Garcia MRSEC or MSU HSHSP (2012)?

Catbye
Thu, 19 Apr 2012 23:23:02 +0000

Yes, the first two weeks of the program are not centered around actual research. They are mostly composed of:

1. Equipment and safety overviews–you need to take a test on proper safety, equipment, and waste disposal and pass the test before you can work in the lab

2. Symposiums–various professors come to talk every day at 10am about their studies. This is so you can get a sense of what kinds of topics are available. Some of the people who talk at these are people who are willing to accept a few students from Garcia for their research lab. The symposiums are still held even when people have already started their research, but less frequently.

3. A practice lab experience and paper. Last year, everyone was assigned a small group of 4-5 students from the program and 2-3 REUs. We worked on a lab that involved creating and characterizing Polystyrene thin films. This lab helped us get used to some of the techniques used and equipment available in the labs. Then we wrote a short research paper explaining our findings.

4. Short sessions about researching and citing articles.