...as in principle investigator, and thus (hopefully) in a tenure-track academic/professor position, there are a variety of things that I'd like to do. From time to time I notice things that PIs are doing, or are not doing but could, that I'd like to try and remember to do when I've got the opportunity.
-Have weekly lab meetings with all personnel, where key lab-related items are discussed, students can touch on points where they'd like others input, and general research-type advise can be dispensed. My lab has this now, though it didn't start until well into my 2nd (or was it 3rd?) year. It is good to have when experiments involve multiple lab personnel and for the many weeks when it is the only hour that we'll see our advisor.
-Once a month, have a lab member give a ~15 minute presentation on current research progress. IMO, students need as many opportunities as possible to talk about their research in front of an audience. It is one thing to have a discussion with one or two advisors, but putting together a planned talk in front of even a small group is a good practice. We don't do this in a group setting, in my lab, although the research centers that I'm affiliated with give one opportunity per year for each student to give a talk. That is great, for a larger audience filled mainly with student peers and several PIs. But, a greater number of opportunites would be an even better thing, I think, especially in the controlled environment of fellow lab-mates who are more likely to ask questions and know the subject better.
-I've thought of a few things that'd be cool to give as PhD-completing gifts, but only one is coming to mind right now. As a kid, I was an AVID baseball (and to a lesser extent basketball) card collector, amassing a collection of well over 20,000 cards. So, things along those lines catch my eye. I like the current NCAA marketing push to show NCAA athletes as going pro in some 'non-sport', especially the sports-card commercial (yes, I know it is very hypocritical, given the major $$$ that are made by the "not for profit" NCAA during the big money sports) that is playing now. That led me to the thought that it'd be cool to give a set of 10 or so "player cards" for a person. The front could be an "in-action" research picture. On the back would be a head shot from their early days in the program. Vital stats could include publications, conference presentations, any awards, and special work in the lab. I think this would be a nice little "souvenir" of grad school that would be easy to pull out down the road and look at.
-Another good potential PhD-completing gift would be a book for the next career stage. There are many potential good ones. My parents are (supposedly) ordering for me The Academic Portfolio as a late birthday gift. Other books on my wish list that may be appropriate include The Graphic Syllabus and Outcomes Map, At the Helm: A Laboratory Navigator, or a science-ethics book like Cantor's Dilemma or Biomedical Ethics for Engineers.
-And, on the lighter side, PhD completing gifts or prizes for completing research projects or grants could be science-related t-shirts. Examples include: Recycle Ideas t-shirt from PhD Comics, the "Research" shirt from PhD Comics, or "Research Tool" also from PhD Comics, I'm going to try Science t-shirt from XKCD, and the "Doctor...of philosophy" shirt from PhD Comics - I received one of these for my birthday, and can't wait to wear it for the first time after I get my degree.
I guess my mind is busy with getting gifts (it is the season) and finishing my degree. ha. There are a bunch of other "as-PI" things I've thought of, but they are all currently hiding in the recesses of my mind. I'll throw them on the blog as I think of them...
Saturday, January 3, 2009
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