[nabs-l] doing research in a lab and a blindness question

[Cindy Bennett]

I am very interested in working in the psych lab on campus. There are
opportunities for undergrad students to get course credit for doing
this, but they have to interview with and be accepted by a professor.
I met with one of my psych professors today who I know does research
just to learn the logistics of the process, and he told me a lot of
details and answered a lot of my questions which was helpful. So I am
now in the process of corresponding with professors whose research
interests me.

My question is this. In my initial email, I simply expressed my
interest cordially and explained why I was interested in their
research. However, I got a reply of a professor who is willing to work
with me, but her research is concentrated on observing rats’ behavior
and taking measures such as wait and stuff. She may very well be the
only professor to reply positively to my desire to do research with,
so I want to say in an effective way that I may not be able to perform
these tasks, but I am still interested in meeting with her to discuss
whether there are jobs that I could effectively do in her lab. Should
I just respond that I am interested and arrange a time to meet, or
should I say that I am blind in my email but still request a time to
meet as well as mention the fact that there still might be ways in
which I contribute? I guess what I am curious about is, is it wrong
for me to say that I am interested but rather than meet with her to
confirm things like my response would connote, I would really be
meeting with her to let her know that there are several aspects of her
data collection that I cannot do? Should I turn down the opportunity?
I am all about the belief that I can do anything, but I wouldn’t want
some professor to take me on if there wasn’t enough things that I
could effectively do.

I would appreciate your input; in whatever I say, I just want to be
sure not to make my blindness look like a major hindrance, because
then she might rethink whether she wants to accept me, but I don’t
want to mislead her.

Thanks, and any lab tips that any of you experienced research
assistants have are helpful.

Cindy