From Dynamic Ecology
by Meghan Duffy, a University of Michigan ecologist and professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
At this year’s ESA meeting, I was part of an Inspire session organized by Nate Emery on “Students As Ecologists: Collaborating with Undergraduates from Scientific Question to Publication”. It occurred to me that my talk would be good fodder for a blog post. So, here are (some of) my thoughts on some specific strategies for working with undergraduates in the lab. This post includes information both on types of projects that we’ve had undergraduates work on, as well as things that I think are important related to working with undergraduates in the lab.
Having undergraduate researchers in the lab is great for both undergraduates and their mentors. Undergraduates develop research skills, learn more about ecology, and develop close connections that make them more likely to continue on in STEM. Those close connections also mean that they know someone who can provide a strong reference in the future – that’s useful no matter what they choose to do after graduating! The mentors, meanwhile, develop mentoring skills, get assistance with projects, and generally find the experience highly rewarding. I certainly love working with undergraduates in my lab, and I know my grad students, postdocs, and technicians do, too.