The PCC Undergraduate Cohort hosted its first official event on November 18, 2021! The event aimed to inform climate-minded undergraduates about why they should get involved with research here at the UW, how to look for open positions, and how to apply for a research position once one is found. There was both a seminar-style presentation and a Q & A panel with current College of the Environment undergraduates who have gotten research positions in the past, providing lots of practical advice to the over two dozen interested undergrads who attended!

The meeting began with an informational seminar, presented by Pavithra Sundaravaradan, a representative from the UW Undergraduate Research Program (URP). Her position as both a member of a neuroscience lab and a URP representative has given her plenty of experience on the topic of undergraduate research opportunity, and as a result, her presentation was informative, interactive, and engaging. She emphasized that although research is traditionally pictured as lab work all day, and it may indeed include lab time, it can also be done outside as field work or even at home as data analysis. Eventually, everyone finds out what research method suits them best, and no one should be limited to any one type of research. Additionally, Pavithra highlighted the different methods of contacting professors, from using pre-made connections to secure lab spots to cold-emailing as many professors as you can find. She also provided several important resources in how to actually find and contact potential mentors, including the URP database, where professors are able to post research openings, and URP Advising, where you can learn specific information about how to find and connect with research opportunities. The excellent information presented by Pavithra certainly helped clear up a lot of the confusion around how to even get started with finding research opportunities around the UW.

Next, the meeting moved into a Q & A panel with a group of undergraduates from around the College of the Environment who have all found different ways to thrive in research positions. The panelists, Noah Asch (ATM S), Mandy Jackson (ESS), Alana Kraft (OCEAN), and Zack Nachod (OCEAN) each presented details on how they found research opportunities, what they did to secure these positions, and the research they do now which ranged from analyzing tornadoes to building underwater data collectors. After each panelist introduced themselves, the floor was opened up for questions, which turned out to be quite forthcoming. Over the next half hour, questions were posed and answered, providing information about what qualities to highlight if you do not have much/any prior lab experience (any past experiences that showcase why you would be an asset to a lab), whether you can be seen as too eager for a position (no, professors love seeing enthusiasm!), how to balance schoolwork with lab time (professors are understanding, and most are open to creating flexible schedules, just let them know if you are busy!), and so many more topics!

By the end of the meeting, countless pieces of practical advice had been dispensed and, hopefully, the complications of research as undergraduates had been explained. The PCC Undergraduate Cohort was formed as a place for undergraduates interested in Climate Science to learn, evolve, and thrive together, and even in the very first event, it is clear that it will be able to expertly serve that purpose for years to come.

If you want to stay informed about future PCC Undergraduate Cohort events, be sure to join the Climate Minor Listserv for undergrads and follow the PCC on Facebook and Twitter! If you are interested in planning a meeting, or have any other specific questions, please reach out to Mary Margaret Stoll!

Shoutout to the PCC Undergraduates who helped plan this meeting, Annabel Wade, Alana Kraft, and Isaac Olson. Special thanks to the amazing P-GraSC members who helped facilitate this meeting: Mary Margaret Stoll, Jacob Cohen, Emma Heitmann, and Leslie Nguyen.