Get Started

Brainstorm

Consider details

WHEN SHOULD YOU START RESEARCHING?

We know this is not the answer you want, but the right time is when it feels right to you! Don’t let someone else dictate your path. If you are required to earn research credits for your major, DO NOT wait until you are into your junior year (or later) to start!

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO FIRST?

Think about all your obligations and activities. Adding a research experience is important and can be very impactful, but you need to have balance and include time for self-care, friends and family, curricular work, part-time jobs, clubs, sports, dreaming. These are all important aspects of your life!

It is up to YOU to find the balance that fits YOUR life.

Make a list of your must haves and dealbreakers. These are important items to consider and to share with potential research mentors.

• How many hours per week can you commit to research and associated travel (the JHMI shuttle takes time and ride shares cost money) and which days are better for you?
  • The average undergraduate participates in research 6 – 10 hours per week during fall/ spring semester or up to full-time during the summer and breaks
• Can you research for experience (volunteer) or do you need academic credit or pay?
  • Most undergraduates volunteer for research just to gain experience
  • HOUR does NOT grant academic credit for research (CALs). We will help you find opportunities but should work with your academic advisor or DUS to register for academic credit
  • Some faculty can pay an hourly wage (university minimum is $15/ hr). You are allowed to use your federal work study award (FWS) for research positions
• When do you want to research (an academic semester (fall/ spring), summer, intersession)?
• What kind of research are you interested in? Examples: wet lab, clinical, community/ field, computational, design, theoretical, virtual/ remote, in-person
• What do you hope to accomplish through your research experience? Examples: Increase your skills and knowledge (obviously), obtain a mentor and strong network of contacts, propose and work on your own independent project, be published as a first author, present at a professional conference, obtain a patent for your design, establish a start-up company

Identify Topics

Create Shortlist

WHAT FIELD OR TOPICS ARE YOU INTERESTED IN?

Jot down a list of topics or key words you are interested in exploring. These should be things you feel driven to explore, problems you want to solve, a technique or something mentioned in a class that you want to gain a deeper knowledge of!

The more excited you are about a topic, the more successful you will be!

HOW DO I FIND HOPKINS RESEARCHERS?

• Use ForagerOne and a search engine to narrow your results
• Always use ‘Hopkins’ or ‘JHU’ and ‘research’ along with your key words when searching
• Check out department, research, lab, and faculty websites
• Network with your friends and classmates
• Speak with your professors, TAs, and advisors
• Look for posted opportunities on ForagerOne and SMILE
• Talk with HOUR staff through drop-in virtual office hours or scheduling 1:1 meetings over Zoom

WHERE DO I LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE HOPKINS?

• Review the “Opportunities” tab on ForagerOne
• Search in your browser with your key words and undergraduate research opportunity
• Navigate to the HOUR Opportunities page to discover other resource databases
• Network with professors, postdocs, graduate students and staff

CREATE LISTS

• Bookmark researchers of interest in ForagerOne
• Start a spreadsheet of Hopkins researchers that interest you
• Note down external programs you are interested in pursuing (or save searches)

Contact mentors

Follow up

REVIEW your list, sorting with highest interest first

• We recommend grouping in batches of 6 max to contact at a time as this seems a manageable amount to remember to do follow-up emails
• You can email as many or as few as you feel comfortable tracking

BEST KEPT SECRET: Find email addresses for anyone at Hopkins at my.jh.edu!!
Log in and enter the name in the <PEOPLE> search box.

CONTACT the faculty member, researcher, or program

• ALWAYS FOLLOW CONTACT DIRECTIONS if provided
• By Email – Always use your JHU email address.
  • Subject: JHU Undergrad “your major” seeks to join your research (lab, group, as applicable)
  • Keep it short and simple (KISS) – 3-4 sentences total
  • Sentence 1: Introduce yourself (name, class, major)
  • Sentence 2-3: Briefly share why their research interests you, how their research aligns with your goals, or what your personal connection to the topic is
  • Sentence 3: Request a meeting to discuss joining their research projects and thank them for their time
  • DO NOT ATTACH your resume or any other documents to the initial email. But have them ready to share if requested 

This is critical – ALWAYS FOLLOW UP

SEND A FOLLOW UP EMAIL every 3 days, 3 times until you receive a response (or move on to someone else)

• Faculty receive hundreds of emails per day and have many other obligations. A lack of response is not a personal slight.
• Polite persistence is key. You are not stalking or harassing, and you will not get blocked; you are professionally following up.
• Follow up email 1: example, “I am following up on my email from (date). I am still very interesting in speaking with you about research opportunities…”
• Follow up email 2: example, “I understand you are very busy but I am just following up on my previous emails inquiring about research opportunities. If you don’t have time, would there be someone else in your group I could speak with?”
• Follow up email 3 (final): “I am following up on previous emails asking about research opportunities with you. If you are not accepting students currently, could you refer me to a colleague doing similar research.
• Last ditch: If that researcher is doing the exact work you want to be part of, find their lab or research group page and contact a postdoc or grad student with your inquiry, letting them know you have tried to contact the mentor with no success. Ask them if they have time to discuss opportunities.

Be punctual

Ask questions

Thank them

BE PROFESSIONAL and polite in ALL interactions.

• Be prepared: confirm the time, verify the Zoom link, know the physical address (if in person)
• Arrive on time, plan time for travel and getting lost, especially if meeting is on another campus
• Dress neatly; business casual is not required, but do not wear any torn or dirty clothes, printed t-shirts, or PJ/ sweat pants

PREPARE – Review their current research so you are ready to ask questions and can show your curiosity and excitement. Have any requested documents ready to bring with you or send for review (resume, transcript, etc.)

EXPECTATIONS

• Be upfront with your expectations (time commitment and availability, compensation, goals)
• Ask about their expectations:
  • Are there any trainings, classes, or readings to complete prior to starting?
  • Are their lab, group, or journal club meetings you are expected to attend?
  • Will you be required to present on your project at a group or lab meeting, write a paper at the end of the semester, or create a poster and present at an event?
• Address conflicts:
  • If you have class or other conflicts during days/ times they expect you to be present, discuss them during interview to see if there is a compromise.
  • If there is no compromise, thank them when declining and ask for a referral to a colleague doing similar research.

THANK them for considering you, whether you are selected or not.

• If you are not selected, ask them if they have other colleagues they could refer you to.
• If you are offered a position and like the opportunity – CONGRATULATIONS!

Managing multiple interviews or offers

• How do you handle multiple interviews if the first offers you a position? Feel confident asking for a few days to think about it. This allows you time to have the other interviews and make an informed decision for the one you like better!
• How do you choose between multiple offers? Write a list of pros and cons and choose the one that ranks higher, even if it is a superficial reason (like they seem friendlier)
• How do you decline an offer? Send a short and polite email. Example: Thank you for considering me, but I have chosen to go with a different opportunity that better aligns with my goals.

BAD experiences happen. Not every opportunity is beneficial. The good news is you are not stuck. There are so many researchers across the university, you can leave an opportunity and move on. If you are researching for credit, you just have to get through that semester and you can move on.

NEVER ghost!

There are many reasons why an opportunity may not be working for you –

• You are assigned menial tasks or ‘assembly line’ tasks that are not expanding your knowledge
• The research is not what you expected or not advancing your goals
• There is a personality conflict or the research group is not friendly and supportive
• And others not mentioned

What to do?

• If the research is unsatisfying, have a conversation with your mentor or professor/ PI to discuss opportunities to grow, attain more skills, and achieve some independence. If the opportunity is just not there, thank them for the time they invested in you and let them know you will be withdrawing from the project.
• If the research is not useful toward achieving your goals, have a conversation with your mentor or the professor/ PI about your goals and if this opportunity can grow into something better with commitment. If it can’t, thank them for the time they invested in you and ask if they can refer you to a colleague that better fits your interests.
• If there is a personality conflict or uncomfortable atmosphere, you can try speaking with the professor/ PI if you are comfortable with them. Most likely you just want to get out! You conversation should then be with your mentor or the professor/ PI thanking them for the opportunity, telling them it not what you expected and you will be withdrawing from the opportunity to leave it for another student that might better benefit. (This might be a little fib, but you are not burning any bridges!)

Remember – If the problem cannot be resolved, always extract yourself politely and graciously (even if you are fibbing a little). You never want to burn a bridge. It will come back and bite you in the end!

VOLUNTEER (UNCOMPENSATED)

• Most undergraduates participate in research just to gain experience and expand their knowledge or determine their interest in a particular field or specialized area and receive no other form of compensation.
• Hopkins undergraduates (not on LOA or suspension) are allowed to participate in research (lab, clinical, field, community, virtual, remote, etc) with any Hopkins research in any division of the university without receiving academic credit or pay (as a volunteer just for experience) as long as the experience is adding to your educational experience. Please see the Volunteer/ Visitor Policy Guide with any questions.

HOURLY WAGE OR OTHERWISE FUNDED

• How can I find a paid research position?
  • There are very few paid research positions offered across the university.
  • Paid research positions should be posted in SMILE but may also be found on ForagerOne
• How much can I get paid?
  • University minimum wage: $15/ hour, but your supervisor can pay a higher hourly wage as they deem appropriate based on your experience and skills.
  • A stipend (lump sum payment) may be a portion of a larger award (ex. summer programs often award housing and a stipend for living expenses). However, faculty should not use a stipend as a work around to pay less than the university minimum hourly wage (stipend amount must be => $15/ hr multiplied by the # hours agreed to work)
  • An award, fellowship, or grant award is not a stipend and can be any amount decided by the awarding agency or office.
  • If you have a FWS award (federal work Study), it can be used for research positions with the agreement of your faculty mentor or PI.
  • Note: Hopkins work study is NOT the same as Federal Work Study (FWS). Please consult your Financial Aid Advisor with questions.
• Can I receive pay and academic credit for the same research position or project?
  • All Hopkins undergrads are allowed to receive pay AND academic credit for the same research position or project.

CALs (Customized Academic Learning) – ACADEMIC CREDIT

KSAS UNDERGRADS

• Find a research opportunity: Follow the previous steps in the Get Started tabs to find the best research opportunity for you.
  • If your research mentor (PI, supervisor) is not a full-time, Homewood (KSAS, WSE) appointed faculty, identify a faculty sponsor: Your faculty sponsor is responsible for determining the appropriate academic product (i.e., paper, poster, class presentation, etc.) you will present for grading and will submit your grade and award credits at the end of the term. This person can be the DUS (Director of Undergraduate Studies) for your major or any other full-time Homewood faculty member.
• Determine the number of research credits you want to take:
  • Research can be done for 1 to 3 credits (40 hours of work over a semester = 1 academic credit hour) with a maximum of up to 6 credits total per academic year (which begins in the summer) of “independent work,” which includes research, independent study, and internship.
  • Research for credit may be done outside of JHU, but you must have a JHU Homewood faculty sponsor. If you plan to do research elsewhere during the summer, you must still follow regular summer session registration deadlines.
• Register by completing the online Independent Academic Work form:
  • Log into SIS. Under the Registration menu click on Online Forms. Select Independent Academic Work. Complete the form and submit it. The form will be sent to your faculty sponsor for approval. Once the sponsor approves it, you will see the position/project in your Confirmed Enrollments screen in SIS.
  • Independent research for credit requirements varies between majors. Always check with your academic advisor or major department to verify your project qualifies.
  • Research can be conducted either for a letter grade or for S/U.
  • The deadline for fall or spring semester is the Friday of the 6^th full week of the semester. The deadline for summer or intersession is the same as the deadline for adding a class in those terms. There are no exceptions to these deadlines!

WSE UNDERGRADS (effective starting AY 2025-26)

• Find a research opportunity: Follow the previous steps in the Get Started tabs to find the best research opportunity for you.
  • Customized Academic Learning (CAL) is an umbrella term for informal learning opportunities that are mentored and assessed by university faculty from any division. You are no longer required to identify a Homewood based “faculty sponsor.”
• CAL Credit Limits
  • Credits earned during a Hopkins semester do NOT count towards the limits outlined below.
  • You may earn a maximum of 30 CAL credits as a Hopkins undergraduate.
  • You may earn a maximum of 12 CAL credits per academic year (beginning with the summer semester through the following spring semester)
  • You may earn a maximum of 6 CAL credits in one semester or summer (sessions I and II combined) and no more than 3 CAL credits during intersession.
• CAL Deadlines
  • Students must register by the end of week 4 of the semester.
  • Students may make revisions post-registration, with faculty approval, until the end of week 6, aligning with the standard drop deadline for courses.
• CAL Assessment
  • Students may submit, and faculty may assess, e-portfolio assignments via Canvas for CAL towards completion of specific FA (foundational ability) requirements.
  • All deliverables contributing to the assessment of CAL (paper, poster presentation etc.) must be provided to the faculty sponsor by the last day of finals period of that term. Late submissions may only be considered if an incomplete grading contract is in effect.

Undergrads working on the East Baltimore (medical) campus

Homewood students who work, research, or shadow on the East Baltimore or Bayview campuses must have a proper JHMI Identification Badge.

To obtain the proper ID Badge, the following steps must be taken:

1. FACULTY MENTOR/ PI’S DEPARTMENT: Draft a letter to the SOM Registrar’s Office requesting that an ID Badge be issued. The letter MUST include the student’s full name, JHED, work location, start date, end date, and reason for the badge.

2. STUDENT: Take the department letter to the School of Medicine Registrar’s Office

3. REGISTRAR’S OFFICE – Completes an ID Request Form; the student takes the completed form to the JHMI ID Office

4. JHMI ID OFFICE: Issues the student their badges

This information is obtained from the University Experiential Learning Office. Please contact [email protected] with any questions or problems obtaining an ID badge.

Homewood Students working on other JHU campuses

For student working on most other JHU campuses, your J-Card is the only ID you will need. Be sure to always keep your J-Card with you and protect it from damage as much as possible.