is my lab saying i'm doing good just to trick me into doing cheap labor?

[bayer]

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kind of a cynical question...
the lab i'm working with says i'm doing good work, etc. even though i'm just doing random things (and often make mistakes) they want me to do 40 hrs/week this summer. are they trying to trick me into doing menial labor at minimum wage? 😛

 

[ClotBuster]

you gotta start somewhere, eventually when they see that you can be trusted I'm sure they'll ask to you to do more significant work.

 

[Pons Asinorum]

I don't know what the "trick" is here. Yes, they want you to continue to perform low-skill tasks for appropriate compensation this summer. You are doing good at what you have been doing. I think you're within your rights to talk to the PI or lab manager and see how you can grow into more important roles over the course of that time based on your past "good" performance, and what would be required to get your name anywhere on a paper for the research with which you help.

 

[bayer]

I don't know what the "trick" is here. Yes, they want you to continue to perform low-skill tasks for appropriate compensation this summer. You are doing good at what you have been doing. I think you're within your rights to talk to the PI or lab manager and see how you can grow into more important roles over the course of that time based on your past "good" performance, and what would be required to get your name anywhere on a paper for the research with which you help.

ok that makes sense. there's no trick i guess 🙂

 

[Member 331305]

Given that you often make mistakes and waste reagents, I'd bet it would be cheaper for the lab to fire you than keep you on. Your PI is certainly not using you as "cheap" labor. Training an undergrad is expensive and time-consuming, and if your mentor/PI praises your work and wants you to work longer hours despite screwing-up, then your PI sees some potential in you and sees you as an asset in the long run.

 

[Medstart108]

Sorry to hijack this thread but i have a similar question. I sent an email to my PI for this summer (i have been told i was hired and being paid but i haven't seen my PI since interview) asking about her research projects i can potentially assist with and I have had no response. In the past the PI is a quick responder. Is there any reason why she might not have responded?

Too busy?
Doesn't want to hire me anymore?
Doesn't care?
Actually doesn't have any research projects for me and wants me to just do data entry all summer?

 

[sinombre]

Sorry to hijack this thread but i have a similar question. I sent an email to my PI for this summer (i have been told i was hired and being paid but i haven't seen my PI since interview) asking about her research projects i can potentially assist with and I have had no response. In the past the PI is a quick responder. Is there any reason why she might not have responded?

Too busy?
Doesn't want to hire me anymore?
Doesn't care?
Actually doesn't have any research projects for me and wants me to just do data entry all summer?

I would assume the bolded unless you have reason to believe otherwise. Every PI I've ever worked with has been insanely busy.

 

[Planes2Doc]

Cheap labor sure beats volunteering in a lab. That's the worst, since it doesn't score you any altruism points, and you aren't getting paid either. Yikes!

 

[Pons Asinorum]

Sorry to hijack this thread but i have a similar question. I sent an email to my PI for this summer (i have been told i was hired and being paid but i haven't seen my PI since interview) asking about her research projects i can potentially assist with and I have had no response. In the past the PI is a quick responder. Is there any reason why she might not have responded?

Too busy?
Doesn't want to hire me anymore?
Doesn't care?
Actually doesn't have any research projects for me and wants me to just do data entry all summer?

As long as summer doesn't start in two weeks or less and you have an email or some other "official" communication saying you we're hired, don't sweat it. Your PI will periodically have things to do important enough to make ignoring the emails of every undergraduate on campus a necessity. They are out trying to secure the funding that will pay for that research; not a bad thing.

 

[bayer]

Given that you often make mistakes and waste reagents, I'd bet it would be cheaper for the lab to fire you than keep you on. Your PI is certainly not using you as "cheap" labor. Training an undergrad is expensive and time-consuming, and if your mentor/PI praises your work and wants you to work longer hours despite screwing-up, then your PI sees some potential in you and sees you as an asset in the long run.

yeah i am a little worried about this. if i decided not to continue during the summer the pi and supervisor would probably be mad as HELL since they spent a lot of time and money on me (the supervisor especially, she has told me like a million things)

 

[Member 331305]

yeah i am a little worried about this. if i decided not to continue during the summer the pi and supervisor would probably be mad as HELL since they spent a lot of time and money on me (the supervisor especially, she has told me like a million things)

I think your PI's reaction would depend on the terms you two agreed on before joining the lab. My lab had an undergrad that left the lab after a semester, but it was not a big deal since the guy had warned the PI before starting that he can't commit for longer than that. Our lab still treats the guy as one of our own.

On the other hand, we have had a couple undergrads pledge that that will stay for at least a year, but they bounce after the first semester. Our PI tore them to shreds and they were essentially blacklisted by the department :/

 

[TheShaker]

OP, it's a blessing to even get paid at all.

 

[MrChance2]

OP has a reasonable point.

You're likely doing a good job and they like having you around. They tried you out and like you and want you to work more. It is pretty straightforward. I had some very bright people from my premed class looking for months all over for lab work even as a volunteer so in a sense you are in a good spot. My friend did lab work time for 3 years after undergrad for 50K/yr before being accepted into a top PhD program. I came into a lab once a week for a year or so for 1.5x minimum wage. There is a range of compensation.

If you are uncomfortable with minimum wage I'd talk to your boss about it. Chances are they would rather have you as someone they like and is a good fit for a few bucks more and hour than go back and gamble with part time people that may or may not get the job done. They won't fault you for it, everyone understands it is difficult to get by on minimum wage with debt, etc.

 

[Aerus]

The fact that you are paid means you're fine. I would love to be paid for my 15-20 hours a week of research.