For the PI

What you should expect of me:

• I will set the overall trajectory of the lab and provide the means to pursue those goals. I will help you to find a research topic, write grants to fund the research, and seek out collaborators to further our work and your opportunities.

• I will have high expectations of you. I expect that you have come to the lab to learn/perform good science and will push you to grow into a better scientist than you were when you arrived. We all come to the lab with unique skills, talents, ideas, and backgrounds: what binds us all together is a love of science and a desire to grow our skills while pushing scientific knowledge forward.

Come to me and ask for help!

Oftentimes people starting out in the lab are worried that they are going to ask the 'wrong' question or that they will reveal some horrible gap in knowledge or problem solving. But asking questions is, quite literally, what we're here to do, and I don't want any of us - myself included - to find ourselves stuck because we don't want to ask for help. Ask anyone in the lab - I love helping people troubleshoot protocols, find bugs in code, talk about the math or chemistry or theory behind an approach, or discuss better ways to construct a poster, presentation, or manuscript. Just come knock on my door and lets talk!

You are in charge of your development! Be thoughtful about how you want to grow, when you want to learn new skills and what resources are available in the lab, department, university and online to help you. Sometimes this growth will be easy. Sometimes it will be challenging and hard-earned. It will always be worth it.

• I will be available for regular meetings and informal conversations. My schedule may require us to plan ahead for meetings, but if my door is open, that is an open invitation to come in and talk about your work.

• I will provide timely feedback on your ideas, posters, talks, manuscripts, grants and data.

• I am committed to mentoring you now and in the future. The success of my trainees and lab members is incredibly important to me. I am committed to your education and training while in my lab, and to advising you and guiding your career development. I will introduce you to others in the field, promote and acknowledge your hard work at talks, and write letters of recommendation for you. I will help you prepare for the next step in your career, whether that is inside or outside of academia

• I will encourage you to attend scientific/professional meetings. I cannot guarantee that I will be able to pay for all requests, but expect to attend at least one major conference per year once you have material to present. Obviously, securing outside funding (in the form of a fellowship or travel award) will make it easier for you to attend additional meetings. I will help you optimize your presentation skills at these meetings.

• I will do my best to be supportive, equitable, accessible, encouraging, and respectful. I am mindful that each of us comes from a different background and has their own set of responsibilities outside of the lab. Whatever they are: family obligations, illness, disability, etc, I will work with you to create a mentoring plan and work routine that works for you.