tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068615175426357203.post3760050239451183212..comments2024-03-19T00:11:46.679-07:00Comments on The Prodigal Academic: Summer studentsprodigal academichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00433167641213112052noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068615175426357203.post-74627087711660907332010-07-09T06:46:02.094-07:002010-07-09T06:46:02.094-07:00Ah summer students. It's nice to see other peo...Ah summer students. It's nice to see other people keen to give them meaningful tasks. My experience of summer work was mixed. The summer prof who have me something interesting and worthwhile turned into my phd prof. <br /><br />This summer I had my first SS and he was awesome - our paper was just accepted this week actually (Australian summer that is).<br /><br />Now that I'm at a non-US national lab I haven't seen an undergrad in months, and I miss them. I don't miss marking... But I do miss the students.Tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08582644751812812675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068615175426357203.post-56158019834123845702010-07-04T13:58:16.523-07:002010-07-04T13:58:16.523-07:00Thanks for the comments--it is good to hear from o...Thanks for the comments--it is good to hear from others that the effort put into summer students pays off for them and for the mentor!prodigal academichttp://theprodigalacademic.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068615175426357203.post-74609495836400337372010-07-02T21:25:34.019-07:002010-07-02T21:25:34.019-07:00My last student generated data for a figure on my ...My last student generated data for a figure on my paper. This is goal of all my undergraduate projects - but as we know science does not always play fair! I am hoping it will work out for my new summer student. All going well, her project should generate some meaningful data that will fit nicely into my next paper. <br /><br />I think it is important that undergrads are working on something meaningful, which has a real possibility for inclusion in a publication. it is also important that they are not working on a key component of a publication, because the last thing they need is an impatient grad student or postdoc on their back! <br /><br />I started working in a lab as an undergraduate doing tissue culture - which I preferred to bartending or waitressing. Actually I hated working in bars and restaurants. Anyway, it was through this that I got my foot in the door and a summer undergraduate fellowship to do a molecular project. I got recruited back to do my PhD in that lab.feyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17504515823920550209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2068615175426357203.post-54750058847215143652010-07-02T09:54:33.516-07:002010-07-02T09:54:33.516-07:00I am a big proponent of having undergrads in the l...I am a big proponent of having undergrads in the lab. It's one of the best ways to recruit grad students, to alleviate some of the burden from grad students, and looks good as part of NSF broader impacts! Motivate undergrads can really energize the lab. <br /><br />Great post, PA, thanks!GMPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17872461021953583473noreply@blogger.com