I was able to work this job for 30 hours a week and was able to take Calculus 3 at the same time.
What I wish was different
The number of hours worked were very uneven, based off of the number of conferences on campus.
Advice
For New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology students, this is a good job to work if you are also taking just 1 class over the summer.
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Undergraduate Research Assistant
May - August 2019 • Socorro, NM
What I liked
The school housed all participants in on campus apartments and provided us with a monthly stipend. The first couple of days consisted mostly of orientations and a campus tour to get familiar with the school and the surrounding areas. The remainder of the week was made up of mini-courses on basic research, data analysis, and cybersecurity fundamentals. Since everyone came from different schools with their own curriculum, these courses were designed to get everyone on the same page, which was great.
We were also introduced to our faculty advisor and the research topic we would be working on. The following weeks consisted of research and weekly meetings with our faculty advisor. Meetings typically covered what we understood about some of the research papers we were reading and the basis for our summer project. The faculty mentor was also very helpful and gave us clarification about any topics that we didn't understand.
The remaining weeks consisted of implementing our project, writing a final report, and creating a report summary poster. The last day of the program consisted of presenting our poster to an audience of students and faculty at the university.
Overall it was a great experience. I learned a great deal about cybersecurity and was exposed to concepts that would help me grow as a student and a programmer. I would encourage future students to definitely participate in the NSF-REU program.
What I wish was different
The application process was a bit slow. After I was selected for the 10-week summer research program, I didn't receive the informational packet about the program: (housing, check-in, schedule,) until about a week before I was supposed to arrive at the university. Having all the information sent earlier would have saved a lot of stress and would have allowed me to make travel arrangements more than a week's notice.
Advice
Don't be worried about not knowing enough about research before applying. For most undergraduate research positions it's expected that you may not be familiar with all aspects of research. It's supposed to be a learning experience. It doesn't hurt to apply. Even if you may not want to get into research as a career field, it is still a great way to get some exposure to topics that your school may not offer.
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Library Circulation Clerk
September 2019 • Socorro, NM
What I liked
They are really nice here and they always schedule you only when you can work.
What I wish was different
Advice
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Graduate Research Assistant
May 2019 • Socorro, NM
What I liked
I learned a lot
What I wish was different
Nothing
Advice
It requires a lot of work.
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Reasearch assista
May 2019 • Socorro, NM
What I liked
Learning that undergraduate degree doesn't really matter I am a chem e and did solidworks modeling and coding.
What I wish was different
Nothing I really enjoy my job.
Advice
Be ready to teach yourself what you need to complete a task.
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Student Researcher Assistant
December 2016 - July 2019 • Socorro, NM
What I liked
I enjoyed the ability to conduct research and break ground in the dry aerosol deposition field.
What I wish was different
I wish that more funding was given by the government to research universities in order to purchase and maintain necessary equipment.
Advice
You get out of ut what you put in. The results able to be presented are only obtained by the hard work of the researchers.
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Graduate Research Assistant
May 2019 • Socorro, NM
What I liked
I love doing research and I was working in the lab that I am doing mu masters in so it was nice to get a jump start on my masters research.
What I wish was different
It would have been nice if the summer was longer!
Advice
Try to maintain a good work life balance.
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Research Assistant
May 2019 • Socorro, NM
What I liked
I liked being able to make my own schedule and work at my own pace.
What I wish was different
I wish there had been more background information provided on the project before I started.
Advice
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Undergraduate Research Assistant
May - August 2018 • Socorro, NM
What I liked
Summer research is a great opportunity to understand what it's like to work in a lab without having to juggle school work the way you would during the semester. I learned a lot and was able to develop and present a poster presentation.
