Discussing a PI's financial status

[uniqenam]

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Is this taboo during interviews? My mentor is not very well funded right now (as in barely getting by), and I want to delicately have a way to mention this during interviews...as I feel it was a slight hindrance to my research. I'm not sure how to say that without coming off arrogant, and I know that almost all scientists say "if I only had X more dollars", but I think it bears mentioning; there were numerous experiments that we both agreed were "gold standard" (for the field) experiments that we didn't have the cash to do that could have greatly improved my project. Or should I just leave this be?

 

[solitude]

Is this taboo during interviews? My mentor is not very well funded right now (as in barely getting by), and I want to delicately have a way to mention this during interviews...as I feel it was a major hindrance to my research. I'm not sure how to say that without coming off arrogant, and I know that almost all scientists say "if I only had X more dollars", but I think it bears mentioning; there were numerous experiments that we both agreed were "gold standard" (for the field) experiments that we didn't have the cash to do that could have greatly improved my project. Or should I just leave this be?

I think this is taboo. You can get away with it but there is a decent chance of offending the PI, which isn't what you want to do when interviewing. If you're interviewing for postdoc or a residency research position, it's a different story. But to get into MSTP, IMO it's a bad idea.

There are better ways to get at this. Try the NIH Report (report.nih.gov) for NIH grants. If they don't have an R01 or two, unless there are extenuating circumstances (HHMI or some other humongous philanthropic grant), be wary. You can also ask around the lab, although lab members don't always spill the beans. Finally, there is one sure way to get a sense of whether funding is tight: if the lab is small. Most PIs will continue to expand their lab until they get to around 10. At that point, some will want to get bigger and others will be content to leave it around 10. If lab size is a handful or less, it probably means that the PI can't get funding for expansion.

 

[alamo4]

It's totally reasonable to ask about funding, both current and future. Don't be rude about it, but you can ask about what projects are funded and how, along with what new project funding is being sought. It is good just to know from the perspective of what direction the lab is going.

 

[alamo4]

If you want to go into research, it helps to start thinking like a PI. It's also to see how well you can talk to a prospective boss about such topics.

Also, if you can help in getting a grant proposal together, especially one that gets funded, you are in good shape. It's good to think about the future.

 

[uniqenam]

Sorry guys; I meant my undergraduate PI is/has been very low on funds...and I felt that that may have hindered my progress...not potential faculty at an MSTP.

 

[nysw]

Is this taboo during interviews? My mentor is not very well funded right now (as in barely getting by), and I want to delicately have a way to mention this during interviews...as I feel it was a major hindrance to my research. I'm not sure how to say that without coming off arrogant, and I know that almost all scientists say "if I only had X more dollars", but I think it bears mentioning; there were numerous experiments that we both agreed were "gold standard" (for the field) experiments that we didn't have the cash to do that could have greatly improved my project. Or should I just leave this be?

I wouldn't mention your current PI's lack of funding. When you talk about your experience in interviews and you're asked to summarize your research, it might be best to say, 'we plan on doing this and this to investigate this question further', and just leave it at that. That way, you can show how good you are at planning experiments/thinking like a scientist without rubbing someone the wrong way.

 

[QofQuimica]

I agree with solitude that finding out about the funding situation indirectly and discreetly is better than asking outright. One thing to look at is what kind of support the current grad students have. If they're all full time RAs, that's a good sign. But if they're all TAing three or four lab sections a semester, that's probably a lab you'll want to avoid. I also agree that looking at lab size can be helpful, as can looking at the lab makeup. A lab with several post docs and/or staff scientists is probably well funded, since the PI has to come up with funding for them. A lab with a large percentage of the workers being UG volunteers is not likely to be a good choice.

 

[sakata8242]

If this is an interview with a potential thesis mentor, then yes, asking about funding is reasonable, and I wouldn't join a lab whose PI won't discuss his/her funding or is on shaky ground. However, you can do your own research in the meantime. Look up your PI and see if they have R01s or other NIH funding. Talk to grad students in the program/department. Talk to your MSTP director. He/she has good reason to make sure you finish your PhD in a reasonable amount of time, so most have an unofficial black or grey list of faculty they'd steer fellows away from for various reasons.

 

[Caristra]

To answer your question - what to say about your current boss's funding, I would not come out and say this without being prodded. If you bring up this fact it will just sound like you are unhappy with your results and looking to make excuses for your failings. Plus you look like you are badmouthing your PI and whining. However if an interviewer aks "why didn't you do this or this" then you can reply "we would love to do that but we did not have the funding or resources to do so right now. This has been a major for us".

They may ask what you think are the next steps for your project or what could improve it. Go ahead and list the experiments you would have wished to do. Again if they ask why you did not do them then it is OK to mention lack of funds.

 

[uniqenam]

To answer your question - what to say about your current boss's funding, I would not come out and say this without being prodded. If you bring up this fact it will just sound like you are unhappy with your results and looking to make excuses for your failings. Plus you look like you are badmouthing your PI and whining. However if an interviewer aks "why didn't you do this or this" then you can reply "we would love to do that but we did not have the funding or resources to do so right now. This has been a major for us".

They may ask what you think are the next steps for your project or what could improve it. Go ahead and list the experiments you would have wished to do. Again if they ask why you did not do them then it is OK to mention lack of funds.

OK, thanks. I really like my current PI, and I would never want to sound like I'm bad mouthing him; he's done a lot to help my career. I just wanted to know how to handle it if they (like you said) started asking "why didn't you do that". I guess even me saying "a major hindrance" was not correct, probably more like "a minor annoyance". Thanks for your advice everyone!