Hi labmates,
My goal for this lab is that everybody has fun with science, is productive, and ends up being competitive on the job market. To make sure that everyone can work towards these goals, here are expectations for all members of the lab.
Everybody
- Always label all your samples. Unlabeled samples are automatically discarded.
- Senior folks are expected to mentor junior ones (occasionally, within reason).
- No music or radio in shared work spaces please. You are always welcome to use headphones, of course.
- When you are at work, work! Please no on-line shopping, etc.
- Anyone is welcome to use the lab vehicle for work-related travel, but you have to reserve it on the Google calendar.
People with PCards
- If you were given the right to spend our grant money, you also have the duty to take care of the paperwork. Specifically, the person who makes a purchase is responsible for filling out the PCard form (except for the project number). Paloma, Adam or me fill out the project number and sign off as the funding source. The person who made the purchase submits both the PCard form and the signed receipt to the accountants.
- If you are refilling a consumable that we routinely use, go ahead and buy it, but it’s always a good idea to clear it with Adam. If you are buying something new that we have not used before, please always consult with me or Adam.
- Travel: if you have a PCard, you were given the right but also the duty to organize your travel. So most people are responsible for filling out their own TA and TER. Paloma or me will fill in the project number and sign. In special cases (no PCard, or complicated travel) Paloma will be happy to help with everything, but not on a regular basis.
Undergrads
- Maintain your updated schedule on Google Calendar.
- Spend the last 20 minutes of every week washing dishes and cleaning up.
Grad students
- This is the real structure of your appointment: 10% doing something good for the broader lab (website, mentoring, clean-up…); 10% doing something good for the Department (seminars, volunteering…we have to make sure the department likes us), and 80% working on your research.
- Strive for balance and productivity: figure out how you work best, and don’t forget to go out and play. When or where you work is up to you, but I expect on average at least 40 hours/week of active work, reading, writing, or thinking.
- Leave or travel is fine, but make up for it.
- A progress report every half year (usually a presentation).
- Application for some funding every year (not necessarily the first year).
- You will have your first manuscript written on the third year at the latest (I will help you with it).
- Master at least one of the following: a relational database software, a computer language, or some important statistical approach, ideally in R.
- Please give credits and co-authorships generously.
- Be a dues-paying member of at least one professional society.
- Keep extensive notes in lab notebook! It may seem like a waste of time initially, but it’s absolutely essential for troubleshooting.
Postdocs
- This is the real structure of your appointment: 10% working on your own stuff, 20% doing something good for the broader lab (particularly mentoring), and 70% working on your primary project. In reality though, postdocs should work with 150% commitment, and not because of me but because of the job market competition :).
- You will initiate writing your first manuscript in the first half year, and have it ready for submission at the end of the first year at the latest.
- You have the right to be the first author on all papers that you are mostly responsible for, I am the last author.
- Keep stellar lab records.
Jiri, the PI
- Will provide reference letters anytime upon request.
- Will work with you on your grant applications.
- Will grant co-authorship to everybody who contributed something without which a paper wouldn’t exist, and first authorship to whoever did the most work or wrote most of the paper. I will usually be the last author on papers generated in this lab.
- Will provide career advice and work advice anytime upon request.
- Will immediately inform about any funding and employment change for individual students.
- Will present a lab plan, including funding news, every half year.
Thank you!
Jiri
