Welcome to the Rau Lab!

Start here if you are new to the lab.

We're glad you are here!

Welcome!

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.

Getting Started in the Lab

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 University Level

• Get an ONYEN account if you do not already have one

• Get ID cards if you do not already have one

• Get building access

• Do Safety Trainings (as needed, this will depend on your role in the lab)

  • EHS Training

  • Specialized EHS Training (we'll discuss which ones you'll need)

  • Lab Worker Registration

• Do Animal Trainings (as needed)

  • Animal Worker Registration

  • Animal Handler Training (we'll discuss what you'll need)

  • Get added to a protocol (Christoph does this)

  • DCM Vivarium Tour (Once everything else is ready)

At the Lab Level

At the level of the lab, you should do the following in your first few days:

• Set up your accounts on Slack and Github (if needed), and get connected to our google calendar.

• Ask for access to our shared storage solutions (Box, etc)

• Download the Slack App and log in

• Add a display name (first names are good, so something like @Christoph), a photo and any other information (email, role in lab, etc)

• Help us create a short bio for you and post it to the lab website

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.

• Read the following sections: Expectations for Everyone, Expectations for your role, Expectations for the PI, Our Code of Conduct, and 1-on-1 Meeting Expectations. Please ask for clarification about anything you do not understand. We want to make sure we are all on the same page!

• Read (at least) the 'important' papers in the Resources section

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!