Things that are going through Pamela's mind
There are two pretty big things that have been on my mind for the past week or so.
First, a dilemma (non-scientists can read this too - I'm not going into detail).
At the end of last semester, I talked to Scott about doing an honors project. Honors research, which is a year-long project, requires a little self-direction in the lab, which meant that it probably wouldn't be a good idea to try to do a project with someone whose research I wasn't familiar with. Scott had said that he'd "have to think about his projects" over the summer, but if he could get something to work with an honors project, he could take me on.
Now, I'm working with cells quite a bit here and I think I want to continue. I haven't taken cell bio yet (I will next semester), so I don't know all of the background, but I may have some of the techniques (or may not... I don't know). But even if I can ask this professor about his research, I don't know what's going on with Scott. I'm almost wondering if I would benefit me more to do even a non-honors project with Ed (cell bio prof) more than it would to do honors with Scott, so in that sense, I don't know if reminding Scott would be in my best interest, although without talking to him, I can't say how much he's thought about updating me.
So, what should I DO?!
Second, and on a slightly less pressing note, I'm starting to reconsider this not wanting to teach thing. No, I wouldn't go in a high school classroom, what would be the best thing I can see in an academic setting would be like what happens at Ithaca - small enough place that I wouldn't be writing grants all the time and could poke around in the lab/oversee my own research, but large enough that there IS research. They say there are more options than just academia or industry, but frankly, those all suck. And I'm sometimes afraid that I'd be slightly overqualified with a pH. D in industry... and if I just got a master's, while it's a perfectly good degree, I think I'd just personally feel like I'm selling myself short. I don't think I'd have time to TA next semester, but maybe I should consider if for the spring to see what it's like. Who knows if I'd be any good at it, but if I could find out before grad school, that might be a good thing.
First, a dilemma (non-scientists can read this too - I'm not going into detail).
At the end of last semester, I talked to Scott about doing an honors project. Honors research, which is a year-long project, requires a little self-direction in the lab, which meant that it probably wouldn't be a good idea to try to do a project with someone whose research I wasn't familiar with. Scott had said that he'd "have to think about his projects" over the summer, but if he could get something to work with an honors project, he could take me on.
Now, I'm working with cells quite a bit here and I think I want to continue. I haven't taken cell bio yet (I will next semester), so I don't know all of the background, but I may have some of the techniques (or may not... I don't know). But even if I can ask this professor about his research, I don't know what's going on with Scott. I'm almost wondering if I would benefit me more to do even a non-honors project with Ed (cell bio prof) more than it would to do honors with Scott, so in that sense, I don't know if reminding Scott would be in my best interest, although without talking to him, I can't say how much he's thought about updating me.
So, what should I DO?!
Second, and on a slightly less pressing note, I'm starting to reconsider this not wanting to teach thing. No, I wouldn't go in a high school classroom, what would be the best thing I can see in an academic setting would be like what happens at Ithaca - small enough place that I wouldn't be writing grants all the time and could poke around in the lab/oversee my own research, but large enough that there IS research. They say there are more options than just academia or industry, but frankly, those all suck. And I'm sometimes afraid that I'd be slightly overqualified with a pH. D in industry... and if I just got a master's, while it's a perfectly good degree, I think I'd just personally feel like I'm selling myself short. I don't think I'd have time to TA next semester, but maybe I should consider if for the spring to see what it's like. Who knows if I'd be any good at it, but if I could find out before grad school, that might be a good thing.