Jason Roberts

What do you find the most rewarding about working with undergrads?
The chance to share things with them that I love or find fascinating and then hearing their perspectives on those things. No matter how well I think I know a movie or piece of writing, students always see and read in their own distinct ways, and their unique perspectives regularly show me things I hadn’t seen or considered before. I guess that’s kind of a cliche, but it’s at the heart of why I love working with undergrads.

What do you feel helps students have a more productive meeting with you?
I’m always happy when a student comes in with a very specific agenda for a meeting, but I also think Northwestern students should give themselves more permission to be vulnerable and explore. One of the most important things I think I can do for Northwestern students, either in my role at the Office of Fellowships or in the classroom, is to convince them that it’s okay to not know something, especially if that something is their plan for the future. So one version of a productive meeting is to provide students a chance to ask me what I think about any random thing that’s on their mind, or just to provide a sympathetic ear as they think out loud.

What’s the one thing you wish students knew about research?
Here’s another cliche, but it’s a perennial challenge to convince students that research doesn’t only happen in labs. Whatever interests you is also a thing that researchers study. My whole field, film studies, grows out of love for and curiosity about the medium. What do you love? What are you curious about? That’s where research begins, regardless of your answer.