Dry Lab Contact Tips
Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, and Computational Research
What Makes Dry Labs Different?
- Skills-focused hiring: PIs care most about what you can already do. Your GitHub portfolio matters.
- Flexible hours: Many dry labs offer more flexible schedules; some allow remote work.
- Project-based work: You may be assigned a specific project or tool to develop.
- Technical interviews: Some labs may ask you to complete a coding challenge or discuss technical concepts.
Skills to Highlight in Your Email
Programming Languages
- • Python (NumPy, Pandas, PyTorch)
- • C/C++ for systems or embedded
- • Java for backend/Android
- • JavaScript/TypeScript for web
- • R for statistical computing
- • MATLAB for engineering
Technical Skills
- • Machine Learning / Deep Learning
- • Computer Vision or NLP
- • Data visualization
- • Git/GitHub version control
- • Linux/Unix command line
- • Cloud computing (AWS, GCP)
Project Experience
- • Personal GitHub projects
- • Hackathon projects
- • Course projects (with write-ups)
- • Open source contributions
- • Kaggle competitions
Domain Knowledge
- • Algorithms & Data Structures
- • Statistics & Probability
- • Linear Algebra
- • Signal Processing
- • Relevant domain expertise
Email Template for Dry Labs
Subject: Undergraduate Research Interest - [Your Name], [Major] [Year] - [Specific Area]
Dear Professor [Name],
I am a [year] [major] student at UIUC interested in your research on [specific topic, e.g., "graph neural networks for drug discovery"]. I read your recent paper on [paper title/topic], and I found [specific aspect] particularly interesting.
I have experience with [specific skills relevant to their work, e.g., "Python, PyTorch, and implementing ML pipelines"]. In my recent project, I [brief description of relevant project with link if available]. My GitHub is at [link].
I am particularly interested in [specific aspect of their research] and would love to contribute to [specific project if you know of one, or "your group's work"]. I can commit [X hours/week] and am available [semester/date].
I have attached my resume. Thank you for your time—I would be happy to discuss my background further or complete any technical assessment.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Email] | GitHub: [link]
Tips for Standing Out
1. Show, Don't Just Tell
Include links to your GitHub, personal website, or project demos. A well-documented project is worth more than a list of skills.
2. Read Their Recent Papers
Reference specific technical details from their work. This shows you can understand and engage with their research.
3. Propose How You Can Help
If you see a gap you could fill (e.g., "I noticed your codebase could benefit from better documentation"), mention it tactfully.