Lab Culture and Mentorship

I strive to maintain a lab environment that is relaxed and supportive, while also maintaining high expectations for research and career development. I value open communication. That means you should always feel free to pop into my office or text my cellphone whenever you have something you need to talk about, or a question, or just to chat. It also means that we works towards normalizing mistakes and failures. I promise you’ve never never screwed something up in a way I haven’t already. A lab functions at its best when we can all support and depend on each other.

My goal is for students to leave my lab as confident scientists with the skills they will need to succeed in their chosen careers. To that end, I prioritize developing independence, written and oral communication, and leadership in addition to technical research skills. Not all students want to pursue academic research careers after completing their degree, and so regardless of the path you wish to pursue (academia, government, industry, communication/policy or something else entirely), I will work with you to find career development opportunities that will help you achieve that goal. For some students that may mean co-writing an NIH R21 proposal and for other students that may mean enrolling in pedagogy workshops. However, because your ability to communicate your ideas to a range of audiences is crucial to your success no matter which field you choose, all students should expect to write their thesis or dissertation chapters for publication as they are completed, to submit at least 1-2 grant or fellowship applications during their degree, and to present their work to their colleagues during department seminars and at professional meetings.

I have a zero tolerance policy for racism, discrimination, and harassment. It is my hope that lab members will always feel comfortable coming to talk to me about concerns about harassment so that I can provide support or access to the appropriate resources and/or address those concerns quickly. If you are found to contribute to an unsafe work environment for your colleagues, you will be asked to leave the lab.

Please be advised that I am a Mandatory Reporter, and may be required to report concerns about sexual harassment, sexual assault, stalking, and relationship violence to the University Title IX Office.
More information about University policies regarding Title IX complaints, including the reporting process, can be found at:
https://titleix.uark.edu/about-us/index.php

Working Hours

Lab personnel should maintain a working schedule that allows them to achieve the goals of their research and maximizes their productivity. Graduate students should be working ~40 hours/week, although occasionally circumstances (deadlines, time points, etc.) will require more time in the lab, or time on the weekends. In the event that considerable overtime or weekend work is necessary, you should feel comfortable adjusting their weekday schedule accordingly.

While I am flexible in the schedules that you set for yourselves, I expect that most of our days will overlap in the lab. You can expect that I will be on campus Monday-Friday from ~600am-300pm.

What will I expect from you?

• That you will make clear progress on your research goals, including writing and analyzing results for publication

• That you will pursue intra- and extramural funding to help support your research and develop critical grant writing skills

• That you will discuss your career plans with me so we can develop an appropriate plan to help you reach those goals

• That you will be respectful of other lab members, including of their time and materials

What can you expect from me?

• That I will provide you the flexibility to be successful in your research, but also push you to challenge yourself

• That I will help keep you accountable for your research and career goals

• That I will be easy to communicate with

• That I will provide constructive feedback on publications, presentations, and experimental designs

• That I will maintain a safe working environment for you in the lab and in the field

Degree Progress

Students will be expected to meet established benchmarks to maintain satisfactory progress towards their degrees. A suggested roadmap for degree progress can be found here:
McDermott Lab Student Roadmap for Degree Progress