Assistant Professor
Department of Entomology
University of California, Riverside
jpurcell@ucr.edu
phone:951-827-7258
Blog
An Undergraduate Perspective: What it's like to work in a research lab
December, 2017Shirley Tawdros
After finishing my first scientific paper, I took a step back and realized how much I have learned this quarter. As an undergrad in her first research lab I didn’t really know how much work it would take to conduct my own research project and write my first scientific paper since that’s something you don’t learn in school. You can only learn what it takes from experiencing it and struggling along the way. Taking a step back, I think about how nervous I was to do a good job in the beginning of the quarter as I felt I was entrusted with such a huge responsibility, and I was! It’s a little like starting your first day of school or your first day at a new job. However, I now feel ready for next quarter because I do know what to expect and I think I’ll be a lot more prepared for my future research projects due to my struggles I have faced this quarter.
Alyssa and Shirley presenting their first scientific poster, SoCAB 2018
I got lucky as the graduate student who was my mentor, Amanda Hale, really pushed me to make my own judgment calls and think things through by myself before she helped me (of course she was always there when something went wrong). She also helped me cope with the fact that after 10 weeks of dedication, “it’s OK” I didn’t get any results.
Nevertheless, the hardest part of this quarter was writing the research paper. In my undergraduate career, I have read many research papers but when it came time to write my own, I felt like I had forgotten what a research paper was. Dr. Purcell really helped me realize what is important in a paper, and she also reminded me that every word counted. Although it’s far from perfect, I am pleased at the outcome.
Two things are for sure, I now have way more appreciation for well written scientific articles and I could not have asked for a better learning environment.