2013-04-11, 01:09 AM
Marksman Bryan Wrote:I talked to my physics professor a few weeks ago about getting involved in on-campus research as a Freshman since I am on track to graduate in three years, and he agreed to introduce me to the professor of the lab I found most interesting.
I did not know what lab I wanted to be in - I want to eventually be involved in space exploration (NASA/SpaceX/etc), but I feel any topic of physics could be applied to that.
I came back the next class with my top five choices, with number one being a High Energy Physics (HEP) lab. He emailed the lead professor, and showed me the response.
In my professors initial e-mail, he said : "He is very young so not so useful."
And the HEP professors reply basically said he doesn't accept freshman, but to focus in on HEP specific courses if I'm really interested in it.
I just sent him my own e-mail explaining my situation and what suggestions he has for me.
Fingers crossed. Also going to be applying (next year) to NSF research opportunities at either CalTech or MIT, since those are my top two graduate schools I would like to go to.
Hey, bravo for knowing what you want to do an being proactively ahead of the game compared to your fellow freshman peers. What I bolded in your post is exactly what you should (and hint to all: um, EVERYONE) do when networking with once-prospective contacts: thank them for their time, explain where you are and where you'd like to go, and ask for advice. I think you'll find yourself moving forward sooner than you may think with the move.
Regardless, I think you'll be fine as you'll have plenty of time in graduate programs to devote your life to the research you so passionately want to pursue. That's not to say you shouldn't continue trying to get into a lab as an undergrad, of course, but that you shouldn't berate yourself if you don't invent wormhole time traveling by the time you graduate.