by Franziska Boenisch and Adam Dziedzic

There are large and small research labs, well organized and more ad hoc ones. Labs where students hang out a lot after hours, and others that spend their time outside of research more apart. What’s the best fit for you?

The choice of what type of lab is best for you very much depends on your way of working and interacting with people. And we know that it might be hard to find out before actually joining. But don’t hesitate to ask your potential future advisor to talk to their students, reach out to them directly, or talk to them during conferences. We thought about some things that you might want to find out from the conversations and consider before joining a lab.

How’s the lab culture: do people interact a lot, do they collaborate on projects, are ideas openly shared and discussed within the group, and do people support each other? Are they open to sharing what they have learned to benefit others? Are people respectful when they interact and give feedback? Do people spend time together outside of research to socialize? Are there enough people that you would be excited working with, learning from, and collaborating with?