Mission and Philosophy
The Daru Lab's mission is to contribute to the understanding and preservation of biodiversity through top-quality research, information, and training. We prioritize collaborations with partners in research, education, technology, and impact to support conservation stakeholders and the scientific community. Our goal is to produce accessible and impactful public products for the benefit of society.
Expectations for PhD Students
As a PhD student in the Daru Lab, your primary focus will be on original research. Familiarize yourself with the guidelines for courses, exams, teaching, and administrative tasks to ensure timely completion. We approach ecology with an open mind, humility, and a willingness to learn through trial and error. Our diverse team is committed to studying biodiversity in the realm of ecology, biogeography and related fields.
Commitments to Lab Members
My aim is to develop every lab member into a skilled and independent researcher. This includes gaining experience in field and lab work, developing scientific independence in projects, and mastering relevant literature. I also emphasize learning scientific writing, grant writing, presentation skills, networking, and effective communication. I recognize the importance of building resilience to overcome challenges in scientific work.
Working Hours
Flexible working hours are available, allowing you to adapt your schedule to your natural energy levels. However, biological research may require attention at inconvenient times. Excessive work hours do not necessarily improve scientific outcomes. While I tend to work more than 40 hours due to additional responsibilities, you are not obligated to do the same. Availability between 11am and 3pm, Monday to Friday, is expected unless arranged differently.
Email Response Time
I may send emails during weekends or odd hours, but please respond during regular working hours unless marked as "URGENT" for immediate attention. Occasionally, I'll share interesting information.
Lab Meetings
Our lab meetings are Wednesday at 11am. During lab meetings, prepare a few minutes introduction/update on your project, including a few bullet points. You can also discuss interesting papers related to your project, even if the data is not publication ready. We encourage the sharing of raw data and logical discussions.
Data/Lab Management, Open Science, and Data Sharing
We prioritize careful documentation of field, lab, and code in the Daru Lab. Open and FAIR data sharing is promoted for biodiversity science and conservation. We adhere to data licensing, attribution, and acknowledgment practices. Our research papers encourage transparency, and we credit and link back to original data sources. We contribute to biodiversity data standards and create digital tools for data sharing. Our software, computational tools, and analytic code are open source and accessible to ensure reproducibility.
Commitment as Mentee (postdoc, PhD student, intern)
- Embrace Diversity: Respect and adapt to diverse cultural backgrounds.
- Responsibility and Professionalism: Take primary responsibility for successful completion of your degree or research.
- Regular Communication: Provide updates on research progress, coursework, and professional development.
- Lab Citizenship: Use group resources responsibly and participate in shared responsibilities, such as cleaning/maintenance in the lab and herbarium, event support duties, other support work for non-manuscript group products, etc.
- Active Participation: Engage in group and sub-group meetings.
- Positive Environment: Promote an equitable, harassment-free, and positive environment.
- Collaboration and Collegiality: Engage with lab members as scientific colleagues.
- Defining Research Question: Define a specific research question and expand knowledge in your field.
- Presenting Research Findings: Present research through oral presentations and written work suitable for publication.
- Completing Degree Requirements: Work towards completing degree requirements in a timely manner.
- Maintaining Detailed Lab Notes: Maintain detailed lab notes and directories for reproducibility.
- Attending Seminars and Conferences: Attend departmental seminars and present research at conferences.
- Contributing to Lab Responsibilities: Contribute to general lab responsibilities.
- Seeking Mentorship: Seek mentorship from faculty and peers for professional development.
- Demonstrating Integrity: Demonstrate integrity in data collection, analysis, and presentation.
Mentor's Responsibilities
As a mentor, I have the following responsibilities:- Provide intellectual guidance and rigor in students' educational programs and research projects.
- Keep students informed about current frontiers and opportunities in their field.
- Offer guidance on research methods and the historical knowledge base of the discipline.
- Provide clear guidelines and timetables for research project completion, respecting students' interests and goals.
- Schedule regular individual meetings to discuss progress and challenges.
- Support students in developing teaching and presentation skills.
- Encourage scholarly activities like conference presentations, publications, networking, and intellectual property applications.
- Provide timely and constructive evaluations of student progress and performance.
- Serve as an academic advisor and professional mentor during and after the PhD program, postdoctoral fellowship, or internship.
Note: These responsibilities are subject to university policies and norms.
Last Updated: June 29, 2023