Following her recent research trip to Alaska with NOAA’s Marine Mammal Laboratory, Samantha-Lynn Martinez shares her tips and tricks for getting research opportunities as a UW Marine Biology student.

Skyla Walcott

1) Be vocal about your passions/interests to your instructors/current supervisors, regardless of what field you work in now! You never know, your boss at the local coffee shop you work at could be the bridge between you and your dream project! I used to make little trailers and season recap videos for my high school’s cross country team, one of my coaches noticed and put me in contact with their documentary filmmaking instructors from their university – I’m now on the trajectory to work in both research and natural history filmmaking because of the opportunities that have come from these connections! 98% of the opportunities that have come about as of late were from word of mouth or recommendations from folks within my network (instructors/ professors/ family friends). Being vocal opens many doors that otherwise would have never existed. If you make a good impression with someone and they can easily recall/associate you with specific interests and goals, they can put you in contact with some incredible folks – you never know! These folks are also great for recommendations.

2) Keep a live document to record milestones, new skills, softwares, etc. Having a place to record your progress can expedite your CV and Resumé building experience when internship/research season picks up. Personally, I’ve used my UW Honors Portfolio and Website to keep track of my progress and experiences, and sometimes it practically serves AS my resumé if someone runs into it. Using free platforms like Wix, Google Sites, Notion, even a fancy goole doc can be an awesome way to track. My best advice is to stitch the site or document into your email signature – Why? Well, same deal as tip #1, folks who I email about one topic can meander and explore my site without being explicitly prompted, and many of my opportunities have arisen from someone exploring my research interests page! One second I’m emailing them about an assignment for class, then one second later, they are connecting me with a PI from a lab that aligns with my interests!

3) Prioritize improving communication skills – this applies to verbal and written, but visual is always helpful! As a researcher, you will 100% work with others whether you like it or not (but best if you like it!). Making sure you are an inviting and sociable presence to work around can be absolutely critical to the overall morale of your projects. Additionally, being able to communicate your research to the general public, grant/scholarship application reviewers, and even your other teammates is a HUGE plus! Not only can this skill help with funding and applying to opportunities, but it also makes your science more accessible and available for folks outside of the field and when handing tasks off to fellow labmates. Taking the extra step to make sure you aren’t leaving folks out of the picture can ultimately change the way your work is perceived, or even inspire someone from outside of the field to explore it for themselves!

4) Join your department AND other departments’ listservs/email lists. Advisors send out opportunities ALL the time, so keeping tabs on your own major/department is an excellent start, but also don’t be afraid to check if other departments have listservs available to join regardless of major. A marine bio student for instance might find something new in the general biology listserv, and vice versa. This tactic is especially helpful for folks who want to have an interdisciplinary approach to their research or can’t put a finger on a favorite topic just yet! Not to mention, applicant reviewers may be on the lookout for people with broad educational backgrounds for specific programs, so read carefully and see where you align!

5) If you’re looking to do more research beyond undergrad and possibly apply to graduate school, this webpage written by my mentor, UW Biology Grad Student, and all-around amazing person, Alyssa Sargent, is PHENOMENAL!!! It’s the ultimate Herculean guide to many of the introductory questions regarding grad school apps, research, and opportunities. Tips about reaching out to possible supervisors and funding have been most helpful to me, but there are SO many lesser-known tips from a grad student’s perspective that could alleviate any worries about this grand process!