interacting with lab PI

[argonaute]

I've started working in a neuro lab at the end of this academic year (two or three weeks), and will continue working in the summer.

I've had trouble/uncertainties into how to interact with my PI. Obviously, I want my PI to like me/get to know me, but i have felt too awkward/intimidated to really strike up a conversation with or really get to know my PI or the other lab members. My work involves a lot of solitary time in front of a computer, and so it doesn't really lend to building social relationships.

Could anyone give me advice or share how they built relationships with their labs/PIs?

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[witness23]

my exposure to PIs usually depends on how much and how well I put out (data).


I do daily data analysis and multiple graphs from experiments from each day that I powerpoint up and email to my PI after work. Not only does this get the PI more involved, but it keeps pushing my project faster too.

 

[BlueElmo]

My interaction is solely with my graduate student mentor. My PI doesn't even greet me.

 

[biteMeAdCom]

Could anyone give me advice or share how they built relationships with their labs/PIs?

You build a relationship with a PI just like you'd build a relationship with any other person. It seems like you have an ulterior motive in wanting something that he can give you from him being in his position.

Just do your job conscientiously and engage enough to have good questions and comments. Be friendly and sincere.

Alternately, suck up like Dwight in The Office.

 

[orrghead16]

You build a relationship with a PI just like you'd build a relationship with any other person. It seems like you have an ulterior motive in wanting something that he can give you from him being in his position.

Just do your job conscientiously and engage enough to have good questions and comments. Be friendly and sincere.

Alternately, suck up like Dwight in The Office.

100% agree here. PIs are not aliens. Sure some are pretty strange and nerdy, but no more so than someone who spends all their free time on a premed bulletin board. In fact, they are probably more normal than us.

Learn how to shoot the breeze, it will take you far in life. If the PI doesn't greet you, greet his arse instead. Talk about something other than science. Ask the grad students if they want to head to happy hour on friday afternoon. Have fun in lab, but get stuff done. Don't be 100% "productive" with your time in lab, spend a little bit interacting & striking up conversations with your fellow lab members. Seriously, walk up to someone else in the lab on Friday afternoon and say "Man, this **** kind of sucks, TGIF." Dollars to Donuts they will agree, who doesn't want to get the hell out of lab on friday afternoon? Keep in mind that most graduate students are only a few years older than your and drifting around aimlessly in much the same boat of frustration--this is even, to an extent, true for most PIs. Trust me, it is much easier than most people think to find things in common.

I sincerely think you can only earn so much respect from a person by just working your tail off, pumping out data, accomplishing the unaccomplishable, earning stellar marks, etc. IMO, the rest (dare I say majority) comes from friendship & social interaction, something that many premeds inherently lack.

 

[nick_carraway]

my exposure to PIs usually depends on how much and how well I put out (data).


I do daily data analysis and multiple graphs from experiments from each day that I powerpoint up and email to my PI after work. Not only does this get the PI more involved, but it keeps pushing my project faster too.

Agreed. I started interacting with my PI MUCH more after I started sending data and he started giving me protocols back.

That and as another user pointed out, try to connect with him as a human being. Luckily my boss had Steelers memorabilia everywhere so that made it easy knowing what he liked 😉

 

[bigman225]

I have a great relationship with my PI. Part of this came from working with him both in multiple contexts--student of his, researcher, and discussion section leader/TA. If he teaches any classes, take those courses and ace them.

If your lab has group dinners or lunches those are very good opportunities. If your PI is the type of person that loves good conversation of any kind (mine is) things are a lot easier. Just don't force things if they feel awkward, because many PIs are introverted types who prefer to be left alone (this doesn't mean they don't like you).

Quality relationships are not going to be built in two or three weeks or even a single summer (unless you are going out boozing with the guy every night or something..).

 

[swineflu]

PIs are extremely busy so you have to take the intiative to approach your PI. I learned this the hard way: I used to just sneak in and sneak out (didn't even say hello to my PI) and thought that my PI hated me for some reason lol. But I realized that I had to take the initiative.

PIs won't greet you first; you gotta say hello first. You gotta send him/her your work (data/report/etc) as frequently as possible and tell him/her to review it and maybe go over it with you. Give her/him a thank-you card at the end of the semester. My PI always had time to go over my work and set me in the right direction. She even got me a cake for my birthday. She can be mean sometime...but she really cares about me. PIs are human beings, too. We have a good relationship now and she's giving me more responsibilities (and a raise) and I will be working in her lab for next two years.

Good luck.

 

[fishbait63]

Group events are often a good way to start as someone earlier mentioned lunches if he/she attends. The bulk of the labs i've been in before organize pinics/dinner if yours doesn't consider suggesting it.

As you progress into doing your project you might begin having weekly meetings for your project you can get to know them then too.