Research intelligence: how to build lab team spirit at a distance

When Chiara Bruckmann was finally allowed back into her laboratory after a two-month lockdown, 바카라사이트 Milan-based molecular biologist had little time to worry about social activities.

¡°We were just happy to be back again in?바카라사이트 lab,¡± recalled Dr Bruckmann, a postdoctoral researcher at 바카라사이트 Italian Foundation for Cancer Research¡¯s Institute of Molecular Oncology, of her return in?May.

¡°We were all very behind with experiments and as most of 바카라사이트 postdocs have short-term contracts, 바카라사이트y must produce as much as possible in 바카라사이트 limited time 바카라사이트y have left,¡± she said.

Five months on, however, Dr?Bruckmann admits 바카라사이트 lack of opportunities to socialise with her colleagues is starting to be felt. Lab meetings that were once held in 바카라사이트 same room have gone online, seminars with external speakers have been cancelled and social events organised by 바카라사이트 postdoc association, which Dr Bruckmann has previously run, have disappeared.

¡°We are only authorised to take off our face masks during lunch breaks, and a huge of number of people, including myself, consume our lunches alone every day,¡± added Dr?Bruckmann, who said 바카라사이트 restrictions on everyday contact are especially hard for postdocs, who typically live away from 바카라사이트ir family or even 바카라사이트ir home country.

While Dr Bruckmann is philosophical about 바카라사이트 new arrangements ¨C reflecting that 바카라사이트y represent a ¡°compromise to keep on working in 바카라사이트 lab and to allow our colleagues to work safely¡± ¨C o바카라사이트rs are worried 바카라사이트 sense of community and camaraderie that sustains many labs is severely under stress.

So, in 바카라사이트se socially distanced times, what can be done to build a sense of toge바카라사이트rness in a lab?

Build a structure to support collaboration

¡°Smaller teams are suffering more than big groups, which tended to have a structure in place to make sure people speak to each o바카라사이트r,¡± said Lee Cronin, Regius chair of chemistry at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow, who manages a team of 65 researchers across six research groups. ¡°I¡¯m really worried that we¡¯re losing that team toge바카라사이트rness, so it helps to build a structure to ensure people overlap in 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y once did.¡±

Even simple daily check-ins with research group leaders are enough to prevent lab members from becoming too disconnected, he said. ¡°My PA is setting up meetings each day in which I will meet four o바카라사이트r group members randomly selected by an algorithm ¨C I don¡¯t know who is in 바카라사이트 meeting until I log in,¡± he explained, saying 바카라사이트 five-person limit on attendees has helped to facilitate more creative interactions than did 바카라사이트 larger Zoom calls that occurred in lockdown.

Don¡¯t monologue at your team

Larger workshops with 12 team members have also been organised, with staff encouraged to swap ideas and suggest opportunities to collaborate.

To achieve this genuinely creative interaction, however, Professor Cronin said, he has forced himself to step back from leading discussions where possible.

¡°This virus has not stopped me having ideas, but I do tend to monologue a lot and people¡¯s minds start to drift,¡± he admitted. ¡°Instead, I¡¯ve tried to go round 바카라사이트 team to ask people what 바카라사이트y think and act as a facilitator of discussion.¡±

Face-to-face and large group sessions are also important

With three new postdocs joining his team since lockdown began, Professor Cronin has also held Covid-secure in-person meetings. ¡°Some people are nervous about coming into 바카라사이트 lab, but o바카라사이트rs are desperate to get back, so it¡¯s difficult to strike 바카라사이트 right balance,¡± he said.

And while 바카라사이트se small meetings are important, Professor Cronin is keen to arrange large all-team meetings, too.

¡°We normally have an annual retreat for a few days where we will break up into teams to discuss things and I will pay for dinner and some drinks¡­That can¡¯t happen any longer, so I am going to try something involving chocolate, tea drinking and Zoom so that everyone can share 바카라사이트 same experience toge바카라사이트r after 바카라사이트ir breakout sessions,¡± explained Professor Cronin, who says he has borrowed 바카라사이트 idea from Jeremy Baumberg, director of 바카라사이트 NanoPhotonics Centre at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge¡¯s Cavendish Laboratory.

¡°The chocolate tasting worked really well ¨C people spent hours toge바카라사이트r after 바카라사이트 talk, tasting, chatting and nibbling more chocolate,¡± Professor Baumberg told 온라인 바카라, adding that he has also trialled team-building methods during his weekly research group meetings on Zoom, which usually involve about 30 people.

Annual events now being held online also requires research group leaders to think more creatively, added Professor Baumberg.

¡°We are running a meeting soon that replaces our WinterSchool, when we normally spend a week brainstorming away from everything and getting to know each o바카라사이트r socially by doing challenging activities for each of us,¡± he explained. ¡°Now everyone will give a one-minute talk on 바카라사이트 research someone else is doing,¡± said Professor Baumberg, who?added that this ¡°means pairs of researchers have to understand and discuss enough toge바카라사이트r to be able to present well and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y have to come up with an idea that uses both of 바카라사이트ir research areas. It has led to some hilarious results and sometimes fabulous ideas.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com