How to find a research lab that's perfect for you

I remember how I felt defeated at finding a research lab during the first few months of PhD program. The leaves turned dropping off and the air chilled, and it seemed that every new graduate student has found their new home lab to harbor them safe for the years to come. Yet here I was – weeks of sitting through the lab groups meeting but not feeling clicked.

In the meantime, all sorts of life challenges from living in a foreign country continued to piled up. Using my crappy English, I tried my best to survive from course work to teaching responsibilities to figure out research direction. The pressure and anxiety peaked when the faculty members started to take students to the full capacity. It’s supposed to be a fun and exciting process but I was worried so much that I started to blame myself for not working hard. Does the department even leave me a stage? I doubted.

Fast forward a few years and things have changed incredibly. I’ve learned and flourished a lot and feel content working in supportive surroundings. Looking back, here’s my experience and principle that will serve you well at every stage of you lab/job looking. They are simple but effective.

Be authentic. Be yourself.

As I talked to one of the faculties, trying to persuade him as well as myself, that I was a good fit, I mentioned that I enjoyed studying spectroscopy. Upon hearing it, he suggested me talk to Professor J whose research would be of best fit. Although the suggestion came out of good intention, I felt hopeless meanwhile rejected - after all, I wanted to work in his lab. However, he was right about the direction.

Visiting Professor J was not at all on my radar because for some reason, I convinced myself that I was not interested in that field of study. Being desperate to figure out this lab match exercise, I quickly arranged a meeting. The result? I got very intrigued and had the clicked moment. It’s amazing that once I stopped holding back with my authentic interest, things became easier to sort out.

People are the most important ingredient.

I’ve since worked with Professor J. Although the journey is not live happily ever after, I’ve come to realize the driving force behind the decision, particularly through the lens of diversity. First of all, J is a female faculty, making it naturally easy for me to relate to. As she was also born and raised in a foreign country, in a sense she recognizes my particular dilemma. Of all-important, I feel effortless to connect with her on professional and personal front.   

In a nutshell, you’d want to meet and talk to people – the faculty and most importantly, the lab members. In my visits to the candidate research groups, everyone I have met is enthusiastic which helped figure out what’s available and possible. I particularly have a special bond with one of J’s lab members – a girl who shares my native language and being an international student. Only one year ahead of me, I’ve realized, she has been a role model to me because I relate to her struggles and celebrate her growth.

As there’s no formula or prediction of which field of research makes the successful path, I feel the best advice, which I’ve been giving over years, is to focus on how you image yourself, who you want to be, and what is possible. After all, science is for serving human, not the other way around that makes life complicated.