Welcome to the Rau Lab!
Start here if you are new to the lab.
Last updated
Start here if you are new to the lab.
Last updated
This is the lab handbook for the Rau lab at UNC-Chapel Hill. If you are joining the lab or thinking about joining us, Welcome! (if you are just browsing, Welcome to you too! 😄) The goal of this lab handbook is to help us all get on the same page about lab expectations and culture to allow us to more easily achieve our shared goals: doing great science, enjoying working in a space that feels safe, collegial, and comfortable, developing scientific skills (from the bench to the computer to writing and presenting), meeting new colleagues, and preparing you for wherever your career takes you next.
This lab handbook was inspired by many others and sections borrow heavily from them (especially the Lowe-Power lab and the Music Lab). It is a continual work in progress, and if you have ideas or suggestions on sections to add or things that could be clarified or improved, please let me (Christoph) know.
This lab handbook is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - NonCommercial 4.0 International License. If you’re a PI or a trainee in a different lab and want to write your own lab handbook, feel free to take inspiration/sections from this one (and cite us!).
This Handbook contains useful information for the lab! Some parts of this handbook contain things you might only need once, like how to set up accounts at UNC. Others you might reference infrequently, such as authorship policies. Some you might reference all the time.
Slack and Email are the primary means by which we communicate with one another. There's more information in the Communication section.
Slack is useful! You may not be familiar with Slack, but as a Searchable Log of All Communication and Knowledge, it is an excellent place to discuss research and keep track of decisions. Communication can be faster and more direct than via email.
This section contains onboarding checklists for new members as well as important reference materials to read and other critical information for your first few days. Please check in with someone more familiar with the lab if you need help at any point.
At the level of the lab, you should do the following in your first few days:
Next up is some reading! Eventually, you should read the entirety of this handbook, but there are certain sections that are more relevant right now than others.
When you are done with the reading, the last step is to get familiar with the projects we are working on in lab. It is expected that you will be collaborative and collegial with your lab mates. Knowing what they are working on and how you might be able to help them is key to our success!
We are excited to have you join us!