June - August 2019 • Lincoln, NE
What I liked
The experience was a necessary in helping me realign what I want my career to be.
What I wish was different
The research felt very meaningless and that my time was wasted.
Advice
Apply to multiple REU’s since they are very competitive.
