Roles & Expectations - patrick-shamberger/PHATE_Lab_Handbook GitHub Wiki

Our group consists of UG Students, Graduate Students (MS/PhD), Early Career Researchers (ECRs) and Principal Investigators (PIs). Here, we describe the responsibilities of each role, challenges they may face, what you can expect from them, and in return what they can expect from you.

Principal Investigators (PIs)

Who do we mean? Senior academics leading research groups, often with a faculty title.

Day-to-day: Research is a core component of any PI’s job. Most senior PIs engage in research projects via supervision and collaboration, typically directing multiple projects in parallel. In addition, PIs shoulder numerous responsibilities that are not directly research related, including committees, group logistics, leadership in large-scale initiatives, and teaching. PIs must often switch their work context from hour to hour and regularly spend entire workdays in meetings on disparate topics.

Support for PIs: Students and ECRs can help PIs by reliably completing tasks they have agreed to handle. It is helpful to learn to distinguish which decisions need PI input, and which can be acted on independently. Flexibility in scheduling can be a great help for a PI who has multiple demands on their time. Finally, it is helpful to understand how PIs communicate to help foster an effective working relationship.

Expectations of PIs: Students and ECRs can expect PIs to provide support and clear communication of expectations. PIs should play an active role in the research being undertaken, whilst offering guidance and mentorship on a broad range of research and career topics. PIs should advocate for more junior researchers, often acting as a “sponsor” to identify opportunities for career advancement. Students and ECRs can expect their PI to make time for regular supervision meetings. PIs should support group members during career transitions, including to other institutions or outside academia.

Challenges: PIs find themselves managing conflicts at short notice, and handling delicate situations that may impact many people. Busy PIs will regularly receive >100 emails per day and send nearly as many. As a result, short emails are easier to respond to, and terse responses from PIs are more likely to reflect efficiency than criticism. Whilst delays and mistakes can be interpreted as carelessness, they are often simply a consequence of navigating everything that requires attention. Nevertheless, PIs should remain open to feedback that their challenging workload is leading to problems for group members and be open to discussions around improving group management.

Early Career Researchers (ECRs)

Who do we mean? Postdoctoral researchers and research scientists / research engineers.

Day-to-day: The ECR stage is marked by a transition to increasing independence. ECRs spend the majority of time on their own research, whilst also collaborating on a broader range of projects. ECRs often have several further responsibilities, including sitting on committees, student supervision, and teaching. ECRs may also be asked to stand in for PIs when required, and help with or lead grant applications.

Support for ECRs: ECRs can expect senior group members to dedicate time to their career development, alongside practical advice and feedback on their progress. Senior members should create opportunities for ECRs to take on increased responsibility, grow independence, and interact with the wider research community. Where ECRs are involved in supervision, students should take ECR guidance seriously, respect other demands on their time, and ensure their contributions receive appropriate credit.

Expectations of ECRs: Having recently navigated a PhD themselves, ECRs can provide valuable support to a student’s career development. ECRs often have more time than senior group members to guide students in their research, can advocate on a students behalf, and often know who to approach when particular issues arise. PIs can expect ECRs to facilitate the dissemination of expertise in the group, and support students by providing crucial constructive feedback.

Challenges: Transitioning to increased independence places considerable responsibility on new ECRs. The role is often accompanied by changes in research group and/or topic, which requires adjustment. ECR positions are inherently transitional, and this stage in a researcher's career is often accompanied by growing personal commitments (e.g., starting a family). Managing a diversifying workload, the uncertainty associated with fixed-term contracts, and reduced supervisory support can be difficult.

Graduate (MS/PhD) Students

Who do we mean? Anyone actively working toward a research degree, including MS and PhD students.

Day-to-day: Students are responsible for much of the research in our group. The vast majority of their time is dedicated to their own research project, but they also do other “research adjacent” work. A week typically includes: individual interaction with the PI, sub-group meetings specific to a research project, occasional large multi-PI project meetings, general lab meetings, and educational activities.

Support for students: Students are junior professionals in training and their ideas should be taken seriously by the entire group. Students can expect to meet with their supervisors regularly in a supportive environment. They should feel empowered to point out mistakes made by group members or admit when they do not understand something. Supervisors should provide regular feedback and encourage students to develop their own ideas to progress their project.

Expectations of students: Students are an integral part of the wider lab and frequently play a crucial role volunteering to help with tasks the group needs to function. Supervisors can expect students to provide regular updates on their progress, and participate actively in group activities. Students are expected to recognize that their research is a form of training and struggles are a part of the learning process.

Challenges: Navigating a first major research project is a learning experience. To be successful, students must also develop “soft skills” including effective communication and time management. Unexpected difficulties are part of the research process - learning how to cope with setbacks takes experience, fortitude, and patience. These stressors can be exacerbated by additional factors throughout the degree, including the isolation of leading a research project, difficulty navigating work-life balance, and distance from long-standing support networks.

Undergraduate (UG) Students

Who do we mean? Anyone actively working toward a B.S. degree, including students enrolled in 5-yr "fast track" program, but who have not yet completed their B.S. degree.

Day-to-day: UG researchers are expected to commit ~10 hrs /wk in order to make sustained progress toward research goals. Generally an UG researcher primarily focuses on developing one particular research competency, including a method of synthesis or characterization or simulation. UG students will generally be working closely with one primary graduate student research mentor.

Support for students: UG researchers have committed to devote significant time to practical hands-on learning opportunities outside of the typical classroom experience. Their commitment should be understood as a growth opportunity, and they will be given opportunities to learn new techniques and skills, to join sub-group meetings, and to interact regularly with graduate mentors.

Expectations of students: I do not expect incoming students to have a strong background in research, or to be well-versed in a particular technique - you can learn techniques. It is challenging if not impossible to learn 1) persistence, 2) independence, and 3) creativity. We expect UG researchers to: 1) be persistent. You will have experiments that fail. You will get ugly data, and will (in many cases) need to repeat an experiment or a synthesis. 2) be independent. Please do not try experiments with hazardous chemicals without speaking to someone first. But at the same point, group members are not able to hold your hand during your entire time in the lab. Once you understand a task, work to bring it to a successful completion by figuring out and resolving as many issues along the way as you can. 3) be creative. If you try a particular approach or measurement 3 or 4 times and keep not getting the result you're looking for - it's time to try a different approach! Don't give up on experiments after one shot, but at the same time, think through why you're getting an unexpected result, and if there's a better way to complete that measurement.

Challenges: Balancing the expectations of joining a research group, and investing sufficient time so that you are involved in the project and contributing meaningfully while still meeting the expectations of your UG curriculum. The chief goal of all UG students should be working towards completion of their B.S. degree (completing courses, maintaining a strong GPA, learning new concepts and approaches). At the same time, you have made the decision to invest in exploring research, and this decision should not be taken lightly. The experiences and benefits you get out of research are directly proportional to the time and effort you invest in your project and activities in the lab.

Core Staff

In an active academic research enterprise, we work alongside research staff (e.g., at MCF, AggieFab, in MSEN dept assets) who are instrumental in achieving our research objectives. We expect group members to always treat core staff with respect, and to value their time and high degree of professional expertise. Core staff are highly trained individuals, often with unique expertise not held by members of the PHATE lab. When their contributions go beyond what would be considered conventional ‘support’, they should be recognized appropriately (for example, co-authorship on an upcoming publication).