Are you interested in pursuing a summer research position, a 4th year research project or a thesis based master’s degree? Here are some tips on how to reach out to a prospective supervisor from 2 current MSc students at Queen’s University with plenty of research experience.
Initial Email
Do your research before reaching out to any profs
● Make sure you are reaching out to a lab that actually interests you. It is okay if you do not know what specific field of research you are interested in, or your long-term career goals, however you should find the work intriguing if you are considering joining this lab.
● We suggest conducting widespread research! Don’t just email professors who taught you in a course, research across various faculty websites! There is no harm in reaching out if you find someone you are interested in connecting with.
2. Keep it short
● When reaching out to a prof you want to ensure that the initial email contains enough information to introduce yourself, without becoming too lengthy. Profs get hundreds of emails a day, and a long email is likely going to get pushed to the bottom of their to do list.
○ Introduction explaining who you are (e.g., educational background) and why you are interested in research.
○ Brief connection to their research and why you are interested in joining their lab specifically.
○ Conclusion thanking them for considering you as an applicant and asking to learn more about work in their lab.
● We suggest attaching a resume and transcript with this initial email, to allow the prof to get a better idea of who you are.
3. Follow up
● Do not get discouraged if your initial email does not receive a response, there is a good chance that your email was just missed in their inbox. It never hurts to send a follow up email if you have not received a response after a couple of weeks!
First Meeting/Interview
4. Be honest and show interest
● Profs are looking to take on students who are interested in their work and willing to learn. It’s okay if you don’t have previous research experience (especially for a 4th year project), however it is important to show that you are willing to learn the required skills and put in the time and effort to achieve to thrive in their lab.
5. Come prepared
● You should come prepared to the interview with a general understanding of what the lab studies. You can usually find a brief synopsis of the prof’s research focus on the faculty website. From there you can usually find some of their recent publications.
● It’s a good idea to read over a couple of the recent publications to gain a general understanding of their research focus and techniques used in the lab. Have a few main findings from these papers in mind that you can mention as talking points during the interview.
○ E.g. “I read your paper studying ______, and was really interested in your finding of ______” or “I saw that your lab studies _____, this is of interest to me because ______” or “I noticed that your lab often employs Western blot techniques, I do have experience with this from ____”.
● TIP: The senior author of the paper is the last person listed in the author list. Being a senior author on a paper is an indication that this is a major focus of their lab, and not just a project that they assisted on.
6. Be professional
● Arrive on time (aim to be a bit early if you do not know where you are going, to give you extra time in case you get lost)
● Wear professional clothes, we suggest business-casual
● If you are meeting via Zoom, ensure your background is appropriate and that external noise during the meeting will be minimized
7. Ask questions
● This is a great way to show your interest and enthusiasm in the research
● Be sure to ask questions about the structure of the lab, including how many other students they are supervising, and their supervisory style. We encourage you to reflect on the lab environment that will be the best fit for you - do you want a supervisor who is very involved and wants frequent progress meetings, or would you prefer a more independent approach? Do you want a lab that has many masters and PhD students who can mentor you, or are you okay with a smaller lab? There are pros and cons to all lab structures so it's important to discuss this and figure out whether the supervisor themself will be a good fit for you.
● Ask what the next steps are if you still want to be in their lab - are they interviewing other students? If so, when can you expect them to have made a decision?
Follow Up
8. Follow up
If you have a chance to meet with a prof, it is a good idea to follow up with them via email (perhaps a day or so after the meeting). You can thank them for taking the time to meet you, and also let them know that you are still interested in working for them and are looking forward to hearing their decision
9. Get in touch with the current students in the lab
● Before accepting a position in a lab, it is a good idea to talk to some of the current students. Ask them questions about their experience in the lab, whether they have any advice, and any other concerns you may have about your decision.
● Remember that you are going to be in this lab for at least a year and that your supervisor and lab team will be your main sources of support. While working in an area of research you find interesting is important, having a supervisor that you enjoy working with is just as important.
Accepting the Position
10. Congratulations
● If the potential supervisor welcomes you into their lab and you decide to accept, congratulations!
11. Don’t be discouraged
● If your desired supervisor decides to accept a different student, or you decide a lab is not the best fit for you, that's okay! Finding the right lab is a process, and there are many supervisors in the sea! It’s better to keep working to find research and an environment you will love, than to settle with a lab and be unhappy long-term.
12. Getting started in a lab
● Once you have confirmed a lab, it's a good idea to ask to start attending lab meetings and start reading up on relevant literature before you even begin in the lab. This will show your eagerness to learn and will help you get a grasp on the lab’s current projects.
● Getting started in research can be overwhelming, so remember that your supervisor wants you to succeed and is there to support you.
Good luck!
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