Getting into Academic Research as an Undergrad
by Lenz Dagohoy
I remember being fascinated by the idea of building something new as a kid. I remember stealing ceramic tiles and cement from the construction next door to make myself a small house when I was five. I didn’t have Legos to work with, so wood, rock, and grass were the next best things. I wanted to be an inventor, but I didn’t know how until I watched the TV adaptation of Mars Ravelo’s Tiny Tony when I was seven. Tony is a scientist trying to invent a shrinking serum with the help of his mentor, Dr. Peralta. This clicked in my head! If I wanted to create something, I needed to know how to make it work by asking for help. I bought myself a dainty guide on being a scientist from our school’s book fair that same year.
Year after year, I would buy more books that furthered my interest in different kinds of scientific phenomena. In 4th grade, we learned about the water cycle. The whole idea of changing states of matter was astonishing to me, so I repeatedly drew detailed diagrams of the process and taped them on our living room walls. My mom eventually bought me a book on weather, which strengthened this newfound interest.
Though, this obsession wasn’t just limited to the natural sciences. In 7th grade, my science fair group conducted a study on how pen colors affect students’ memory when studying for a test. That was my first taste of social research, and it was nothing short of scrumptious. In senior high school, I explored research in mainstream media such as K-drama, commercials, and queer films as an Arts & Design student. I thought about pursuing communication arts or anthropology, but for some reason, I went back to my roots — back to weather — by majoring in physics.
Exploring opportunities in my dream field
Similar to other careers, in research, there are three main gaps that you have to bridge to succeed: your skill gap, exposure gap, and network gap. There is some truth to the statement that the only reason why I went into physics was because of research. I knew that physics in my university delved deep into atmospheric science and my dearly beloved water cycle. Thus, it’s safe to say that this was an instant solution to all the gaps I needed to address.
In my first semester of university, a classmate compelled me to take the plunge and apply as an apprentice in the department’s atmospheric science laboratory. Even though I didn’t think that they would accept a student who’s only been in college for barely two months, I took the chance anyway. That’s when I met my first Dr. Peralta. She introduced me to a whole laboratory filled with exceptional researchers willing to mentor an ingenuous seventeen-year-old.
Outside of the laboratories in school, I attended workshops organized by different universities, which further honed this growing interest in the earth sciences. In my sophomore year, I applied for a minor in Humanitarian Action, hoping to apply my learnings to the field of disaster science. As a junior, I started to explore internship opportunities in disaster risk reduction and management to convert the theoretical knowledge into practical investigations.
Everything seemed on track. However, I eventually realized that I just wasn’t into climate science as I thought I was. If anything, I was more interested in emerging technologies. I wanted to make devices that help measure data that help causes, such as climate science or policymaking. I wanted to be the carpenter who played with stolen ceramics and cement from when I was five. I tried to make things that I could see and touch, so I moved laboratories and explored optoelectronic technologies.
Veering away from what I knew to what is new
I was more successful in tech than I ever was with climate science. I did not particularly have a background in engineering, and all I had was the willingness to learn and the grit to come with it.
Within a year, I presented research at a national physics conference and published it in an international journal.
I worked at the intersection of electronic circuits and theoretical physics. For the most part at the start of the pandemic, I would just read journal articles and try to solve them again. That was how I practiced reading and understanding the science behind the technology I was studying.
To come up with new ideas for research, you need to achieve some level of comfort handling the science of your thoughts.
At the same time, research is hardly ever a job you do alone. In almost every type of research I have done, there was always someone you could ask for assistance. In my case, I have a mentor who constantly picked my brain and helped me whenever I had trouble.
Starting the journey towards academic research
Research is an exciting path, especially for those constantly curious and looking to discover. For students, there are still a few entry points in the Philippines. I would claim that the most salient entry point is connecting with researchers within your college or university to express your intent to help out in their research. It takes years to practice research so starting early is definitely a plus if you’re looking into graduate studies after college!
However, before reaching out, you can explore the field you want further by attending talks and workshops related to which area you want to work. When you’ve figured that out, you can apply for laboratories and let your mentors know your goals. Keep on reading and keep on looking for answers to your questions. Make the most of your apprenticeship or internship by proactively interacting with your mentors. Ask questions, suggest ideas, and give feedback when needed.
Look out for opportunities too! In the Philippines, DOST provides numerous grant opportunities for undergraduate students. You can explore with your mentor if you have a research idea. In my case, my team and I won the Young Innovators Program 2021, which granted our optical biosensing research enough funding to get started.
Some colleges or universities might have organizations focused on research outside of all these formal ways to get started. Our university had numerous research organizations where I could practice my interest in the social sciences and pursue topics in social psychology and education.
The point is to get yourself out there. Research is more than just the lab work or the endless data encoding. Research is also exploration and primarily making connections with people who run on the same wavelength as you do.
About the Author
Lenz Dagohoy (they/them) is a Physics major from Ateneo de Manila University, minoring in Humanitarian Action and Sociology. They like researching emerging technologies and learning experiences. They spend their free time doing normal young adult things like watching movies, cooking, and learning more about the local startup industry.
About KadaKareer
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