The following message is from Patrick Monari of ALANeuro:

The Antiracism Learning and Action in Neuroscience group is putting together a research opportunity catalog to give historically underrepresented students current information about undergraduate research opportunities across a broad range of life science labs at UW-Madison. We’re currently looking for life science-related labs on campus who would be excited to add their information to the catalog for opportunities for Spring 2022!

Many undergraduate students who join labs report that doing so gives them a sense of belonging within science and helps them develop their science career interests. However, students report being frustrated that it’s hard to know which labs are recruiting undergraduate research assistants any given semester and those who don’t know how to “play the application game” are disproportionately kept out of labs by this barrier. Moreover, many students are unclear about the process for applying to labs, or don’t know how to weigh the long-term benefit of working in a lab against higher-paying opportunities (like other campus jobs).

This Life Sciences Research Opportunity Catalog will increase access to labs on campus for historically underrepresented students in five major and unique ways:

1. It is a living document that will be updated on a semester basis with detailed and standardized information about which labs are hoping to recruit underrepresented students.
2. It includes a resource guide for applying to and choosing labs.
3. It is interdisciplinary across the life sciences, allowing students easier exploration of labs by subject interest rather than department.
4. It shows the availability of labs that are specifically excited to recruit research assistants from underrepresented backgrounds.
5. It will be distributed specifically to affinity groups, learning communities, and other student groups that will be able to reach students of underrepresented backgrounds.

How to add your lab to the Research Opportunity Catalog for the Spring 2022 semester

Are you a PI, lab manager, grad student, or someone else who would be excited to recruit underrepresented undergraduates to your lab next semester? Fill out the form here (you can find a link to the catalog itself at the top of the form).

Please feel free to forward this message to other labs that you think would be a good fit for the catalog.

Thanks, and don’t hesitate to reach out to me or alaneuroscience@gmail.com with any questions.

—
Patrick Monari, M.S.
Biological Psychology Ph.D. Student
NSF Graduate Research Fellow
Neuroendocrinology of Social Behavior Lab
University of Wisconsin-Madison