shenjean

Landscape of Interacting Microbes - Lab Manual

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Vision & Mission

The microbial ecology lab believes that everyone can be a scientist, and that there are various ways to be successful in science (academia and non-academia). While I don’t have the answers to all problems in science, my greatest satisfaction from teaching and mentoring is from knowing that I have piqued my students’ curiosity and interest in science, and that I have empowered them to seek the answers they need. The lab welcomes scientists and students who are creative and motivated problem-solvers passionate about answering questions related to microbial ecology and OneHealth.

Lab Values

💪 Research integrity

💬 Honesty and transparency

✔️ Reponsibility and accountability

🧹 Cleanliness and tidiness

🔥 Failures and mistakes are part of the learning process

😃 Comparison is the thief of joy

🤝 Teamwork makes the dream work

Code of Conduct

These are inspired and modified from the Breitbart’s Lab Mission & Code of Conduct and MICO Lab @ USF’s Lab Manual

🧪 Safety is paramount. Follow all lab and field safety protocols and maintain updated training. If you are unsure of safety protocols, e.g. where to store chemicals/reagents, how to dispose of waste, please ask. Also, if you see something, say something.

🧹 Keep the lab clean and tidy. This ensures lab safety, minimizes contamination, and ensures that everyone knows where everything is. Wipe down surfaces and equipment with 70% EtOH after use, clean up spills right away, don’t leave dishes in the sink, put everything back to where they belong, keep benches clear, label everything.

📓 Keep detailed notes. Write down everything in detail in your lab notebook and do not falsify data/information. This will help in troubleshooting, writing the materials and methods for your manuscript, and most importantly, this ensures the reproducibility of your experiments. All lab notebooks are property of the lab and should remain in the lab after you graduate/leave.

😸 Working hours. No one is expected to work or respond to email messages outside of normal office hours (9-5 PM). If you prefer to set different working hours, please discuss this with me so that the appropriate precautions/arrangements can be made. Having said that, deadlines are important. When exceptions to this rule arise (e.g., field work, long experiments, or immediate deadlines), we will discuss safety precautions (such as the buddy system) and arranging time off to compensate for extra hours worked. Outside of in-person lab tasks, you can get your work done when and where makes you most productive and happiest.

😷 Stay healthy physically and mentally. If you’re sick, stay home and take care of yourself. Because you need it, and also because others don’t need to get sick. Plan your research, experiments, and writing in advance to prevent burnout. Set up a peer support system and a sustainable work-life balance. Find hobbies outside of research. Please talk to me if you have any concerns. I will try my best to help or point you to the right resources.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Everyone is unique. Treat everyone in the lab with respect and learn from everyone. Support each other inside and outside of the lab - a little help goes a long way. Provide constructive feedback to help each other improve. Celebrate each other’s successes. Everyone’s journey is different - do not compare yourself with others. Just because you can’t see someone’s struggles doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Please talk to me if you encounter or observe any inter-perrsonal conflicts in the lab.

🔥 Normalize failures. Failures and mistakes do happen, and they can be a great learning experience. No one should feel ashamed for making a mistake. I would appreciate open and honest communication of failures/mistakes with me/the lab so that we can find ways to address and prevent them. Covering up failures/mistakes almost always leads to bigger problems in future.

🫵 This is all about you. Whether this is an internship, PhD, or a postdoc, this is your personal research journey. You will experience obstacles that you will have to overcome, and also find joy in your achievements. This journey can be tumoltuous and be overwhelming and rewarding at the same time. Take time to reflect on your goals, progress, achievements and priorities and discuss these with me as they evolve, so we can find ways to help you achieve your goals.