General Lab Ethics

My lab ethics closely align with those of the Ecological Society of America, which provide guidelines and accountability for standards of conduct for my lab members and myself in academia and outside of it. These guidelines broadly include: 

• Mutual respect among members of my lab as well as with individuals outside of my lab

• Zero toleration policy of harassment or discrimination of any kind

• Plagiarism will not be tolerated

• No fabrication, falsification or suppression of results, or deliberately misrepresenting data

• Data, code and idea authorship will always be acknowledged

• Ethical codes for experimental procedures which includes ethical manipulation of the environment for research purposes (i.e., minimize environmental effects of their presence)

• Meaningful exchange with the communities to promote teaching, learning and understanding

These ethics will be delivered and explained to all lab members at the start of each semester and whenever a lab members sees the need.

Lab philosophy

Humans have unique interests and identities, and thus every individual needs an adaptive approach to encourage creativity and high-quality research. For example, some students do not seek a career in academia, which requires mentoring approaches that will make them successful outside of academia as well.

I ask each new student and postdoc to write short summaries about their career goals and research interests, to help me understand their specific needs, to which I will tailor my mentoring and teaching. This exercise will also help individuals in the lab to explore different ideas and perspectives. Additionally, at the start of each semester we discuss time management as part of the lab meetings, which will include coursework and research, as well as a healthy work-life balance. Over the course of the first semester each student is expected to write research proposals including an extensive literature review tailored to each individual research interest within the realm of soil-land-atmosphere interactions of managed ecosystems.

I will meet individually with my mentees on a weekly or biweekly basis to discuss research and coursework progress and challenges. Additionally, we will hold lab meetings on a weekly basis to encourage the exchange of research progress and ideas, career advice and new research among lab members. Lab meetings will include activities for professional development, such as writing exercises, critical thinking skills, as well as responsible research conducts by reviewing published manuscripts from relevant scientific fields. Each semester we will revisit the lab code of ethics.

To further improve communication and presentation skills I will have students and postdocs sign up for presentation slots during lab meetings, where they can either present their research project results or methods, through poster or oral presentations, or discuss a relevant publication with the group. Final research products from undergraduate and graduate students can also be delivered through short papers or poster presentations at a department wide poster sessions to further build the student community.

Undergraduate Mentees

For undergraduate research assistants I set up project outlines in conjunction with each student, in form of a research proposal, outlining a simple research question they seek to answer, and basic approaches, including a thorough literature review. Projects would closely align with my own research, allowing students to be included in ongoing research early on. To improve writing skills of students I will encourage each student to write a review paper of the literature pertaining to their research project during their first semester. These writing exercises will help me understand at what level of expertise each students is, as well as how I can help them to become better writers, in addition to jump-starting their research projects, critical thinking skills and background knowledge.

Graduate Mentees 

Similar to undergraduate students in my lab, I expect every grad student to write a research proposal, outlining research questions and methods, and including a thorough literature review. In contrast to undergraduate students, graduate students have the chance to develop their very own projects, that still align with my main research questions, but also gives students the liberty to explore their own ideas. For graduate students building collaboration and networking skills is essential, in addition to writing and to analytical skills. Thus, I allocate resources to help grad students to present at annual scientific meetings and workshops, which will help build their communication, as well as public presentation skills. Attending local and international workshops and conferences are valuable opportunities for students and postdocs to present research, to network, and to help with a deeper understanding of research applications, measurement and analysis techniques. I encourage all graduate students to write research proposals and to partake in department-wide funding calls, as well as awards, as such writing exercises will help develop their critical thinking and writing skills, in addition to fighting lingering imposter syndromes, which many students experience throughout their academic careers.

Postdoctoral Mentees

For postdocs mentoring is more hands-off compared to students but with more guidance concerning developing skills like grant writing and career development. It is vital to give postdoctoral researchers room to develop their own research philosophy and to work independently on projects in order to prepare for the lab they will be leading one day. I will also give postdocs the opportunity to lead guest lectures in my classes, so that they can also improve their teaching skills. Building teaching skills while working on research is a proactive approach to a successful and effective career in academia.