Don’t Mislabel Me (Just My Bottles)
Dear Dora,
Is it wrong to intentionally mislabel buffer bottles to keep people from stealing them?
- WV, grad student
Flyceum: Your Science. Your Career.
We’re following in the tradition of open discussions among scientists that has resulted in important advances in both science and society.
The Seven Habits of a Highly Successful Scientist
It’s been over twenty years since Stephen Covey first published his best-selling self-help book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. That means it’s also been over twenty years that we’ve been pushing “reading it” to the bottom of our to-do list (“Let’s see, I could either set up another experiment or read some cheesy self-help book…”). But 15 million copies don’t sell themselves, so we figured it was time to take a look under the cover. In the interest of your to-do list (and wallet), we’ve adapted Covey’s principles to create The Seven Habits of a Highly Successful Scientist…
Dear Boss: Time to Trust Me (or Bust Me)
Dear Dora,
My PhD boss does not trust me at all and according to him I am a thief who is selling his lab work to others, but of course I am not doing that. He checks my results five times – keeping watch on me. It’s really bothering me…please help.
- Rohit, grad student
Escape Velocity: Non-Research Oriented Careers
My career path over the years has veered in directions I never would have guessed. As an undergraduate, majoring in chemistry, I thought that engineering sounded completely unappealing because of all the math involved. I also refused to take a single biology class because my mother taught high school biology, and it amused me that my dislike of biology irked her. (That totally counts as rebellion, right?)
Did You Want a Career in Academics? Oh, Sorry.
When pursuing research as a profession, it often seems our options distill down to two choices: 1) a career in academics, or 2) a career in anything else. While ‘anything else’ includes a tremendous number of exciting opportunities, it’s not unusual that researchers might feel a bias towards academics – especially early in their careers. After all, the academic environment is where most of us start out and as a result, our professional role models are likely academics.
Send Email Without the Worry: Training Your Autopilot
Work is filled with moments where our minds drift off on vacation, leaving the body carelessly going through the motions in autopilot mode. Nowhere are the consequences of a poorly-trained autopilot more damaging than in email. Mess up an experiment, you can repeat it. Send an angry email to your boss, you can start browsing the classifieds.
Having a Business Card Doesn’t Make You a Douchebag
The business card is a staple in most industries, but they are much less prevalent in science, particularly in the academic community. For many of us, the thought of handing out business cards congers up images of slimy douchebags at cheesy networking events. Yet, the reality is far from that fear. The business card is a powerful professional tool that deserves serious consideration among scientists. The douchebag, on the other hand, is a different kind of tool and should be avoided in the interest of career development…
An Essential Video Setting: Deinterlace
The “deinterlace video” setting is one of the easiest ways to improve video quality and it requires nothing more than a click of a button. Understanding how video is recorded and displayed provides a solid foundation for documenting your laboratory techniques as well as for looking cool when talking about high definition tvs…
Thanks for Making it to Our Meeting. Oh Wait, You Didn’t.
Here I sit, 5:48pm on a Tuesday. It’s exactly three hours and 48 minutes after I was supposed to have the weekly one-on-one meeting with my boss. What have I been doing for the last four hours? Let’s review.
My PI Tells More Stories than Mother Goose
Dear Dora,
My PI constantly tells potential collaborators that we’ve got results we actually don’t have, despite my frequent attempts at correcting him. I’m worried it’s going to backfire on us and make me look bad. What do you recommend?
- KA, postdoc
BenchFly Laboratory Techniques: Now on the Go!
Today our laboratory techniques join the ranks of the Whopper, the Tall Latte and the Burrito as items that can all be enjoyed on the go (hopefully without the heartburn…). As the Apple vs. Flash video war rages on, the real victims are often us – the innocent internet users – who find many of our favorite websites aren’t fully functional on our cell phones. And in an on-demand world, that’s just not acceptable.
Working for a Micromanager is a Macro Pain
Dear Dora,
My boss is a serious micromanger and it’s driving me crazy. Is there any way to get them to loosen the reigns, or am I stuck?
- Amy, grad student
How to Give a Good Talk
The ability to communicate effectively is one of the most important talents of a good scientist. Whether it’s standing in front of a poster, giving a ten minute talk at a meeting, or writing the next Citation Classic, scientists who connect with their audience create a better impression of themselves and their work than colleagues who don’t. The good news is that although there are examples of outstanding, naturally-gifted communicators (see Barack Obama) scientific communication is an acquired skill. The more you work at it, the better you’ll get.
The Lab Desktop: Looking Busy at Work (When You’re Not)
A lab desktop is probably the last thing most of us want to stare at during a long day at the bench. It’s also far nerdier than the gorgeous beachscape of picture from your last vacation that is currently filling the role. But if we told you that a lab desktop can make you look like you’re working hard, when the truth might suggest otherwise, it might not sound like such a bad idea afterall…
Changing Thesis Projects: Death Sentence or New Life?
Dear Dora,
When is it too late to change your thesis project?
- Casey, Graduate student
5 Laboratory Techniques That’ll Get You Punched in the Face
When first learning laboratory techniques, it’s important to start with the ones that will help you keep your front teeth. We’ve discussed some of the best ways to fit into a lab, but often the worst offenders don’t even realize what they’re doing wrong. So this is directed at the select few who are making life difficult for the rest of us. If it turns out you’re “accidentally” performing one of these, it might be better to knock it off before getting knocked out…
LabLibs: Let Chuck Norris Protect Your Bench
Hmm, on Friday we had six eppi tube racks and three pipetman. Then we took Monday off. Now we have one eppi rack and zero pipetman – that math doesn’t seem right. Looks like it’s time to call in the big guns…
Dear Dora: The Lab Budget’s in More Red than a Friday the 13th Movie
Dear Dora,
Our lab frequently operates in the red, but my PI says it’s normal. Are they telling the truth or should I be seriously concerned about my job security?
-Wes, grad student
If You Don’t Disaster-Proof Your Bench Now, You’ll Hate Yourself Later
I was recently in Nashville, TN when a storm of the century hit the area. What started out as a typical thunderstorm, escalated to a relentless pounding by thunder, wind and rain. After two days of flooding and landslides, many homes and businesses were destroyed and clean water was a luxury. The tragedy highlighted just how quickly things can go from sunny to scary and while we may have insurance on our homes, we surely don’t take out a policy on our bench. But that could be a big mistake…
Dear Dora: Is a Lab Holiday Party Too Much to Ask For?!
Dear Dora,
Is it too much to expect a holiday party from your PI- even if it’s just a lunch outing?
-TJ, graduate student
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