Today was a major crisis regarding the research project I am working on for a group of marketing professors at school. The three professors were freaking out to varying degrees (one broke out the Pepperidge Farm chocolate chunk cookies around 4:00 and I ate two in companionship) and I got to just be calm, waiting to find out what was going to ultimately be required of me. Turns out that disaster was diverted in the 11th hour and I made it to the experiment location, did my job, turned the materials over to one of the grad student workers (who showed up after the experiment in a baaad mood), and came home. I didn't get to eat dinner until after 7:30, but otherwise, it didn't really affect me. There is something to said for just being a flunky. I also got to hear a prof gripe about another prof, a prof gripe about a couple of other students, and a grad student gripe about a prof. Honestly, they all had good gripes in my opinion. I feel good that I did not (to my knowledge) inspire any griping, if for no other reason than that I do not have sufficient responsibility to do anything gripeworthy. (Of course, I now have this slight fear that I did something wrong in the experiment, like accidentally doing the wrong conditions for the age groups I dealt with, but that is just paranoia.)
In other marketing research news, we got back our papers in class today and our organic food project got a 97. (We lost 3 points on typos.) This is a good thing in itself, but the cool part is that the professor is encouraging us to submit the paper (or technically a revised version with a lit review, etc.) to a conference. The others in my group looked uncertain about this (perhaps because it sounds like a lot of work and they aren't familiar with the process) but I am all for it. I have been teasing Tam a bit over how envious I was that she was able to have her comp sci paper published in the proceedings to an undergraduate conference; maybe it will be my turn now. If at all possible, I want to take advantage of the opportunity to play in the minor leagues of undergraduate journals before I am forced to compete against "real" academics in the professional journals. My prof said that there is even funding available for attending the conference and giving the paper. That would be a great thing.
During our running around campus today, my prof asked me if I like doing research. Heh. I said yes and that I am planning to go to grad school and would like to set up some time soon to talk to her about it. I need to do that.
In other school news, I don't know whether I reported that I got a 100 on my first marketing test. We have the second test next Tuesday.
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5 comments:
I can totally relate to how great it is being a flunky. A book shelver by any other name is a still a flunky. I also get to hear everyone gripe about everyone else. And, yes, with legitimate gripes.
Congrats on the paper and getting it submitted. That would be a really nice addition to your resume. I assume the rest of your team doesn't realize the significance of this.
Mom, isn't it nice to be an actual flunky and not in the pseudo-flunky status of administrative assistant, where every single other person's problem immediately becomes your own, in addition to the ones you already have? Or your last job, in which you got the work duties associated with a promotion only with no increase in pay? I'm loving the flunky thing.
I think you're right that the rest of the team doesn't understand what the conference thing is about. At this point, I'm guessing they're thinking "that sounds like a lot of work." And I guess if you're not on the path to grad school, publications are not going to be something you're looking for. If this were a psychology class, the group would be more likely to have other members jumping all over the opportunity... and wanting to "help" and so on. Maybe it's better this way, if no one else wants to be involved in the next steps. :)
Regardless of whether publication in this type of journal is prestigious, I think it sends a great message along the lines of, "I'm an unstoppable researching machine who will produce work for publication in any setting." (And since this message is true...)
And of course, if people read the work and it's good, that gives an additional benefit.
"Unstoppable researching machine" - I like it!
If the shoe fits...
;-)
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