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Read MoreTag: lab skills
175. Four Research Traps (And How to Avoid Them)
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The day-to-day reality of many graduate programs is that you’ll spend most of your time doing research.
Even if you don’t end up working in a lab or doing experiments forever in your career (and most people don’t!), being able complete experiments is going to help you efficiently progress through your program and eventually GRADUATE. And isn’t that what we all want?
This week, we cover some common pitfalls that suck your time and erode your confidence. We’ve got advice for avoiding those traps and making the most of your time in the lab. Yes, it’s about getting stuff done. But it’s also about getting the RIGHT stuff done in the right way.
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173. Mailbag: I Have a Master’s Degree – Now I Want a PhD
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There are many paths to a PhD. In the humanities, it’s common to earn a Master’s degree first (or so we’re told…)
In the biomedical sciences, students regularly skip the Master’s degree entirely, enrolling in a PhD program that includes coursework.
This week, we hear from two aspiring scientists who used the Master’s degree as a stepping stone, and now they’re looking to take the next leap.
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172. Research Software Engineer
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If you work in a lab, you’re collecting data. And as the volume of data increases, many researchers find they can’t process or analyze that data in a spreadsheet or stats program anymore. Instead, they’re writing code in Python, R, or C++ to do that processing for them.
But this creates a new challenge: what happens to that code over time? Can your Python script be shared with other labs who might find it useful? When the graduate student who wrote the analysis package graduates, is there anyone around to maintain and update it so the lab can continue to reap the benefits?
Unfortunately, many researchers who know how to code don’t know how to shepherd that resource so it can be useful to others. But luckily, there are experts who know how to help.
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163. The 3 T’s of Successful Field Research
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The only thing harder than hiking for three hours into a remote boreal forest is realizing you forgot your sample kit back in the lab.
For many researchers, running out of a reagent means walking down the hall to borrow more from a neighboring lab, but field researchers don’t have that luxury. They may be hours away from their labs, and miles away from the van.
That’s why planning is so important.
This week, we learn the three T’s you should remember to pack on EVERY trip.
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