Recap: Getting into Research Early

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Getting into Research Early roundtable this week! Your curiosity and thoughtful questions made for an engaging and inspiring discussion on how to begin a research journey and connect with mentors early in your academic career.

A huge thank you to our amazing panelists — Vipanchi Chacham (Playtron), Peter Vargas (Microsoft), Sahil Vora (Amazon), Ananta Soneji (PhD Candidate, ASU), Aswin Ravikumar Rangasamy Veerasamy (PhD Student, ASU), and Garrett Parzych (PhD Student, ASU) — for sharing your time, experiences, and insights with us. Your perspectives helped students better understand how to find research opportunities, approach faculty, and take the first steps toward meaningful research work.

Key Takeaways:
1) Take courses with project components to gain hands-on experience.
2) Read professors’ publications and find shared research interests before reaching out.
3) Offer to volunteer in labs to build credibility and exposure.
4) Attend open lab meetups to learn about research environments.
5) Connect with PhD students for mentorship and guidance.
6) Email professors with specific interests and curiosity about their work.

“Start early, but start with curiosity — professors notice genuine interest.”
Full recording:
https://lnkd.in/gUwq-7QZ

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Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University
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