So, You Want to be a Theorist? - Part 2
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Getting Involved with Research
So, last time we talked about the preliminaries - you are thinking about (or decided on) doing a physics major, and you're interested in theoretical physics. Now, you've decided you want to get involved in undergraduate research - but how do you do this?
We talked a bit about this last time, and came to three important points that are worth reiterating: Getting involved in experimental research as a theorist isn't bad (in fact, it's good!): This will give you a chance to see the other side of the fence, and make it easier to understand how and why experimentalists work later in your career, if you decide to become a researcher long term. It could also be fun! You probably can't do super-duper advanced research on string theory, quantum gravity, and a lot of other high-level subjects (as an undergraduate): Not to sound too pessimistic, but most of these topics require graduate courses - and these graduate courses require you to know (at least part of) the undergraduate core courses cold. Without significant preparation, research on these topics isn't really feasible. Nonetheless, there are avenues to doing theory as an undergraduate: It might not be the most glamorous looking research, but there are places to undergraduates to find a niche in theory which will provide interesting research topics. With those three points in mind, the big question is "how?" Talk to your physics professors and ask their advice/if they have any available research spots. It's difficult to go wrong as an interested and enthusiastic student looking for research, as long as you're polite. If you feel very intimidated, or have worries, find a professor in the department that you're more comfortable with and ask for their input on doing research. If you truly don't feel comfortable talking to any faculty, then... Ask graduate students, or other undergraduates you know have been doing research for advice. Again, use common etiquette and sense, but it will hard to displease people by asking about research they're doing that they care about - most people want to talk about their research.
The goal here is to express interest and find someone who will work with you (and who you want to work with). Depending on your school, research may be more informal and independent than the coursework you're used to, and it will likely involve some new "learning how to learn" work - keeping up with what is expected in research isn't always easy. If you're in for a heavy semester, it might not be the best time to commit to a big project with a professor. If you can't yet get involved in a project, see if there are research meetings you could "sit in on". If you do know of some people working on research, it might be worth asking the relevant professors and students if they'd be okay with you attending any group meetings or discussions. I did this my second semester, and it gave me an idea of what research groups were like and what I could expect. It also makes it easy to jump in later, if you're able. Treat research as a major commitment. As hinted above, it is not a good idea to commit to research projects if your courses are going to dominate your time. Depending on the formality of the project, some professors will be okay with voluntary sporadic participation, and this can be a good way to stay involved during heavy-load semesters, but be clear about what you can commit to. When you do commit to a project, live up to what you've promised and respect the work like you would a class. This advice is equally valid for theory and experiment - which kind of project you find depends on the school and the faculty member. You're now ready to go (politely) pester your department for work! Go forth! See you next time.
