Hello all,
As the summer research internship season kicks off (if it hasn't already at your institutions), I thought I would spend some time giving some pointers on basic etiquette for students, focusing on some of the more frequent questions I've encountered on here from past years' programs. I hope it'll answer some of the most commonly asked questions about these experiences as well as cover basic etiquette. I probably won't cover every little thing but I'll add to it as I think of it. Since I'm in the basic sciences, this will mainly be pertinent to REUs, etc. in the basic sciences, as I don't have much experience with clinical research.
Dress Code: You can't go wrong with business casual. Don't be that guy who shows up in a suit but also don't be the guy who comes in a tank-top and shorts. Look put together and professional. First impressions matter. After that first day, you can adjust your clothing style according to what is the norm in your lab, unless you are told specifically to dress a certain way. Depending on the lab culture, you might be showing up in a nice t-shirt and nice jeans or you might have to wear business casual every day. But some staples are closed-toe shoes and long pants (some of you might work in labs that don't deal with dangerous chemicals and so the requirements might be more lax - but it's always better safe than sorry!) and hair ties for women. You don't want whatever you're working with getting on those toes or in your hair. If you're working with dangerous chemicals, always ask for and wear a lab coat. Each institution has some sort of department that deals with lab safety and it is universally recommended that lab coats be worn because you don't want to contaminate your clothing and go home with it all dirty.
Safety: You should also take note of where to dispose of hazardous waste and what areas are "clean" and what areas aren't. For example, you shouldn't be wearing gloves into an office area where people eat. You also shouldn't carry hazardous materials in there. You should generally leave your lab coat in the lab and not wear it around in "clean" areas (I know, it gets all the ladies, but it's a necessary sacrifice). As another example, you shouldn't be dumping organic chemicals down the sink. Each lab has safety protocols - take note of them and follow them. Safety is always the most important in a lab.
The most important safety tip is probably this: if you don't know something, don't be afraid to ask. We'd much rather you ask us where to put something than you dump something where it's not supposed to go and cause an explosion. Or mess up a multi-million dollar machine. Because if you accidentally break a machine that you didn't know how to use, now that machine has to be taken down for repairs and it's out of service for everybody in the lab.
Expectations: For the first few days/week(s), you'll be expected to learn the lab techniques. Most likely, you will be paired with a graduate student or post-doc mentor who will show you the ropes. You might be shown how to do a technique and then asked to reproduce a former result from the lab using that technique. This is just to show your mentor that you are able to carry out the procedure safely and effectively. I know some things might seem dull and repetitive - especially if you've worked in similar labs before - but we would much rather spend some time going over things you already know than set you loose in the lab unprepared and have to deal with a major accident later on. We really do care for your safety (if only because you're our responsibility if anything happens
). I know some of you are rarin' to go, but just remember, you have to learn to walk before you can run.
You'll also be expected to start learning about what kind of research the lab does and the context/background of that research. The best way to learn about it would be to read the recent literature published from that lab, as well as the seminal works in the field that the lab is in. The recent papers from the lab will reference those seminal works frequently or point you to review articles where the current state of the field is nicely summarized for you with nice schemes and diagrams. Oftentimes, you'll be asked to read these papers in your own time - they're really for your own benefit. You get as much out of the experience as you put in. In fact, you can start reading even before you get to your first day and impress your future mentors with your knowledge of their work!
Publications/Posters/Presentations: Now, I know this one is what you guys are most interested in. Some of my colleagues on here might have differing opinions on this, but mine is that you do not walk into a lab on the first day, knowing nothing or next to nothing about the field, and expect to be published in the three months you are there. Even a seasoned expert in the field will have difficulty cranking out a paper in three months. Maybe this happens frequently in more clinical fields or data-driven fields where the data is already collected or very easy to collect, but this doesn't happen in my field nor in the closely allied fields. A project from start to finish can take anywhere between 6-9 months to years. The more impactful projects will usually take longer because they're harder to design, require difficult-to-create models, and/or go through a lengthy review process to make sure every aspect is scientifically valid and sound. Before a project even takes off, there has to be a lot of preliminary work done to make sure it's worth the time and resource investment and a lot of reading the literature to see if the basis for the project is really there.
The way I see it, you're there to learn how research is conducted in a professional setting. That should be your expectation - that when you leave, you'll understand how a lab in that field operates and you'll know how to perform many of the lab techniques used in that field. You'll likely also know how to put together a poster presentation for an undergraduate symposium held at the culmination of the program. So in short, you'll learn how scientists design hypotheses, set up experiments, collect data, analyze data, and present that data to other scientists.
Now, in order to make your projects achievable within the very short time you are there, we usually give you small parts of our own projects or small independent projects. These might eventually make it onto a publication or presentation and if they do, you deserve credit for it. But understand that you're not coming out of this with a first-author publication unless you're extremely lucky. Usually, that only happens when the undergraduate comes on at a time when the project is mainly done but there are several follow-up experiments to be done and the undergrad gets those projects. Then he or she is added onto the author list.
In sum, I'm not saying that you can't be published at the end of a summer - I'm saying that it's unlikely and that you should not come in with those expectations - and certainly not demand it (I've seen everything).
Attitude: This one should go without saying, but I've seen too many examples of bad behavior that I have to mention it. I get it, most of you are pre-meds. Your goal is medical school, not graduate school. It doesn't matter if you can perform an in-depth IR analysis of a complex inorganic molybdenum complex - you'll never need to use it again. But remember - you're there to learn science, not medicine. We are welcoming you into our labs to get a glimpse into what scientific research is all about. You applied for this and likely wrote an essay about why you are interested in research. In most cases, you're being paid to be there. The least you could do is pretend to be engaged in the material. I've seen people leaving and going home when their experiment doesn't work without trying to figure out what's wrong. I've seen people demand to be put on different projects because they think theirs is too trivial. The worst insult you could give your mentor is not giving a damn about your project because whether it works or not doesn't really affect your future - you're there for three months and then you're out. But it matters to us. We designed the experiments and we want them to work because that's our job.
This shouldn't be misconstrued to mean that you should be grateful just to be there. No, as mentors, we also owe you a responsibility to teach you how to conduct scientific research in a safe and effective manner. It's a two-way street and all I'm asking is for you to hold up your end.
Hours: It's true that working hours can vary a lot between labs. In some labs like mine, you can design experiments around your schedule and leave at a reasonable time. In other labs, you might have to come in on a weekend to maintain your cells. It varies and there is a thin line between being reasonable and being excessive. By reasonable, I mean you might have to put in a little extra work so that your experiments work out. Maybe work an hour or two late a couple of nights. By excessive, I mean you're at the point where your mentor has pawned off his or her cell cultures onto you to maintain and skipped town. The former is just how research works whereas the latter is borderline abuse. Learn to recognize the difference.
In terms of a daily schedule, it also varies by lab. Take your cue from other lab members. Some labs might mainly operate from 10am to 7pm. Other labs might work from 8am to 5pm. Still others might work around the clock, with various lab members working at different times. It depends and your best resource for this is your mentor. Ask him or her what times you should be in by. Most likely, you'll get there around the time he or she gets there so you can maximize your time. Just don't be that guy who shows up at noon and leaves at 5pm. It also goes without saying that requesting you to come in at midnight and leave at 8am is also unreasonable.
Well, that's about all I can think of for now but I'll add more when I think of them. Hope this helps! As always feel free to post below or PM me with additional comments or questions.
As the summer research internship season kicks off (if it hasn't already at your institutions), I thought I would spend some time giving some pointers on basic etiquette for students, focusing on some of the more frequent questions I've encountered on here from past years' programs. I hope it'll answer some of the most commonly asked questions about these experiences as well as cover basic etiquette. I probably won't cover every little thing but I'll add to it as I think of it. Since I'm in the basic sciences, this will mainly be pertinent to REUs, etc. in the basic sciences, as I don't have much experience with clinical research.
Dress Code: You can't go wrong with business casual. Don't be that guy who shows up in a suit but also don't be the guy who comes in a tank-top and shorts. Look put together and professional. First impressions matter. After that first day, you can adjust your clothing style according to what is the norm in your lab, unless you are told specifically to dress a certain way. Depending on the lab culture, you might be showing up in a nice t-shirt and nice jeans or you might have to wear business casual every day. But some staples are closed-toe shoes and long pants (some of you might work in labs that don't deal with dangerous chemicals and so the requirements might be more lax - but it's always better safe than sorry!) and hair ties for women. You don't want whatever you're working with getting on those toes or in your hair. If you're working with dangerous chemicals, always ask for and wear a lab coat. Each institution has some sort of department that deals with lab safety and it is universally recommended that lab coats be worn because you don't want to contaminate your clothing and go home with it all dirty.
Safety: You should also take note of where to dispose of hazardous waste and what areas are "clean" and what areas aren't. For example, you shouldn't be wearing gloves into an office area where people eat. You also shouldn't carry hazardous materials in there. You should generally leave your lab coat in the lab and not wear it around in "clean" areas (I know, it gets all the ladies, but it's a necessary sacrifice). As another example, you shouldn't be dumping organic chemicals down the sink. Each lab has safety protocols - take note of them and follow them. Safety is always the most important in a lab.
The most important safety tip is probably this: if you don't know something, don't be afraid to ask. We'd much rather you ask us where to put something than you dump something where it's not supposed to go and cause an explosion. Or mess up a multi-million dollar machine. Because if you accidentally break a machine that you didn't know how to use, now that machine has to be taken down for repairs and it's out of service for everybody in the lab.
Expectations: For the first few days/week(s), you'll be expected to learn the lab techniques. Most likely, you will be paired with a graduate student or post-doc mentor who will show you the ropes. You might be shown how to do a technique and then asked to reproduce a former result from the lab using that technique. This is just to show your mentor that you are able to carry out the procedure safely and effectively. I know some things might seem dull and repetitive - especially if you've worked in similar labs before - but we would much rather spend some time going over things you already know than set you loose in the lab unprepared and have to deal with a major accident later on. We really do care for your safety (if only because you're our responsibility if anything happens
). I know some of you are rarin' to go, but just remember, you have to learn to walk before you can run.You'll also be expected to start learning about what kind of research the lab does and the context/background of that research. The best way to learn about it would be to read the recent literature published from that lab, as well as the seminal works in the field that the lab is in. The recent papers from the lab will reference those seminal works frequently or point you to review articles where the current state of the field is nicely summarized for you with nice schemes and diagrams. Oftentimes, you'll be asked to read these papers in your own time - they're really for your own benefit. You get as much out of the experience as you put in. In fact, you can start reading even before you get to your first day and impress your future mentors with your knowledge of their work!
Publications/Posters/Presentations: Now, I know this one is what you guys are most interested in. Some of my colleagues on here might have differing opinions on this, but mine is that you do not walk into a lab on the first day, knowing nothing or next to nothing about the field, and expect to be published in the three months you are there. Even a seasoned expert in the field will have difficulty cranking out a paper in three months. Maybe this happens frequently in more clinical fields or data-driven fields where the data is already collected or very easy to collect, but this doesn't happen in my field nor in the closely allied fields. A project from start to finish can take anywhere between 6-9 months to years. The more impactful projects will usually take longer because they're harder to design, require difficult-to-create models, and/or go through a lengthy review process to make sure every aspect is scientifically valid and sound. Before a project even takes off, there has to be a lot of preliminary work done to make sure it's worth the time and resource investment and a lot of reading the literature to see if the basis for the project is really there.
The way I see it, you're there to learn how research is conducted in a professional setting. That should be your expectation - that when you leave, you'll understand how a lab in that field operates and you'll know how to perform many of the lab techniques used in that field. You'll likely also know how to put together a poster presentation for an undergraduate symposium held at the culmination of the program. So in short, you'll learn how scientists design hypotheses, set up experiments, collect data, analyze data, and present that data to other scientists.
Now, in order to make your projects achievable within the very short time you are there, we usually give you small parts of our own projects or small independent projects. These might eventually make it onto a publication or presentation and if they do, you deserve credit for it. But understand that you're not coming out of this with a first-author publication unless you're extremely lucky. Usually, that only happens when the undergraduate comes on at a time when the project is mainly done but there are several follow-up experiments to be done and the undergrad gets those projects. Then he or she is added onto the author list.
In sum, I'm not saying that you can't be published at the end of a summer - I'm saying that it's unlikely and that you should not come in with those expectations - and certainly not demand it (I've seen everything).
Attitude: This one should go without saying, but I've seen too many examples of bad behavior that I have to mention it. I get it, most of you are pre-meds. Your goal is medical school, not graduate school. It doesn't matter if you can perform an in-depth IR analysis of a complex inorganic molybdenum complex - you'll never need to use it again. But remember - you're there to learn science, not medicine. We are welcoming you into our labs to get a glimpse into what scientific research is all about. You applied for this and likely wrote an essay about why you are interested in research. In most cases, you're being paid to be there. The least you could do is pretend to be engaged in the material. I've seen people leaving and going home when their experiment doesn't work without trying to figure out what's wrong. I've seen people demand to be put on different projects because they think theirs is too trivial. The worst insult you could give your mentor is not giving a damn about your project because whether it works or not doesn't really affect your future - you're there for three months and then you're out. But it matters to us. We designed the experiments and we want them to work because that's our job.
This shouldn't be misconstrued to mean that you should be grateful just to be there. No, as mentors, we also owe you a responsibility to teach you how to conduct scientific research in a safe and effective manner. It's a two-way street and all I'm asking is for you to hold up your end.
Hours: It's true that working hours can vary a lot between labs. In some labs like mine, you can design experiments around your schedule and leave at a reasonable time. In other labs, you might have to come in on a weekend to maintain your cells. It varies and there is a thin line between being reasonable and being excessive. By reasonable, I mean you might have to put in a little extra work so that your experiments work out. Maybe work an hour or two late a couple of nights. By excessive, I mean you're at the point where your mentor has pawned off his or her cell cultures onto you to maintain and skipped town. The former is just how research works whereas the latter is borderline abuse. Learn to recognize the difference.
In terms of a daily schedule, it also varies by lab. Take your cue from other lab members. Some labs might mainly operate from 10am to 7pm. Other labs might work from 8am to 5pm. Still others might work around the clock, with various lab members working at different times. It depends and your best resource for this is your mentor. Ask him or her what times you should be in by. Most likely, you'll get there around the time he or she gets there so you can maximize your time. Just don't be that guy who shows up at noon and leaves at 5pm. It also goes without saying that requesting you to come in at midnight and leave at 8am is also unreasonable.
Well, that's about all I can think of for now but I'll add more when I think of them. Hope this helps! As always feel free to post below or PM me with additional comments or questions.
