MCB 4911
Microbiology and Cell Science majors with a University of Florida GPA of 3.0 or higher are encouraged to seek out a faculty research laboratory and register for supervised research, MCB 4911. Students interested in doing undergraduate research should investigate different professors areas of research and find an individual doing research in an area of interest to them.
Finding a Mentor
An excellent starting point is to familiarize yourself with the faculty bios and research descriptions of our department (found on the "People" page). If you find someone of interest to you then proceed to contact the professor via email. You should also plan to visit them in person during their posted office hours.
Another good starting point is to visit the main administrative offices of different departments (microbiology, biochemistry, molecular genetics and microbiology, zoology, horticultural sciences, environmental engineering, food science, and obtain a listing of the professors and their individual research areas. Do not be discouraged if your initial contact is unable to accommodate you in their lab; ask them is they might know of someone else doing similar research. There are numerous professors on campus who would welcome the opportunity to have an undergraduate in their laboratory.
Some professors may wish to review your transcript. Professors are interested in students with qualified backgrounds to enable them to be successful in the laboratory setting. Be prepared to make a commitment to the research effort for at least a year; it is difficult to do a meaningful research project for a professor in one semester. Professors invest substantially in their undergraduates and a long-range commitment is expected.
Contacting Potential Research Mentors
once you have identified 3-5 potential labs you would like to contribute to, it is time to reach out to your potential mentor.
Before reaching out, make sure to:
- Analyze and learn about the group’s research interests and mission. Pay attention to recent publications released and what type of experiments are commonly performed.
- Read recent publications and understand their fundamental goals and information.
- Don’t be intimidated by technical peer-reviewed articles. An important part of your research journey is learning how to read and comprehend them. Try to understand as much as you can but be humble in recognizing your current knowledge level and express how you want to expand your expertise.
What should your first email to your PI look like?
- Your email should be a brief introduction of who you are (major, relevant courses taken) and how you are passionate about their subject of interest. Emphasize how you read their recent publications and are excited by the projects and techniques. If possible, mention lab courses or classes that involved reading peer-reviewed articles. At the end of the email, ask to make an appointment (in-person or over Zoom) to meet with them at their convenience.
- If given the opportunity to meet with faculty, talk about what you learned through these publications and ask questions to continue the discourse. This shows a strong passion and curiosity for science. Before the meeting, reflect on your short and long-term career goals and identify an area of common interest between you and the lab’s mission. Demonstrate curiosity by asking for literature to read to catch you up to pace and ask what steps you should take to become involved.
What to Avoid:
- Generic emails: Potential PIs are looking for students who are passionate about the group’s core mission and motivated to learn and contribute to meaningful projects. Being part of a research lab is a privilege and an amazing learning opportunity for you to grow, so demonstrate a genuine passion for science in your email.
- Typos and technical mistakes. Make sure you fully understand the lab’s research focus and are not mistaking its goal for a different subject area. Preventable mistakes like typos or rushed literature analysis in an email do not reflect attention to detail and comprehension. Lastly, be cautious with using AI-generated edits, as they often come across as overly descriptive and lack authenticity.
- Unnecessarily long emails. Keep it brief! Potential PIs are busy and receive numerous emails in a given day, so keep your message effective and persuasive without writing a lengthy email.
Career and Networking Course
The MCB 4090 / 6095 “Careers for Impact in Microbiology and Cell Science” provides more in-depth guidance on networking with professionals and beginning or advancing your career journey. Participants will explore life science careers through presentations by accomplished experts in the field. The curriculum includes creating a standout LinkedIn profile, polished resume / CV and tailored application package. Additionally, the course covers effective job search strategies and interview techniques. Discussion on leadership work styles and maintaining healthy work-life balance are also integral parts of the program.
Learn about departmental course offerings here
Determining Credit Hours with Work Hours Per Week
When a professor is located, discussions will determine the amount of time you will spend in the lab, your weekly schedule in the lab, the number of credits you should register for, and your responsibilities in the lab. The university/department guidelines for hours per week per credit hour for each semester are:
- A maximum of 6 credits as an undergraduate major. Once you max out at 6 credits you can continue your research for 0 credits.
- Fall and Spring Semesters: You can register for 0-3 credits. 1 credit = 3hrs. per week in the lab. (16 weeks total for one semester) Students may register for no more than 3 credits maximum per semester. However, we recommend a maximum of 2 credits per semester so that you can spread out your research for credit to at least 3 full semesters.
- Summer C Semester: 1 credit – 4 hrs. per week in the lab. (12 weeks total for Summer C). Students may register for no more than 2 credits for Summer C (department policy).
- Summer A or Summer B – 1 credit = 6 hrs. per week in the lab. (6 weeks total for A and 6 weeks for B). Students may register for no more than 1 credit for Summer A or 1credit for Summer B. If a student is planning to do undergraduate research for the entire summer, they should register for Summer C.
- You may also choose to register for MCB 4911 for 0 credits over summer. If you only register for MCB 4911 for 0 credit, and nothing else with it, you will be assessed fees for 1 credit hour.
Registration
You must be a Microbiology and Cell Science major and you are required to complete the MCB 4911 Supervised Research Form with your mentor. You can stop by the the main office and pick one up or you download the form off the web (see link below). Please return the form to the Microbiology academic advisor in room 1047 prior to the last day of registration. We cannot register you for supervised research without this form.
MCB 4911 may be repeated for a maximum of 06 credits. If you previously registered for supervised research in any other department (prefix) such as BMS 4905 (11), CHM 4905 (11), ZOO 4905 (11), IDH 4905 (11), the credits earned will be included in the 6 credit maximum allowed for undergraduate research. Since Fall, 2012 the College of Medicine has required all students to register under BMS 4905 (11). Microbiology majors may do so but we recommend a maximum of 2 credits per semester and a total of 06 during the undergraduate degree. Please talk to your individual mentors in that college to verify the course they will approve you for.
