Undergraduate Onboarding

Required reading: All new undergraduate lab members should read this page and complete the acknowledgment workflow at the bottom.

Overview

This document is meant to be a primer and a starting point for mentoring you in research skills, not just assigning tasks or leaving you to figure it out on your own. It is also something worth revisiting throughout your time in the lab. As you gain experience and confidence, parts of this document will make more sense or become more relevant.

Undergraduate research is a key part of how we build and test new ideas in this lab. Your time here is a chance to learn how research happens, contribute meaningfully to a project, and develop technical skills that go beyond classroom experience.

It is likely that you will be working with a team or with a graduate student.

Research Primer

Research in the Robot Form and Function Lab focuses on form and function, largely where engineered constructs meet computational intelligence. This includes intersections of design and control, hardware and software, and applications in robotics, biomechanics, and embedded systems.

You are expected to work on both experimental methods and basic modeling or analysis. We rarely do purely theoretical work, so you will often build, test, measure, and interpret data. Depending on your project, you may work with code, hardware, CAD, sensors, or mechanical systems.

You are not expected to write a paper on day one, but you should begin learning how your project connects to broader research. Ask questions like:

• What is this robot or system designed to do?
• Why are we measuring this?
• How does this relate to robots in other research papers?

We will help guide you toward relevant readings or background materials. Take time to understand figures, not just text. Videos and images are often more useful than reading full papers right away.

Building Skills as a Researcher

Start with the basics:

• Keep a lab notebook or digital log. Track what you do each day, questions you have, and things that worked or did not.
• Understand your role. You will likely be working with a grad student or project lead. Ask how your tasks support the bigger picture.
• Document code or hardware builds. Comment your code, label your circuits, and take photos when appropriate. Good documentation is part of good research.
• Ask questions. Do not guess what your mentor wants. It is okay not to know. Your job is to learn.

Reading and Publication Quality

While you are conducting research, please be aware that not all publications have the same merit. Some journals have rigorous peer-review processes and are widely respected in the field, while others prioritize quantity over quality, charge high fees, and publish work with little to no review.

A few general rules:

• If a paper is published in a journal you have never heard of, look it up and check whether it is indexed in reputable databases.
• Be wary of journals that aggressively solicit submissions or promise extremely fast publication.
• You may not receive these invitations now, but you may one day.
• Consider whether the journal is associated with a reputable publisher such as IEEE, Springer, Elsevier, ACM, or Wiley.

Reading broadly is good, but citing low-quality or unreviewed work in your own papers can weaken your research. Build your judgment over time.

Mentor and Mentee Expectations

Most lab communication happens on Slack. Make sure you are in the lab workspace and respond to messages in a reasonable timeframe.

You are expected to:

• Show up when you say you will.
• Let us know when you are blocked or have questions.
• Be proactive in asking for clarification or next steps.

There is no penalty for not knowing how to do something. Asking is part of the job.

Authorship and Paper Writing

While you are not expected to lead a research paper as an undergraduate, you may contribute to one if your work supports it. If so, authorship will be discussed early and transparently.

If you help with writing, the lab uses LaTeX and Overleaf. Ask for help setting this up.

For documentation such as protocols, procedures, or figure captions, you may be asked to write clearly and concisely, and you will receive feedback.

Lab Safety

You are expected to work safely in the lab. This means only using equipment that you know how to use and not working in the lab when you are too tired to work carefully.

Students should also complete Environmental Health and Safety training in order to work in the lab.

Group Meetings

Group meetings are relatively low stakes. You will usually present a brief slide summarizing your progress and goals. This keeps everyone engaged in the lab, asking questions, and helping one another. It is also a chance to practice communication skills.

The group meeting schedule is set at the beginning of each semester, and you are expected to attend weekly.

• Download Group Meeting Template

Archiving Data

When you finish up in the lab, whether by graduating or moving on, all of your data should be archived in the appropriate formats and locations with a ReadMe.txt file.

Archiving on UB Box

We store active and archived data on the Robot Form and Function Lab UB Box account. Go to the lab folder, then the Projects subfolder, and create a folder for yourself and your project.

Archiving on the Server

The Box folder can be used for projects and papers, while the server can be used for raw data such as high-speed video files.

Server paths:

\\afs.acsu.buffalo.edu\sens_research_mae\ryans
smb://afs.acsu.buffalo.edu/sens_research_mae/ryans

Your username should be ad\ followed by your username.

GitHub

You are expected to learn how to use GitHub. The lab wiki uses GitHub, and many archival papers require public access to data and software through GitHub repositories.

Undergraduate Research Realities

You are here to learn and contribute, and you get out what you put in. That means:

• Try things, break things, and learn from it.
• Take ownership of your project and time.
• Ask how your work fits into the bigger picture.
• Be proactive, curious, and communicative.

We are excited to have you here. Your work matters. If you are unsure about something, technical or otherwise, please reach out. That is what mentorship is for.

Access to the Lab, UB Box, and Equipment

Access to the lab is by swipe card. If you do not have swipe card access, UB Box access, or access to the machines that control equipment, let Dr. St. Pierre know.

Access to the Lab

Lab swipe access is managed by MAE and SENS. An online form must be filled out on your behalf, which requires:

• Name
• UBIT name
• Person number
• Graduation date

Access to UB Box and Equipment

Access to shared UB Box files and equipment is managed through a SENS user group. An email must be sent on your behalf to add you, which requires:

• Name
• UBIT name

Resigning from Research

If you are not coming to group meetings, not showing up to the lab, and are inactive on Slack, that is taken as an implicit resignation, and your access may be removed.

You are permitted to resign from research at any time, and there are no hard feelings. Sometimes research is not a good fit, or you may not be able to commit during a given semester. Being open and honest is much better than disappearing.

Verification

After reading this document, complete the lab acknowledgment workflow below.

• Slack Acknowledgment Workflow

Placeholder: Replace this button link with the Slack workflow URL once it is ready.