Contacting Faculty

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If you wish to contact a faculty member you don’t know well about a research opportunity in our database or possible openings within a research group, we recommend contacting the faculty member over e-mail.

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As you write your message, the overall goal is to craft a polished, succinct communication that clearly explains why you're interested in the faculty member's specific research project(s) and highlights the skills and academic background that you would bring to the work of a research assistant. 

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​​Can I Email Someone I Don't Know? 

 

Yes!

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Students often report finding the process stressful, especially when they wish to contact faculty members they have not previously met. It may be helpful to remember that all faculty members were in a position similar to yours at some point in their careers–they were interested in research. Still, they had relatively little or no actual research experience.

 

Remember another attribute you share with prospective faculty mentors: you’re both excited about developing knowledge and understanding in a field!

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Important note: If the draft message could only be sent to the specific faculty member to whom it is addressed and could only have been authored by you, then you’re on the right path! 

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Here are a few additional suggestions: 

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• We recommend sending the message from your official UMD e-mail account; it helps the faculty member know you are who you say you are and may also increase the odds of your message being read.
   

• The message should include a clear subject line indicating your interest in research opportunities.
   

• In your salutation, you should use the faculty member’s title and last name (e.g., “Dear Professor Jones”), rather than their first name.
   

• The body of your e-mail should identify your major, class year, and the semester(s) in which you would be available to participate in research. 
   

• The faculty member may find it helpful if you attach a resume. The Career Center has helpful resources available here if you need assistance preparing a resume. 
   

• As you develop your understanding of a faculty member’s research interests and projects, it will be useful to review one or more of their academic publications as well as the biographical material about them available on UMD websites.
  
  Faculty members sometimes make copies of academic journal articles and book chapters available directly on their personal websites or in the UMD library’s research repository. As a UMD student, you also have access to numerous databases that index scholarly publications and provide full-text access to these publications via the library website; if you encounter difficulties on the library website, they offer a convenient chat feature.
   

• Think broadly about your experiences. Even if you have never been a research assistant before, you may have had other opportunities to demonstrate traits that are desirable in a research assistant (e.g., organization and detail orientation).
   

• We recommend keeping your message relatively short. If you do not hear back after sending a message, we suggest waiting 1-2 weeks and then sending a polite follow-up.

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If an opportunity doesn’t work out, we encourage you to continue exploring your options.