You've found a few groups that you are interested in learning more about. You may have gotten to this point without talking to a faculty member yet, but that's about to change. This step is intimidating for most of us, so if you're feeling a little unsure at this point, that's okay.
If you read through some of our undergraduate student profiles, you'll see that there are many different ways that students connect with their research mentor. Some were asked by a professor if they were interested in working with their group. Others approached a professor whose class they loved and found a spot that way. Some applied to advertisements, while many others followed the general process outlined here and emailed faculty to express their interest in joining their research group.
Emailing a professor about research opportunities
- Use an informative subject. A busy faculty member is much more likely to open an email titled "Undergraduate research opportunities in your lab" than "Hi" or "Research".
- Open your email formally. Address the faculty member directly, "Dear Dr. ______,". Don't just say "Hi" or "Dear Professor,".
- Introduce yourself. Briefly provide some of your background information: What year are you? What's your major or intended major? Describe any relevant course work or prior research experience, even if it was in high school. If you are considering graduate school after Rice, include that interest in your message.
- Explain why you're writing. Briefly tell them why you are interested in a research position and why you are interested in their lab in particular. Express your interest in a research topic or specific paper from their group. If true, mention that you are interested in a long-term/multi-semester research experience.
- Close your email formally. A simple closing, such as "Sincerely" or "Best regards" followed by your name, works well.
Example contact letters
Dear Dr. ______,
I am a sophomore at Rice University interested in research in chemistry, cell biology and cancer. I am contacting you because I am interested in your lab's use of combinatorial chemistry and cell biology to develop melanoma therapies. Does your lab ever host undergraduate researchers? If so, I would be very interested in talking to you about possible long-term research opportunities in your lab.
Thank you for your time. I'm hoping to talk with you soon about your research.
Sincerely,
NAME
Rice University, MAJOR
Class of 20XX
Dear Dr. ______,
I am a second-year Biosciences major interested in genetic engineering. In one of my lab courses, we were able to use synthetic biology to design a circuit using parts of a two-component bacterial system. I have been looking for other opportunities in synthetic biology and have found your research in bio-electronics to be of particular interest. Would you be willing to meet to discuss your research and potential undergraduate positions in your lab?
Sincerely,
NAME
Rice University, MAJOR
Class of 20XX
How many labs should I contact?
Getting into a lab is partly timing and luck, so don't get discouraged if your first efforts aren't successful. It may be necessary to contact several labs, one or two at a time, to find a position. If you are not successful after several attempts, talk to a departmental research advisor for feedback on your contact letter.