Research for Ph. D. student?

[Anonymous]

OP: without saying too much, it’s considered a niche area of study, and this organization pairs HS students with academics in a mentorship arrangement. DC thought it would involve ongoing research she could assist with, but it sounds more like a “passion project,” which isn’t really what she was looking to do this summer. As she already has a summer internship in a related field and a p/t job, she may push this to the fall/winter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP: without saying too much, it’s considered a niche area of study, and this organization pairs HS students with academics in a mentorship arrangement. DC thought it would involve ongoing research she could assist with, but it sounds more like a “passion project,” which isn’t really what she was looking to do this summer. As she already has a summer internship in a related field and a p/t job, she may push this to the fall/winter.

^^ it’s humanities, not stem fyi.

[Anonymous]

Is she familiar with what research in the field looks like on a daily basis?
Economics research is very different from art history or literature.

[Anonymous]

If this is pay to play, I'd be skeptical it will be worth the fee. If it doesn't require you to pay, I think it may end up being a waste of time but at least it won't waste money!

FYI, I think most junior students find individual research in humanities and social sciences too hard/ too boring. At least bench sciences have need for inexperienced hands at times. Few humanities and social science projects are set up that way (which is why the PhD supervisor won't allow your DC to do anything substantive on their serious research)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am skeptical a school will be impressed with such research at all, but they'll definitely be less impressed with a PhD student than a professor.

(PhD student should be doing their own research btw.)

No, it's very common for an undergrad to collect data on something smaller for a PhD student. Professors aren't really doing their own projects as commonly as they are supervising everything going on in the lab. The PhD will direct the undergrad in the data they need, teach them and discuss the data. That's how you get started.

Not true at all in either DS or DD's ivy/t10, nor my elite 26 years ago: undergrads cannot get into the lab without going through professor/PI: the PI runs lab meetings, all phD-students under the PI (2-4) get assigned UG when PI decides they are ready. Bigger labs with postdocs(have a phD, not a full prof): Postdocs pick somewhat but PI still does the screening. Sure phd students and actual phD(postdocs) teach but the PI is the head. No high schooler would be there without PI direct involvement.