A guide for undergraduates to navigate internships, networking, and opportunities. Some of your internship-related questions answered.
JANUARY 14, 2025 | BY SANDHYA GANESAN, IRA ZIBBU
Internships are a period when a student gains supervised practical experience in a specific field of interest. In biomedical research, internships are valuable for understanding the scientific hypothesis testing process and exposing oneself to tools and technologies involved. In this article, we attempt to address prevalent belief systems and concerns we observe among undergraduates in the domain of internships, including CV building, how research experiences contribute to job/PhD applications, fear of missing out, peer pressure, whom and how to approach. While this is a vast topic, we particularly aim to bring two distinct author perspectives to the table.
Ira Zibbu is an alumna of the BS-MS program at IISER Thiruvananthapuram (2019-’24) and is currently pursuing PhD at the University of Texas at Austin. Ira has pursued many research stints both within and outside the institute and has also been a Khorana Scholar. Sandhya Ganesan is currently an Assistant Professor in Biology and DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance Intermediate Fellow at IISER Thiruvananthapuram. As a post-doctoral researcher and an early career investigator at IISER Thiruvananthapuram, Sandhya has been mentoring undergraduate and postgraduate students for many years.
We solicited questions from undergraduate students in BSc, MSc, B. Tech, BS-MS programs from central, state universities and research institutes and curated ten frequently asked questions. We hope these responses will facilitate an effective interaction and scientific partnership between internship aspirants and principal investigators (PI). Where possible, we also point readers to excellent online resources available and some common mistakes to avoid.
1. How early should one start applying for internships? Which year of degree would be ideal?
Sandhya: The first couple of years in college often involve adjusting to vast course work, a new environment, and new friendships. I suggest taking some much-needed time off and being with family during breaks. Utilize this time to focus on academic reading and connect with the subjects of your interest at a deeper level, which will help with your grades. Internships are most productive when you have a strong grasp of fundamental theoretical concepts. If you find an internship opportunity close to home that aligns with your goals, that’s even better. It is definitely acceptable to apply from 2nd/3rd year onwards. Proactively reach out to labs 6 months to a year in advance to discuss potential opportunities. Early communication allows for better planning for both you and the PI.
Ira: There’s no one-size-fits-all answer; applying earlier (in years 1-2) gives you additional chances to explore different fields and gain more experience. Applying later (in years 3-4) means you are more experienced and probably understand your research interests better; you stand a better chance at securing not only an internship but also funding from fellowships/scholarships for the same. Think of your first few internships as exploratory opportunities. Internships after that are better as ‘refinements’, where students use the experience to improve their skills and knowledge in that field. Weigh out these pros and cons and what is important to you personally.
2. What should one do if they don’t hear back from the PI? What are things to remember as part of good email etiquette? Can we apply to multiple professors in the same department? How many labs should I be reaching out to?
Sandhya: PIs may unintentionally miss emails, especially if they are not looking to take more students at that time and would appreciate a reminder. It is acceptable to send one polite reminder after a week, or if you are in the area, stop by their office, depending on their availability. Apply to multiple labs to keep your options open, but ensure you take the time to research each lab and craft personalized emails (more on that in Q4).
Ira: A common mistake is sending generic emails to dozens of professors. Instead, aim to strike a balance: cast a wide enough net, but personalize each email. Begin by listing 10–12 labs that interest you and reach out well in advance. If you don’t hear back, expand your list by another 5–6 labs. Rejections or non-responses aren’t personal—professors may be too busy or not currently recruiting. Focus on what you can control: crafting compelling, tailored emails. Always check the lab’s website for internship openings before reaching out, and stick to email for professional communication—avoid social media for such requests.
3. What do professors look for in prospective interns?
Sandhya: Most importantly, a learner’s mindset and good work ethic. This includes curiosity, showing interest in what the lab does, showing up, being punctual, dedication, commitment towards making the most of the internship and meticulousness towards assigned tasks. Being able to integrate well with other lab members, lab culture is a great plus. Prior research experience is not mandatory.
Ira: A professor once told me, “You can teach skills, but not passion and curiosity.” Professors look for students who are genuinely excited about their research and have thoughtful ideas. While basic knowledge of the field is essential, don’t let a lack of experience deter you. Professionalism and the ability to collaborate are also key qualities that professors assess.
4. What does a well-written email to a professor contain?
Sandhya: Here are some broad do’s and don'ts when it comes to writing emails to PIs:
Do’s: Writing thoughtful, personalized emails, proofreading for mistakes, always attaching a well-curated CV that is true to your knowledge and level of experience.
Don'ts: Copying content from the PI’s website research writeups, extensively using AI/ChatGPT prompts, cc’ing all the PIs of the department, requesting opportunities for a group of friends, etc.
While the email should reflect the thought and effort put in it, it is absolutely acceptable to submit that you just want to learn and gain exposure in a research environment and not feel the pressure to write at length about the PI’s research or publications. I encourage readers to refer to these excellent resources from the SciSoup Blog, advice from PIs Vidita Vaidya and Meghna Srishti, and the InVolMent YouTube Channel. These are just a few that we have come across, but there are also other highly useful resources available.
Ira: The email is the first impression you make, so you want it to be a good one. Start with a professional greeting (Dear Dr./Prof. [Full name]), and then introduce yourself (your name, your degree, what year you are in, your university’s name and 1-2 sentences about your broad research interests). Tell them that you are reaching out for an internship opportunity, and specify the time duration (for example, between May 2025 and July 2025). Next, describe what you find interesting about their research, and pitch potential ideas/projects/research questions. These don’t have to be perfect or advanced, but they showcase genuine attention and interest. In brief, highlight any relevant skills or experience you have that would be useful to the research that happens in the lab, and where you acquired them. Conclude by asking them if it would be possible to meet them to discuss this further if they are interested, and thank them for their time. Make sure you include a 1-2 page CV as well. A cover letter is usually not necessary unless their lab website states so.
5. How do I find out available internship opportunities? What are the resources available?
Sandhya: Directly emailing PIs of labs whose research interests you is always a good option. Twitter is a social media platform where many researchers post about positions in their lab. In addition, there are many organized internship programs. Institute-level internship opportunities are usually advertised on the institute website for portals on summer internship/visiting student applications. Some popular national level internships are the IAS SRFP, the Khorana Scholars Program and TIFR NIUS. Additionally, biotechnika, biotechworldindia, IndiaBioscience collect information about available positions.
Ira: This may be one of the few instances I can say social media is beneficial: many labs advertise positions on Twitter/LinkedIn. I personally have found many opportunities like this, and I have been collecting resources on this Twitter thread for a while. I would also recommend InVolMent, a website that hosts information about jobs/internships for Indian STEM students. Finally, here is a non-exhaustive list of international internship opportunities for those in the life sciences.
6. How do I identify my field of interest?
Sandhya:
(1) Courses in your undergraduate program
(2) attending seminars/workshops arranged by your institute
(3) general reading- newspapers, articles about latest science developments
(4) interacting with peers, seniors and learning from their experiences
(5) learning about the research areas of your departmental faculty, all help. In addition, there are plenty of free online resources, talks, and courses (Coursera, NPTEL, Nobel lectures, recorded conferences etc).
The process of elimination also works. You can always try something and then decide it is not the right fit for you. As someone famously said, “knowing what you don’t want to do is probably more important than what you do”. Always keep an open mind.
Ira: The key thing to remember is that (a) interests will evolve and change over your entire career (b) it requires proactive effort to keep exposing yourself to new ideas and research. Do not rely on your classes alone to give you exposure. You will miss out on learning new things. Read from fields outside your own, and even outside biology. Carve out a time in your weekly schedule to do this. Finally, spend time understanding yourself. Why do certain fields appeal to you? Why does certain research seem boring? Asking such questions can help us find underlying goals, beliefs and values that shape our interests.
7. What do I do if I cannot land any internships? How does this affect my career?
Sandhya: Ask the bigger question- “what is the purpose of an internship”? Keep yourself open to other possibilities and experiences that achieve the same purpose and be helpful for you in the long run (example: internships such as this- IndiaBioscience). Any activity that involves learning a new skill, being disciplined and developing work ethic, working with people will qualify. This could include learning to drive, cook, a sport, asking any faculty in your institute if you can help out with any departmental educational activity over summer. Organize yourself, prepare and apply well ahead of time for the next opportunity. You can also consider starting a ‘book/ manuscript reading/ discussing principle and applications of emerging technologies’ circle (or other creative ideas), maybe with the help of a PI. This support group could help bring together peers and help to stay motivated and keep working towards your goals.
Ira: Missing an internship can happen for various reasons—missed deadlines, personal commitments, or rejection. For all the people in any of these circumstances, I would offer the same solution: try again at the next available opportunity. There unfortunately is no other way around this. Come up with a plan early (which internship programs/ labs to apply to, the timelines and your application materials) and seek help from peers or professors if you find yourself lacking in any of these areas. Internships are invaluable when it comes to future careers, whether it means pursuing an advanced degree like a PhD or going into industry. Internships show that you have hands-on experience doing research or knowledge of specific techniques. In cases of admission to higher education, your PI can vouch for you as a student via recommendation letters. Not having prior internships does not mean you cannot get into a great PhD program or job, but it may be hampered. If you were unable to pursue any internships, your second-best bet would be to try to get experience through workshops, online courses etc. These can also help you build skills in place of an internship.
8. What kind of work does a typical internship entail?
Sandhya: A typical internship in my lab would entail working alongside a senior student on an ongoing project, in which a dedicated part would be assigned to the intern, depending on the duration of the internship. For example, this could include cloning a gene and checking its expression. Interns will also actively participate in lab meetings, can freely observe, discuss, and help out with all lab members on their projects and contribute to the smooth running of the lab.
Ira: When a PI accepts a student, the first discussion is usually about the project, often tied to ongoing lab work due to time constraints. Next, the student is asked to start by reading relevant literature and material to bring their theoretical knowledge on the subject up to date. They may also be asked to accompany other experienced lab members to observe them perform certain techniques. Soon, the student is allowed to perform some experiments while being supervised and mentored. As they gain experience, they may be allowed to work more independently and contribute towards the design/direction of the project. In most labs, the student will be required to report on their progress/ ask doubts to the PI/ other lab members during scheduled meetings. Finally, at the end of the project, the intern is required to write a report about the work that they did. Since a lot of biology is experimental, the intern will likely have to be physically present in the lab during the work days; however, computational/theoretical biology internships can also be done remotely. For example, I did a remote internship in mathematical biology as an undergraduate in 2021. Many labs do deviate from this structure, so it is a good idea to go over expectations at the start to ensure there is no miscommunication.
9. What should an intern expect of the PI? Can I get paid to do an internship?
Sandhya: The intern can discuss with the PI about the skills they hope to learn. Example: molecular biology skills, bioinformatic techniques etc. It is also absolutely okay to discuss upfront whether there may be funding available to support accommodation (if applicable), and other associated costs or if the intern should support themselves. Sometimes, the PI may have dedicated funds towards supporting internships. While the PI may try to accommodate the intern’s requests regarding preferences for specific projects, projects may be assigned depending on several factors including availability of funds, senior students to guide the interns, actively progressing & timeline-based projects, central facilities/equipment that interns are permitted to work with. Irrespective of the nature of the work involved, the assigned projects provide space for the intern to learn and grow in a new domain. Whether the internship may be considered for requesting a letter of reference- this has to be discussed with the PI ahead of time, since it will depend on the duration and the nature of the internship. If the intern’s work contributed significantly towards the research findings of the project, the intern can discuss co-authorship in manuscripts resulting from the study. The intern can also seek professional advice and feedback from the senior members of the lab as well as the PI in crafting their career.
Ira: There is a give-and-take relationship between the PI and the intern, and in a successful internship, hopefully both parties gain something useful from it. Students should expect some degree of mentorship from either the PI or their assigned mentor, both about work in the lab and professional development. On a personal level, I believe PIs should keep in mind that the student is learning and may not know everything, and should not be punished for making mistakes along the process or for having gaps in their knowledge.
10. How do I go about this process if I come from a college or university where I am not exposed to relevant opportunities or training?
Sandhya: First, seek your immediate teachers for help and networking. Look out for academic/research institutes that conduct outreach activities, workshops, and symposia in your region that you can participate in. For example, IISER Thiruvananthapuram conducts a winter RPWS program for 2nd year Masters students and hosts several regional colleges for outreach activities. In addition, many high quality, hands-on workshops are organized in various techniques routinely across institutes (often on a paid-basis). Examples of some recent ones include that of ICSCCB, Trust for Education and Training in Cytometry (TETC), NCBS and also compiled by IndiaBioscience. Please keep an eye out and make use of such opportunities if your circumstances allow. If a speaker is giving a talk at your institution, you may request that your department arrange an interaction with students if the schedule allows. This is always a great practice to let go of inhibition and interact with people. You can also consider starting a small science club in collaboration with your department and invite speakers routinely for online talks and interaction. PIs try to make best possible efforts to participate in and promote student-led science activities. Dedicating oneself to doing well academically, getting comfortable with using social media & online resources, training oneself in writing professional emails, approaching and interacting with people will all help to search for opportunities.
Ira: Unfortunately, a lack of funding in many universities/colleges means that students do not get exposure to research. I agree with most of Sandhya's points, that the next best thing to do is find avenues outside your immediate surroundings. Personally, outside of internships I have found online courses/ lectures to be a great resource to learn and grow, and recommend NPTEL in particular. This does have limitations, as certain kinds of experimental projects can only be done with certain set ups. I would also recommend seeking out other students and professionals from across the country/world through online platforms/forums like Reddit/Twitter/LinkedIn.
Conclusion:
Internships are rewarding that can dramatically change the career trajectories of students and trainees. At the same time, they can also be significant sources of confusion and stress. As with most things, students do get better at identifying their research interests and relevant opportunities with time. The best thing to do is to remember that we miss 100% of the shots we don’t take, and rejections can also be moments of learning. We would like to remind students that they are not alone in their academic struggles. Reach out to your peers/mentors for guidance and support when you need it, and take a proactive effort towards building a scientific career that brings you joy. Sandhya and Ira can be reached at sandhyag@iisertvm.ac.in and ira.zibbu@gmail.com (Email) and @SandhyaGansan or @cool_scootre (Twitter) respectively.
Acknowledgements:
We thank Navya Zibbu (ISDI) for the illustrative art and Dr. Nagaraj Balasubramanian (IISER Pune) for critical manuscript review. Research in Sandhya Ganesan’s group has been supported by SERB Startup Research Grant, IGNITE LSF Foundation, DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance Intermediate Fellowship, and IISER Thiruvananthapuram.
Edited by - Ratneshwar Thakur (Biologist turned Science Communicator and Writer)
Disclaimer:
SciSoup declares no competing interests. The opinions expressed by the contributors to this blog are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of SciSoup, its creators, or affiliates. This blog is intended to raise awareness and foster informed discussion.
