This academic year has certainly been atypical. For many, the process of doing research itself has been impacted by COVID-19: indeed, in our upcoming Seasonal Series, correspondents will interview research faculty and graduate students about their research experiences in the wake of COVID-19. Additionally, many of our favorite activities have been cancelled, while others march forward virtually. PCUR has continued to publish blog posts during this time.
In fact, we are happy to announce that PCUR is hiring new correspondents for the 2021-2022 academic year!
PCUR’s 2020-2021 Correspondents
Importantly, you don’t need to be an accomplished researcher to be suited for the role. While the term “Undergraduate Research” can be intimidating, the position welcomes students who are exploring their research interests, their prospective major, or even their plans for post-graduation. Writing for PCUR is gives an opportunity to reflect on one’s own research path: correspondents document their personal academic experiences, interview and learn from others, and discover and explore resources available to the student body. Just take a look at the posts on the blog, all of which are quite diverse and reflect the interests and academic and personal growth of each correspondent over the years.
In fact, below you can find a quote from each of our correspondents on their favorite aspect of being a part of PCUR! Details on how to apply are included at the end of the post.
My favorite part of PCUR is being able to provide advice and suggestions to Princeton students to help them with their academics and research opportunities.
Bridget Denzer
My favorite part of PCUR is the sense of community! The PCUR team is so kind and inclusive and I have truly learned so much from them. It has been inspiring to be a part of a group of individuals who are so passionate about research and who really use their unique experiences to help others at Princeton and beyond!
Ryan Champeau
My favorite part of PCUR is getting to reflect on past experiences and lessons that I have learned and getting to discuss them with my peer reviewer before sharing them on the blog.
Abhimanyu Banerjee
My favorite thing about PCUR is being given the freedom to write about a wide range of topics. While everything falls under the umbrella of research, each writer has a lot of latitude on how to approach their posts and turn it into something that is their own.
Austin Davis
PCUR has been a wonderful way for me to share my experience with fellow Princetonians. As a first-year and sophomore, many of the PCUR posts helped me navigate Princeton with academics and research. As a natural sciences major, I related more with the Natural Science Correspondents, but the great thing about PCUR is that it has a diversity of readings appealing to most Princeton students including those pursuing humanities. As an avid reader of PCUR, applying for a position in my junior year felt like a very natural step and I recommend the position to anyone who loves to share their Princeton experience with their peers.
Yodahe Gebreegziabher
Working as a correspondent for PCUR has helped me to clarify a lot about my own research process. In distilling research experiences to share for a wider audience– specifically to share as advice– I have had to decide for myself which practices work the best, and are the most broadly transferable. Each article I write for PCUR has led me to grow as a researcher.
Alec Israeli
I love PCUR because I believe it’s an invaluable resource for all students. It also is a great community and gives me an opportunity to practice writing for a more general audience.
Nanako Shirai
My favorite thing about PCUR is being able to learn about different resources or about events happening at the university. I enjoy reading everyone’s posts and finding out about a resource that I can use for my own research, or get highlights about an event/conference that I would like to attend. PCUR allows me to stay up to date with research-related support at Princeton!
Saira Reyes
I hope these quotes from our current correspondents have encouraged you to become one! To apply for the position, please send the following materials to Dr. Poussart, the Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research at poussart@princeton.edu. Application materials are due before 11:59pm on April 19th:
- A cover letter reflecting on your research path to date and explaining how you would contribute to the PCUR blog
- A sample post (between 400-700 words)
- A copy of your resume
– Kamron Soldozy, Chief Correspondent
