Tufts Blogs

So you want to pursue research, but you have no idea where to start. Maybe you came in without any lab experience. Maybe you are convinced that everyone else already knows how to pipette, code, or analyze data. You start panicking because you believe that research requires experience… and you feel like you have none.

Let me just say that I had never conducted research before coming to Tufts (not even once), especially being the first in my family to go to college. Now as a Junior, I am deeply involved in research. So if that is you, I promise you are not behind.

First, you need to do a little digging. What kinds of research are you interested in? Do you want wet lab research, meaning hands on bench work like cell culture? Or are you more interested in dry lab work that focuses on computational tools, data analysis, or clinical research? Are you drawn to specific areas like cancer research or maybe public health work?

Once you have a rough idea, start looking up faculty in your major. If you don’t find any research that excites you, look outside your department too. For example, I’m a Chemical Engineering major doing research in Biomedical Engineering, so do not limit yourself. At the bottom of each Professor’s profile, there should be a section that highlights what type of research they do. That is your starting point.

Now comes the deeper digging. After you click on the professor’s profile, click into their lab page. Read about what they are actually studying in their lab, looking at their recent publications. Try to understand the big picture of their work and don’t get too lost on the scientific explanations. For me, I was really interested in chemistry and biomaterials. That is how I found the Kaplan Lab, which studies Silk Fibroin, a biomaterial used in biosensors, antimicrobials, and other biomedical applications. The more I read about the work, the more I realized it aligned with what I wanted to explore.

Another tip is to check if there are undergraduate students already in the lab. If there are, try emailing them and asking about their experience. Lab culture matters so much to ensure that you are being supported, mentored, and just enjoy coming in.

Then comes the part that may sound scary, which is cold emailing the professor. I promise you it is not as intimidating as you think. I followed the steps below:

1. Introduce yourself - Who are you? What year and major are you?

2. Alignment with goals - Mention something specific about their research that interests you. Maybe reference a recent paper or a project from their website. This shows you actually read about their work.

3. Talk about Experience - If you have research experience, briefly mention it. If you do not, that is completely fine. Talk about a class, a project, or even a personal interest that made you curious about this field. Keep it short and genuine.

4. Engage - Clearly state that you are interested in joining the lab and would love to meet to learn more

If they do not respond, do not panic. Professors are busy, so definitely follow up in two or three days if they don’t respond at all.

When I finally met with my current lab, the “interview” was less about my technical skills and more about my hobbies and interests. They were not testing whether I already knew everything, but just wanted to make sure I was excited to learn. Research at Tufts is not about coming in perfect, but is about being curious.

So in hindsight, is it really cold emailing? Or is it just starting a conversation?