Idea swap: Integrating undergraduate student interests with feasible research goals

Getting involved in a research group is an opportunity for undergraduate students to engage in research to gain new skills and learn more about how science works. This presentation will focus on how to channel students’ enthusiasm for research into feasible research projects with attainable outcomes. Through conversations with the students about their past experiences, interests, strengths, and career ambitions, research questions that are relevant to the research group can be honed to appeal to students’ interests and skills. One key element is to make goals realistic but still beneficial to the research lab and the student’s scientific development.