h a l f b a k e r yIt might be better to just get another gerbil.
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From my experiences in the world of science/research and
mentorship,
potential grad students talk to current students to determine
what lab
they want to be in. Besides the research, a huge component of
science
education is the level of mentorship, lab environment and
support you'll
get
from a specific lab. Again, much of this information is
understood
from potentials talking to current students in that lab.
As such, I propose a simple website that allows potential
students
(post-doc or grad) to see thoughts, concerns, complaints etc.
from
current lab members for any lab. In addition, potentials can ask
questions, chat etc. with current members of the lab.
Hopefully, this
should make the process of choosing a laboratory more
transparent.
Anonymous commenting.
[link]
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personality and temperament as well as the desire for a particular kind of work environment are the most important factors in the quality of a scientific position. Every time I have heard a person complain about the conditions in a postdoctoral or bench position it always sounded like the perfect position for someone else I knew. |
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"my supervisor is a Nazi" : "my supervisor is never around and totally hands off" |
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"lab's a total mess" : "insane neatfreak |
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"grad students always playing heavy metal" : "won't let me listen to music" |
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"high stress" : "totally unpredictable" |
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"have to herd the underlings all day long" : "idiot undergrads wander the lab 24/7" |
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All other complaints were generally of the "I'm inept and want to blame the lab" category. Working under a grant, or in a research lab, is generally a position of personal responsibility, you interviewed, toured and asked questions about your position, quit your bitching about the lack of a dishwasher (oh, you didn't notice the lab was underfunded or read the grant? Pity.) and get back to scrubbing Igor. You do your time as a peon, get very little credit, publish or perish, work your way to a professorship, waste the best years of your life back in the classroom, get tenure, and then you die. |
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The site should also allow commentary from previous lab members. Commentary can then be categorized by status of commenter: bitter and underemployed ex-lab member, apprehensive toadying current lab member, um, well those 2 should suffice. Perhaps a third category for people who have never been in the lab but dated someone who did some work there one summer. |
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Comments can be anonymous but commenters can be named in followup comments by outraged PIs who want to point out that the commenter might have been more successful if he had kept normal hours, washed occasionally and limited his nitrous oxide abuse. |
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Well then you have the anonymous source making unsupported allegations problem. Or you have the "FIVE STARS BEST LAB IN THE WORLD, FOOD WAS GREAT AND SERVICE WAS QUICK AND FRIENDLY, PRICES VERY REASONABLE" online review fakery. |
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I would love it if the people in my lab could comment in this
way - I always worry that I'm not a very good boss. However,
I don't see any easy of way of doing it anonymously (which it
would have to be; if they wanted to say something
onymously, they'd have already said it to my face). |
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Also, if there were an anonymous comment, it would
probably not explain the problem in full or give me a chance
to understand it properly. |
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yes, past lab members would be invaluable as well. |
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Maybe you could block the PI from joining? I mean, I know that's not helping the lab per se, but the goal of the site is to allow an unabashed look at the lab from its members without the fear of the PI finding out. This blocking could be done by (1)instituting a necessary .edu email for sign up (2) lab members can then block the PI's email address. Is that too harsh? |
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BUCHANAN LAB BEST LAB IN THE WORLD, FOOD WAS GREAT AND SERVICE WAS QUICK AND FRIENDLY, PI VERY CUTE, FIVE STARS!!!!! NO, SIX!!!! |
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/(2) lab members can then block the PI's email address./
Hey Max! Look at this I found about you on the HowsThatLab website. "Very cute!" You must have changed your cologne. Be careful with those undergrads! I hope the nanites project is coming along. Give me a call next time you're in Fresno.
- bung. |
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are we the only bakers into science! an abomination!!! |
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Is there anyway around the PI finding out? |
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//to determine what lab they want to be in// |
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9 out of 10 students said they didn't care, so long as they got their £50. I'll get my lab coat. |
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