You just missed your niece’s birthday, misplaced your debit card and forgot to eat dinner last night after working late in the lab. These are relatively benign examples of collateral damage for a researcher who is overworked. But what about the female researcher who puts off having a family because she is working 80 hours a week? What about the scientist who is injured in an … [Read more...] about Are You a Lab Rat? How to Achieve a Work/Life Balance as a Researcher
lab safety
Light Safety, Heavy Consequences
Don't go into the light (without proper safety precautions!) We all remember the mom from the famous movie, Poltergeist, relentlessly instructing little Carol Anne to run towards the light in order to save herself from ghosts. In that situation, the light saved Carol Anne’s life, but we all know Poltergeist is just a movie. In real life, different degrees of UV lights … [Read more...] about Light Safety, Heavy Consequences
The Human Touch: Camaraderie Promotes Safety in the Lab
For the most part, we all know how important it is to adhere to universal lab safety rules such as wearing closed-toe shoes or properly labeling all chemicals. Oftentimes, we forget about the human relations side of the safety equation. Cultivating positive working relationships with colleagues is as important (maybe even more so) as learning the “technical” safety rules of a … [Read more...] about The Human Touch: Camaraderie Promotes Safety in the Lab
When Buying Off eBay Goes Bad!
Penny-Pinching PIs Life is expensive and all of us try to save money when we can. On a good day, we’re able to save a lot of money on the things we need by using online platforms such as Amazon or eBay. Saving a dollar or two on milk or Kleenex is like hitting a home run for many people. Can you imagine how a PI feels when they save hundreds or thousands of dollars on … [Read more...] about When Buying Off eBay Goes Bad!