STEP #1: Identifying Potential Mentors

Go to your department's homepage and find a listing of the faculty. Each faculty member's homepage will have an overview of the kinds of research problems that they are pursuing. Find someone who is doing research that you find interesting. (There is no requirement that you do research with someone from your department, though those faculty will generally know you best.)
Talk to fellow students, especially those already involved in research. Find out who they worked with, what they did, what they did and didn't like about the experience.

Step #2: Approaching Potential Mentors

Find out when potential mentors hold office hours by consulting postings in the departments, on the web, or on faculty office doors. Avoid calling on the phone.

Do your homework before you go to office hours; inform yourself about the faculty member’s research interests, areas of specialization, and/or publications. Be able to state why you are seeking out this particular person’s advice.

Before speaking with a faculty member, know what you wish to get out of the meeting: feedback on a research or creative project idea? Help defining the purpose or scope of a project? Suggestions for further background reading? Advice about designing a research instrument or plan? Information about laboratory facilities or equipment? You are running this meeting, so it’s important to have an agenda, both to use time efficiently and to show that you are serious about your purpose.

If there isn’t a good match between your interests and those of the faculty member, ask him/her to suggest other colleagues you might approach. Even if this particular individual has been very helpful, it may be useful to ask for additional suggestions of people to speak with, since the more input you get in developing your proposal, the better.

Be confident and assertive about asking for help, but keep the length of your meeting within the established time limit (e.g. 15 minute or 10 minute “slots”). It’s important to be considerate both of the faculty member, who faces many demands on his/her time, and your fellow students waiting outside the door.

Step #3: Asking the Question

Once you have identified a faculty member with whom you wish to work on your research, you will need to ask that person to make a commitment to serve as your faculty sponsor or advisor.

Give your sponsor a copy of your research proposal, if appropriate, as well as any forms she/he will need to fill out to establish a formal advising relationship. For letters of recommendation that must be submitted under separate cover, include a stamped, addressed envelope directed to the appropriate party as a courtesy to the faculty member. Be sure to allow plenty of lead time before deadlines and make sure your sponsor knows when forms are due. Arrange an agreed-upon date to check back with the faculty member to verify that forms have been submitted.

If a faculty member declines to serve as your sponsor, don’t be discouraged! A negative response likely says more about the professor’s prior commitments than it does about the merits of your project. If you’ve done your homework and have a sound proposal, return to Step #1 and begin the process again. With persistence, you will eventually succeed in finding a sponsor. If you’re planning ahead now to do interesting research later, you are by definition the kind of highly motivated student that makes the work of being a university professor
worthwhile.

For more assistance in finding a faculty mentor, contact the SURF Coordinator.

Will Cantrell
cantrell@mtu.edu