Lab Expectations

My role as your advisor is to guide you through your program while encouraging you to explore your own interests and goals. My approach with each individual is different depending on that person’s needs, but in general, I see my work as including the following responsibilities:

·        Provide constructive feedback on ideas, experimental design, statistical analyses, presentations, writing etc

·        Assist you in making professional connections through Clemson as well as other universities, government agencies, industry partners etc

·        Support your career aspirations through strategic planning of grants, manuscripts, coursework etc

·        Help you navigate the world of research and academia

·        Provide grace and compassion as you do and accomplish these things

I do NOT see my work as including these kinds of responsibilities:

·        Identifying areas where you have questions or need clarification. Only you can do that. I will, however, help you identify these areas if/when          you're struggling to do so.

·        Ensuring that you have only positive interactions with other faculty, students, technicians etc. I will, however, ensure that if you experience             something harassing or threatening in nature, that you get the proper attention and help you need whether that's at the individual,              departmental, college, or university level.

·        Identifying areas where you want to improve your skills or knowledge. You are responsible for ensuring that you get the most out of your time in         grad school and only you know where you see yourself going in the future. I will, however, help you identify the best opportunities to                   improve in those areas when you identify them.

This is your program and your project. You are expected to take ownership of your time here and apply yourself effectively to complete the work necessary for your project. This includes, but is not limited to:

·        Being open to feedback and changing course when necessary

·        Standing up for yourself and your goals for the project when necessary (understanding how and when to do these top two are paramount to your       success)

·        Engaging in constructive discussions with other students, staff, and faculty, understanding that everyone has something important to say

·        Be open and honest with data collection and analyses

·        Regularly report your research progress as well as any hiccups, changes, issues etc that come up along the way

·        Express your goals and objectives related to your career progression

·        Stay on top of your progress in terms of coursework, deadlines, forms etc

·        Schedule committee meetings, identify committee members and contact them to request their contribution

·        Identify appropriate journals for publications and appropriate co-authors

After questions about my style as an advisor and mentor, the next question I usually get from prospective students is about the lab culture. I have found that each cohort of students tends to be different, and each one has their own unique culture. As the PI, I tend to be more on the outside of that culture but, in general, students are very supportive of one another, both in their professional and personal lives. I am still in contact with my former students and they are still in contact with each other, as well as my lab manager. In the before times, we would have regular lab events (e.g., bon fires, ice cream meetings) but that necessarily changed due to COVID. I would love to bring that spirit back to the lab and welcome suggestions on how to effectively do that. Check out the Meet the Team page to see who has come through the lab.

I do not require that students or technicians spend certain hours in the office or the lab. If you are getting your work done, then I have no problem with you doing that work at whatever time works best for you. That said, some things do require scheduling and you’re expected to be considerate of others’ schedules in doing so.

·        Give as much notice as possible for scheduling fieldwork

·        Check with other students and technicians on the availability of vehicles

·        Understand that everyone is busy, and people may have other obligations or responsibilities

·        Be honest with yourself (and others) about how much time it will take you to accomplish a task

·        Also be honest with yourself (and others) about what kind, and how much, accountability you need to complete those tasks

This is arguably the most important part of our interactions. Clear and honest communication is an expectation of mine that I take very seriously. It is also a two-way street. I cannot help anyone come up with solutions to problems, create plans, or navigate the world of academia/research if I’m not kept informed of struggles, miscommunications, or other issues. I commit to being open and available (as much as possible) to each and every student, technician, post doc etc. and, by joining the lab, you are committing to the same.

·        Be clear and direct with your own expectations (how often do you need to meet? Do you disagree with a certain aspect of your project? What are your goals that you want to meet while in the lab?)

·        If I am not meeting your expectations in some regard, please let me know!

·        Be respectful of others in your communications

·        Keep in mind that all feedback is an attempt to make you a better researcher and is not meant to be a personal comment or attack

In my opinion this is the most important factor in determining your perceived success in graduate school, regardless of your chosen program or advisor. Accountability and responsibility go hand in hand. Being held accountable can be an uncomfortable process, especially when you are being challenged in a way that goes against your own perceptions of yourself. For instance, if you think of yourself as a very detail-oriented person and your advisor comes to you to say that they've noticed you missing a lot of details in your writing, that may feel like a personal attack. How you respond to this situation, and to similar situations, will largely determine your overall experience in grad school and beyond. If you allow that defensiveness to rule and you settle into victimhood, you are likely to leave grad school with the feeling that everyone hated you (including your advisor). In contrast, if you acknowledge that defensiveness and instead get curious about why you are feeling defensive, you have given yourself an amazing opportunity to grow. 

Science is inherently a challenging process. It is a process built on questioning the current knowledge, testing new ideas, and expanding your worldview. Taking feedback and criticism personally and reverting to a victim mentality is not conducive to progressing in grad school, a career, or science in general. That's not to say it can't be done. People have this mentality and become well known in their fields - but they often do so with a chip on their shoulder. Learning to handle this uncomfortable process in grad school will save you a lot of heartache down the line. 

Your contributions to science do not end with a successful defense and publications. That defense rode on the committee members who read and edited your thesis/dissertation and helped you with other aspects of your research. Those publications relied on unpaid peer reviewers who took their time to provide feedback as well as unpaid editors who make sure everything is in order for the journal. Often times, those journals are affiliated with scientific societies that provide professional development opportunities, conferences and workshops, funding for students and professionals, certifications and more. While the stereotype is of a lone scientist in a lab never seeing the light of day, the reality is that we are social creatures and science is fundamentally a social venture. You will be expected to give back to this community in some way. We will discuss how to do this strategically so that the service you do also contributes to your overall career goals.

Authorship can be a tricky subject and everyone has their own opinion on how it should be handled. Unwritten rules and traditions also vary by field; for example, in some fields, the PI always goes last and in other fields they always go first. My rule for authorship is that a person has to contribute to more than one (1) facet of the manuscript to be included, otherwise they are given an acknowledgement. For example, a colleague who helps you analyze and interpret your data may very well receive an acknowledgement but has not done enough to warrant authorship. Committee members typically get automatic authorship under the assumption that they contributed to the overall experimental design or obtaining the grant funding and also contributed to writing/editing the manuscript, if not other areas like statistical analyses via the thesis/dissertation defense. This rule extends to presentations (oral and poster) as well.

I also take issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion very seriously. I strive to create a safe environment for everyone who visits or is involved in the lab and expect students, technicians, post docs etc to do the same. No amount of discrimination, hate speech, bullying etc will be tolerated by anyone affiliated with the Forest Health lab. This includes all situations such as classrooms, laboratories, conferences, registered organization meetings etc. This also includes any and all forms of communication such as in-person, via email, social media etc. 

I do not expect you to only be a student/researcher. To be effective in your program and your career, you need to be well-rounded and that means taking care of yourself. I expect lab members to take time to themselves every day and to make time for friends and family as well. This means going on breaks, not working on holidays etc. Much like my ‘time management’ section above, as long as your work is getting done, I have no issue with taking vacation or leave for life circumstances. That said, I will refer back to my ‘communication’ section where I ask that you clearly communicate your intentions including anything that needs to be covered or completed in your absence. Below I have included a non-exhaustive list of services available for Clemson students and staff. Also be sure to check out the Resources page which has more information that will be helpful during your time in grad school.

·        Academic Success Center: 864-656-6452; https://www.clemson.edu/academics/studentaccess/student-resources.html

·        Student Health Services: 864-656-1541; https://www.clemson.edu/campus-life/student-health/

·        Counseling and Psychological Services: 864-656-2451; https://www.clemson.edu/campus-life/student-health/caps/

·        CU Police Department: 864-656-2222; https://www.clemson.edu/cusafety/cupd/index.html

I am a cat person. For a long time, I tried to downplay it but I’m leaning into it now. I have 2 cats currently but typically hover around 4. I like other people’s dogs. I also got 5 chickens this year (2023). I am actively seeking a mini donkey to add to my hodge podge of random animals. 

I also have a young son (b. 2018) and am a single mom. Sometimes this creates issues when he gets sick and has to stay home from school or has some kind of extracurricular activity. Please be aware that I am trying to juggle these things in the best way possible but that sometimes things will come up. I will do everything in my power to maintain schedules, meetings etc when those things do come up but please accept some flexibility with these things. 

All in all, I want you to succeed at being the best version of yourself. Only you know what that means. Being a part of this program and this lab hinges on being able to self-reflect in a very honest way and also to taking responsibility for yourself and your progress. While this may sound harsh or scary, it is in your best interest to learn how to do these things as they will only become more important throughout your life and career.

*I have 3 cats as of 5/31/2023. A little orange girlie turned up at a research farm on campus and I couldn't help myself. 

*It is now September of 2023. I write this update from my deck at night because during the day one of the five chickens chases me and pecks at me. I've come to the conclusion that she is jealous of another chicken. I'm going to get a rooster tomorrow so make that 6 chickens. I don't even know with cats anymore. It's a zoo over here.

What does coursework in grad school look like?

• For MS students coursework is a little heavier than for PhD students. To be considered full-time, you are required to enroll in 9 hours per fall/spring semester and 6 in the summer semester. However, not all of these are courses. In the summer you will almost exclusively take research hours. In the fall/spring of year 1 you will likely take a heavier course load. But once you complete the credit hour requirements, you will take more research hours which are used to account for the time you spend conducting research as a student. 

How much freedom do I have with my project?

• This depends on a few things:

  • You: Be honest with yourself - how much freedom do you want or need? On the surface, it may seem like the best option but this isn't always the case. When trying to decide what kind of advisor is best for you, ask yourself a few questions: 1) how much experience do I have working in a lab or doing fieldwork? 2) do I find myself coming up with additional research questions, possible methods, or novel ideas frequently? 3) do I want to be a "doing" person or a "thinking" person after grad school? "Doing" people still do the "thinking" piece, and vise versa, but if you want to be in the field doing the heavy lifting most of the time, or if you want to be collaborating and networking to come up with new ideas for research projects, your approach to grad school will look different. 

  • Your advisor: Some advisors are naturally more hands-on or hands-off, and this comes in all shapes and sizes. It is important to ask any potential advisors for their thoughts and views on expectations for their program. Hopefully you get a feel for whether you and this person could work well together and what kind of research relationship you would have.

  • The project: Projects funded by an organization like the USDA Forest Service (one of my major funders) typically have specific measurable objectives already in the proposal and even specific methods to accomplish those objectives. These can be broad (e.g., conduct sampling) or specific (e.g., conduct trapping using a 12-funnel Lindgren trap baited with alpha- and beta-pinene from March through October). Often there will be a mixture of both. 

Before you apply   

• Research potential advisors - who are their former students? What is their approach to mentorship? Is it compatible with your needs and expectations? 

• Do your homework on the project - is it an area of interest to you? Will you have the opportunity to learn new skills? Can you work on this project for 2, 3, 4+ years?

• Prepare your materials - now is the time to get over the icky feeling of asking people to read your work. Have friends, family, students from other programs, supervisors etc read your application materials. Grad school is baptism by fire in terms of getting feedback on your writing so it's better to get used to it now!

After you are accepted

• Congratultions! You found a compatible advisor, you interviewed and applied, and you've been offered a position in their lab! Take a moment to breathe and enjoy that acceptance letter :)

• Don't hesitate on logistics - finding a place to live, getting utilities etc is all important, but there is an entirely new set of guidelines and logistics related to grad school as well. 

  • Find and read your graduate student handbook. Be sure you cross-reference what's in the departmental handbook with what's in the graduate school or university's handbook. Lay out your own timeline based on form deadlines, proposal due dates, defense schedules etc. 

  • Reach out to other students - if your program or college does a grad student orientation, GO!! It may seem like it won't be useful, but at the very least you will meet other students in your cohort as well as staff, faculty etc.  

Your first semester

• Committee members - since you've read and re-read the student handbook, you know when your committee selection is due! Now it's time to select them. This is a process done with your advisor, but you should still have considerable influence on who ends up on your committee.

  • You want the different aspects of your project adequately represented. This might mean asking faculty in other departments, or even outside your university, to be on your committee. Make sure you have your ducks in a row (e.g., timelines and requirements) BEFORE you reach out to them!

  • "Do I need a stats person?" This is the older traditional model of graduate students, and many still run their programs this way. If that's the case, your advisor will likely have a stats person they want to be on your committee. However, many faculty expect you, the student, to be the expert (or at least proficient) in stats, especially your own. 

• Get started on your lit review now! It's never too early to start reading papers. And they don't need to be (read: shouldn't be) only on your specific topic. If you're unsure where to start, ask your advisor! Ask other students, especially those further along in their program. Also, many colleges and/or departments have a library person who can walk you through the process of finding literature, assessing its relevance, narrowing your searches etc. 

• Related to the above bullet - get started with a reference manager! Some options include RefWorks, EndNote, Mendeley, and Zotero (the last of which is free to use but limited on available space). Your university likely has a contract with at least one of these companies so check with your librarian or advisor on which to use. Getting familiar with a reference manager now will save you a lot of time and effort (and heartache) later on. 

Second semester

• Plan of study - now that you have been a grad student for a semester, you hopefully have heard about classes you want to take, seen flyers around buildings, or talked to other students about what they have taken. Now it's time to plan your classes for the rest of your program. But don't worry - nothing is etched in stone. 

  • Focus on the skill sets you want to build. And don't be afraid to take classes that may seem above your current level of understanding or ability (that's why you're taking the class!)

  • Check with your committee members about what they think you should take. Pay close attention to their answers - these are hints to what they may ask you in a proposal presentation, comps, or your final defense.

Beyond the first year

• Get involved in campus activities/clubs, and also in scientific societies. Most organizations have reduced membership rates for students (or your advisor/department may cover it!) And don't just submit to the student competition! When you are finished with your program and entering the professional world of job searching, employers want to hire a colleague, not a student. So start getting involved as a colleague now - that means moderating sessions, inviting speakers, presenting in symposia, leading workshops etc. When you start applying to jobs, you'll hear things like "I thought you were already a post doc!" etc. This single bullet probably does more to get your name out there with potential employers than any other.

• Ask questions! This includes asking for things/support/travel etc. The worst that can happen is you're told "no" in which case you're no worse off than you were before. If you don't understand something your advisor wants you to do, ask! Better yet, even when you feel like you understand what they're asking of you, put it in your own words and repeat it back asking "is my interpretation correct?" 

• Practice introspection. Self-awareness and accountability will get you far. Most things in grad school are not personal towards you. If it feels like your advisor or committee members or instructors are being harsh or mean, ask for clarification and be genuinely curious. If you come at it from a place of defensiveness, potential conflicts are sure to get bigger. 

Most of all....

....enjoy it! Grad school can be one of the best times in your life. You are gaining massive amounts of knowledge and experience, you are the literal expert on your topic and, if you do your job well, people take notice. At the same time, you are saved from the admin parts of academia! Take advantage of it!