Find A Mentor
Having trouble finding a mentor? You're not alone.
Here's some advice from students who have successfully found faculty mentors.
Talk to your professors.
It may seem obvious, but to many students it doesn't occur to them in class.Typically, professors love talking about their scholarship, even if for only a few minutes after class or during office hours or by appointment. If you find a topic covered in your class that intrigues you, ask your professor if that's an area that she or he is interested in. If not, it's at least a starting point for a conversation about opportunities, and you may get some leads to others who are doing research in related areas.
Check with your advisor
They may have research opportunities, or they may know somebody who does.
Ask your peers
Your classmates make great resources! They may know of some professors who are great to work with or they may have heard of any openings on research teams. Ask them about professors in your department or similar departments that they've enjoyed working with or taking classes with.
Use the MNSU Website
Check the website for your department or similar departments within your college. Often enough, faculty members will use pages on department websites to highlight their research teams or their own projects they are currently working on. Some faculty members even have their own page set up for their research team. You can find out about research interests of faculty by reading their bios, descriptions of their research, or publications. Once you have found someone who is conducting research that is of interest to you, send them an email using these tips. Be sure to include information about yourself (past research and class experiences) and why their particular project is of great interest to you.
