SEB Bulletin July 2006 - Setting up and Managing a Research Lab
The excitement and sense of achievement you experience, as a long (or short) – serving postdoctoral, when you get your first research fellowship or lectureship may be tempered when you realise that you will now have to manage a lab of your own. Not only will this mean managing your time, resources, administration and perhaps teaching too, it will also almost certainly involve managing people - something you may not have done before. ‘Managing your lab’ was the subject of one of the Education sessions which formed part of the Education and Public Affairs Programme at the SEB’s Annual Main Meeting in Canterbury 2006. Our speakers* provided insights from two different perspectives to the audience of forward-looking postdoc delegates who came to find out what may be in store for them in the near future.
So, having celebrated with a few bottles of bubbly or beer, what will be the main priorities of a new research fellow or lecturer? It is clear that there are two over-riding objectives which will lead you to a sustainable research career:
- Doing first class research
- Progressing in your career
In order to achieve these objectives you need to focus very strongly (almost selfishly) on your main aims which are:
- Publications
- Grants
- Esteem
- Permanent job
With these in mind, the practicalities of setting up your lab will probably also require great resilience and self-belief. You may not automatically be given laboratory or office space which will mean that careful negotiating and networking with the head or members of the department will be vital to your establishing yourself in your immediate research environment. Once you have your working space it’s important to get some experiments up and running quickly and, if you have resources available from the fellowship, to start appointing. Advertising for, and appointing people is not easy so seek advice from your peers or from the personnel department if necessary. If in doubt of a person’s suitability don’t appoint them; it’s easier to manage yourself, your own time and administration than it is to manage someone who is proving to be problematic.
Ideally you will want to employ the services of at least one or two research assistants, postdocs, postgraduates or technicians if you want to make time for your own new management priorities: applying for grants, writing publications, building collaborative networks (within the department and outside) and possibly teaching. It is important to get the balance of personnel in your lab right such that you are not spending much of your time supervising untrained postgraduates. Try to employ at least one postdoc and an experienced technician to whom you can delegate the day-to-day running of the lab. You will still need to be supportive and approachable but your time is better spent at a more strategic management level than on minutia.
You may have chosen to stay within your previous department where you worked as a postdoc once you have secured your research fellowship or lectureship. This comes with its own set of plusses and minuses. On the one hand, you will already know others and be known so that you can settle in more quickly with established networks and resources. However, be careful to distance yourself from your previous supervisor so that you are not simply regarded as a ‘super postdoc’ in your new role. In addition, consider the value of your teaching input into the department. Whilst you will be valued as a member of the department if you take on some teaching loads, if you overload yourself you may be jeopardising your research commitment so try to strike a balance. Learn to say no sometimes!
Once you’ve settled in and are feeling more comfortable in your new role it will be time to bed yourself in more thoroughly. The time for this will vary according to your own situation, however in years 2 and 3 you ought to be aiming at addressing more high-risk challenges which will contribute to making a name for yourself. The funding which may have accompanied your research fellowship is all very well at the start of your term of research, however if you want that Nature paper and a strong collaborative network you will need to apply for additional funding in order to raise the stakes.
You may already have negotiated with your department to gain a permanent position – if you have, make sure you have the agreement in writing. If you are not in this position it’s important that you address your future early on in your fellowship or lectureship (don’t leave it until Year 5). You can start negotiations with your head of department once you have published a few papers and acquired some additional funding. Further credentials in your favour will include any teaching or departmental responsibilities you have taken on, being involved in a learned society (such as the SEB), organising a session at a conference, public understanding of science, or being an invited speaker at a symposium (this is what is known as ‘esteem’ in RAE speak). However, if you find there is no future for you in the department, most fellowships are potentially mobile so start negotiations elsewhere in order to maximise your chances of securing a permanent position.
Always keep in mind that this is your opportunity to forge a sustainable research career. You may receive offers which massage your ego or give you a buzz but bear in mind that it’s the four aims set out above which will lead you to your goal – so be self-reliant, resilient, raise your esteem and see the results of your strategy bear fruit.
Sarah Blackford Education & Public Affairs
*Professor Sue Wonnacott (University of Bath) is a member of BBSRC’s Studentships and Fellowships Panel;
Dr Dan Mulvihill (University of Kent) won his BBSRC David Phillips Fellowship in 2003.
For more information about BBSRC fellowships visit: www.bbsrc.ac.uk
