Harvey Mudd College

Propeller-Driven Airplane Mechanic

June - August 2019 • Claremont, CA

What I liked

I loved working closely with Professor Harris in the lab setting and working at the airport. It was awesome to be immersed fully in aviation.

What I wish was different

We had some issues with a co-worker that struggles learning the tools of the trade, but other than that it was great.

Advice

It is so worth it to pursue your interests, even if they lie on the fringe of you institution

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Engman Research Fellow

May 2019 • Claremont, CA

What I liked

I liked learning about sterile culture and dissecting rat tails and rabbit eyes. As well as being able to run my experiments independently.

What I wish was different

I wish that we had more sterile hoods for this large lab team. I also would've liked a little more structure or scheduling.

Advice

Ask a lot of questions about logistics early and really try and get a deep understanding of the background and what drives the project forward.

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Research Intern

May - August 2019 • Claremont, CA

What I liked

Very collaborative work environment. Lots of opportunities to learn about different CS fields.

What I wish was different

Ask research adviser for advice more often.

Advice

Definitely a good opportunity for underclassmen at Mudd.

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Researcher

May - July 2019 • Claremont, CA

What I liked

I liked the flexibility of the job, I could make my own hours, which allowed me to take classes at the same time. I also liked that I got to stay on campus with my friends.

What I wish was different

I wish that we had been a little more organized in our goals and techniques.

Advice

If you are comfortable keeping your own schedule and taking ownership of a research project, then this would be a good opportunity for you.

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Software Engineer

June - September 2019 • Claremont, CA

What I liked

We were give projects to do, and it was our responsibility to find out how to get to our end goal. I was able to research new technologies I had been interested in for the longest time, but never had the chance to pick up because of other time constraints.

What I wish was different

There were times we would complete a task, however, since the Professor we completed it for wasn't available, we wouldn't receive feedback or be able to update anything until days later. This halted productivity, since the completed task wasn't the exact thing the professor wanted.

Advice

My biggest piece of advice is to collaborate with your colleagues. There were many times a colleague would get stuck on a problem for days, and it could've been resolved by asking someone else who may have had the information or links to resources they were looking for. This can go for any type of job though, not just my specific experience.

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Student Employee

May 2019 • Claremont, CA

What I liked

It was not too difficult.

What I wish was different

The tasks could have been a little more exciting.

Advice

Sometimes doing a job is something right.

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Undergraduate Researcher

May - July 2019 • Claremont, CA

What I liked

Getting exposed to new topics and getting research experience.

What I wish was different

It was not as hot in California.

Advice

Research can give you a lot of flexibility with things you want to explore.

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Researcher

May - July 2019 • Claremont, CA

What I liked

What I wish was different

Advice

Talk to professors early on to find out what their research looks like

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Head Mentor

June - September 2019 • Claremont, CA

What I liked

I liked being involved on campus and getting to meet people.

What I wish was different

I wish there had been clearer communication within my department.

Advice

It’s a good idea to set clear boundaries when you work in a student affairs job.

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CS Summer Staff

May - August 2019 • Claremont, CA

What I liked

Working with Prof Dodds was awesome! A lot of freedom to spend your time learning and doing what you think would benefit the department.

What I wish was different

Advice

Pitch your weird ideas, there's probably something good there and Dodds will help you find it.

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Researcher

May 2019 • Claremont, CA

What I liked

Very open ended problem. Supportive faculty and team. Overall a great experience.

What I wish was different

Not much to be honest. At times, a bit more structure but I generally appreciated the open ended nature of it.

Advice

On campus research is a great way to build experience and work with faculty.

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Engineering Student Researcher

May - July 2019 • Claremont, CA

What I liked

Working alongside fellow Mudders in a research environment.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Summer Startup

June - August 2019 • Claremont, CA

What I liked

I liked working with other Mudd students and Mudd professors. The CS department also made efforts to make sure we were having fun. We had decorating contests and trips we could go on.

What I wish was different

I wish the position had a little more structure/guidance.

Advice

It was intimidating at first, but it taught me how to learn a new programming language all by myself. So the piece of advice would be to not be afraid to try new or unfamiliar things!

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Physics Researcher

June - August 2019 • Claremont, CA

What I liked

Learning new things and working with my lab mates

What I wish was different

More structured goals, timelines and objectives.

Advice

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Summer Research Assistant

May - August 2018 • Claremont, CA

What I liked

Amazing people (professors, co-workers), great work environment (enough work/life balance, and social activities), good pay & stipend (living and food stipend -- they gave me a single in the newest dorm!). I was able to find a community despite being in a new place, and the STEM research ongoing in the Claremont Colleges is incredible. Not to mention, I was able to travel to conferences, join a student club, and volunteer at local places despite not being from the Claremont Colleges.

What I wish was different

Sometimes, the logistics were a little difficult to navigate -- it feels like being in your first semester of college all over again. For one, I still could not get a library pass throughout the whole summer (which I was sort of hoping to do); it took me almost a month/two months to get a transportation pass. But, most of the things, the staff and professors are willing to help out with, so overall, it was great!

Advice

Try to talk with the students there! Don't feel uncomfortable and make friends, although you are from a new college! I now have great connections to Claremont Colleges -- a bridge I wouldn't have had had I merely stayed at Hamilton for the summer.

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Researcher

May - July 2018 • Claremont, CA

What I liked

Flexible scheduling and time to focus on one project Extremely pleasant work environment; was okay with coming in outside of work times

What I wish was different

Wish the position lasted longer/was like this during the school year

Advice

Be ready for things to go completely wrong because that's how research works!

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Undergraduate Research Assistant

May - July 2018 • Claremont, CA

What I liked

I like the project that I work on. It's something I'm interested in. And the process of doing research is fun. My lab members were great and my advisor was also very helpful and supportive. I also like that the schedule of the work was very flexible.

What I wish was different

Can't think of one.

Advice

For doing research, I learned that we have to be very patient and persistent, because a lot of times, the approaches we tried would fail. But we could also learn a lot from those failures.

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