Serenity Lee

What do you do as a Pre-Doctoral Research Associate?

Each RA is matched with faculty based on research interests. I’m currently assisting projects on multiple identities, intergroup relations, and the intersections of race, work, and leadership.

Why did you choose to major in Psychology and how has that affected your career thus far?

I originally wanted to be a journalist, but after taking introductory social psych, I got interested in using experimental and qualitative methods to investigate minority experiences/perceptions. I decided I wanted to pursue a research career, and being a Psych major would provide the experience and foundation of knowledge necessary to pursue that.

What was your career path like?

I started doing research my junior year and decided to find another RA or lab manager position after graduating university. This way I could try doing research full-time and confirm I liked it enough to fully commit myself to grad school and an academic career. A professor I worked with recommended the HBS RA position since she had done it before, so I applied and managed to make my way here.

What advice do you have for students getting a degree in the UM Psychology Department who are considering your profession?

I think the first inclination for students getting interested in research is to try to meet with a renowned professor, but those professors are so busy that even if they want to, they don’t have much time to mentor you. My closest mentors were graduate students and a postdoctoral fellow, who could give or connect me to opportunities to develop research skills.

How do you use your psychology undergraduate experience in your work?

Because Michigan is research-focused, you can take advantage of the many opportunities to join a lab, take methodology courses, and do a thesis. These experiences help cement and support your interest pursuing a career in research. I also frequently attended the brown bag lunches to keep up with current research.

How has the University of Michigan alumni network helped you thus far in your career?  

Michigan’s research community always surprises me—I keep meeting professors who did undergrad or PhD at Michigan, and it’s a point of connection. Also, my mentors at Michigan were able to vouch for me during the job search, and I currently work with a professor who has a Michigan PhD.

What has contributed most to your career success?

Coursework is important for building a basis of knowledge in the subject area, but you need the experiential learning, too. I was pretty proactive about attending research seminars and building relationships with my mentors, who gave me lots of opportunities to grow, so I graduated from Michigan feeling equipped with the technical skills to do research and supported by my mentors.