Finding a Mentor

Start by Understanding the Research Environment

In general, faculty members at a research university such as WSU do more than teach classes. What makes a research university different from a primarily undergraduate institution is two processes: The creation of knowledge, and the dissemination of that knowledge. That doesn’t mean that every WSU faculty member is working on research, or that faculty members at other schools are not carrying out research projects. It does mean that an emphasis on the creation and dissemination of knowledge serves as a distinction which makes the nation’s research universities, including WSU, different from other schools.

WSU is also a “land grant university.” As such for the state of Washington, we balance teaching, research, and service to the state. That means you have opportunities to work with top faculty in fields ranging from agriculture to zoology, and English to engineering, and dozens more.

What to Expect in Working with Faculty as Your Mentor

It is important to understand the commitment you make when you choose to work with faculty on a research project. You’ll be part of a team (even if that means a team of two), and with that comes rights and responsibilities. Though it may be enjoyable and rewarding, working on research projects is not a hobby. It’s not something you can do only in your spare time, and it’s not something where the faculty member is there to help you do whatever you want to do on your “pet” project. You’re entering into a mentoring relationship, and you will be working under your mentor’s expert guidance to contribute something new to, or validate something existing in, a branch of knowledge.

It’s important to know that different faculty and disciplines have different standards and expectations. That means there are different ways of working with faculty:

• Volunteering
• Working for academic credit (either a 499-numbered course or for a specific course)
• Working for pay, which could include:
  • Hourly “timeslip” work.
  • Stipend-supported work where you receive a fixed amount as a scholarship.
  • Waork-study support where the government matches the hourly pay from the faculty.

You can learn more about what to expect on our Funding and Credit page.

Searching for a Mentor

To identify someone you might be interested in working with, you should begin by checking out the research, scholarship, or creative activities WSU faculty members are currently engaged in. In other words, you need to do some of your own research on them and their projects.

Start with a Web search targeting WSU and the specific research topics that interests you. Perform a search within a specific WSU website once you have identified a group at WSU that conducts the types of research you find interesting.

• Tip: Universities are organized into various colleges, schools, departments, centers, institutes, laboratories, programs, and many other categories. They may not be named what you would think in terms of the research they conduct. At WSU, we don’t have a department of cancer research, or a school of alternative energy, or a college of biofuels. But we do have faculty conducting research in all these areas.

Talk with others to find the names of possible mentors; for example, ask other students or a professional advisor in your department. The Office of Undergraduate Research has dedicated peer mentors to help you identify your interests and make connections to do mentored research.

Go to some of the on-campus “poster sessions” where students are presenting their work. Poster sessions are a powerful opportunity that can enable you to informally interview people about undergraduate research opportunities, learn the names of potential mentors, and get a sense for what their work is actually like.

Etiquette and Making Good First Impressions

“Be prepared” is more than a general admonition. It is the best way to respectfully approach someone new who may turn out to help you advance your academic career by becoming your mentor.

When you find the name of someone you might be interested in working with, it’s usually best to email or call them as a first step.

• Provide a concise personal introduction.
• State briefly, but clearly, how you are interested in their field, specialty, and particular research. Be sure to have done your homework on what exactly they do! (For example, you can find and carefully read their WSU faculty profile online, or you can look up and study the academic articles they have published.)
• Ask if they are interested in getting help on their research projects from an undergraduate researcher–you!

At this point, if the faculty member and you hit it off to the extent that you decide to meet in person:

• Come prepared by bringing a printed copy of your up-to-date resume to the meeting.
• Be ready to discuss your background, skills, and motivations as they relate to working with the faculty mentor.
• Know how many hours you can work on a project each week. Bring your class schedule to help with scheduling your specific working times.
• Be specific about the time period in which you want to participate—during the school year, in summer, or both.