User's Guide to Exploring Research Opportunities at SURPS

Introduction
Background and Preparation
Connecting with a Faculty Research Advisor
Research Activities
Resources
Future

Introduction TOP
The SURP student presenters are a wealth of advice and information about how to get started in research and how to procure resources (human and financial) to support your projects. All SURP presenters will have available copies of a brief narrative about how they got involved in their project, including how they initially developed their research interest or idea; how they became affiliated with the faculty research mentor; and how certain courses or other experiences prepared or inspired them to undertake the project.  You should definitely pick up a copy of this information to read, but also talk with students about specifics of their early research experiences.
 
The first important question that you should ask each student you speak with is:
Was this project based on your own idea, or is it a piece of a faculty member's larger project?
 
Other questions may fall into the following categories:  
 
Background and Preparation TOP
How much did you know about your topic before you started the actual research?
How did you bring you knowledge up to a certain level before beginning?
How did you learn the techniques/skills you'd need to carry out the research?
Did you need any special approvals to start the project?

Connecting with a Faculty Research Advisor TOP
How did you first hear about your faculty advisor, or how did you come to suspect a good 'fit' between your mutual research interests?
How did you first make contact with her/him? 
Did you make any 'false starts' before finding your current advisor?
What kind of initial conversations did you have with your advisor?
How did you broach the subject of potential research sponsorship or participation in a research group or lab?

Research Activities TOP
Who else helps you with your project besides your faculty advisor ?
How much time did you spend on the project over the summer or during the past academic year?
What has been most satisfying?  Most challenging? 

Resources TOP
Did you receive a grant, or were you covered by your faculty member's or other funding?
If you received a grant, what did you include in your grant proposal?
How did you get access to equipment you'd need?
If you were in a departmental research program, how did you get into it?

Future TOP
Where do you think you'll go with the project in the future?
How does the project fit into what plan to do after you finish at Stanford?