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Is Joining Two Labs Twice the Fun?

• by Dora Farkas on

Dear Dora,

I can see my rotation project expanding to a thesis project that would actually overlap with two labs in the department. Should I consider joining two labs jointly, or just setting up an official collaboration?

- Darren, grad student

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The Grad Student’s Holiday Party Survival Script

• by The Gloved Avenger on

What do the holidays mean to graduate students?  Time to take a well-deserved break from the lab.  Time to step back from the bench and take a hard look at their project.  Oh, and time to have the same, depressing conversation with family and friends who don’t really understand the process of grad school but feign interest once a year.

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Best. Cashews. Ever. (Is That Rosemary?)

• by Alan Marnett on

‘Tis the season of holiday parties and get-togethers. Therefore, ’tis also the season of figuring out what to bring or serve that is unique, inexpensive and easy but will make a great impression.  Luckily – unless you’re allergic – you’ve just found your dish.

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Am I Stuck With This Boring Project?

• by Dora Farkas on

Dear Dora,

I am currently a postdoctoral fellow working on ssr markers in mulberry.  The work is a bit monotonous, which is causing me to lose interest in the field. I love basic research and would like to transition to a more interesting project or field, do you have any advice for how to move forward?

- Mahadeva, postdoc

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How Long Should Grad School Take?

• by Alan Marnett on

How long does it really take to properly train a PhD student?  Two years seems short and 25 years seems on the long side, so the right answer must lie somewhere in between.

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How to Get the Most out of a Conference

• by Christine Buske on

Regardless of what your favorite model organism, pet-molecule, or area of study is, there are unspoken and universal ways to get the most out of a conference. Although I have always thought of myself as an intelligent person, it took me no less than five conferences to finally figure out a strategy or two that could help me get what I want.

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The Road More Hesitantly Traveled

• by Natalie Goldberg on

My perception of what the road to graduate school was supposed to be like was molded by three things: 1) my father’s experience earning his PhD, 2) the incessant cheerleading of high school teachers and counselors to pursue continued education, and 3) the professors who framed my liberal arts university experience.

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