0 - Science is not about showing what you know, it is about discovering what you don't know and then learning about it until it is no longer unknown. So in my lab, being right and generating significant results, while still important, is much less important than being inquisitive, dedicated, careful and passionate.

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1 - My lab members are not automatons, but unique individuals with rich personal lives outside the laboratory. The mental and physical health of all lab members, as well as their personal lives, is always our more important than our work.

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2 - The Gaskill lab is a communal project - people in the lab do not work for me, they work with me. 

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3 - The more success the lab has, the better it is for all members of the lab. To facilitate this, we encourage everyone to work together, help each other, share ideas and communicate.

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4 - There is no lab hierarchy, and no matter what your status in the lab, from post-doctoral fellow to undergraduate volunteer, everyone's research, time and tasks are just as important as everyone else's, even though everyone had different jobs based on their skill sets and priorities. As the PI, I do make the final decisions on many issues, but I will always solicit advice and feedback from those involved before making significant decisions.

 

5 - I will never compare your hours or work or achievements with anyone else's. Everyone is unique and my job as a mentor is to foster each person’s individual capabilities, helping everyone achieve their own goals and reach their full potential.   

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6 - Remember to periodically stop, take a step back and carefully evaluate the work you are doing and where it is taking you. Often, we are more effective and productive if we do this, because it enables us to work smarter, and to see things that we may have missed while immersed in our day-to-day work.

 

7 - Everyone is in control of their own schedule, and success is judged not by the number of hours we are in lab but by the results of our work. I never expect anyone else in the lab to keep to my schedule, but to work with me to find a work-life balance that works for them.

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8 - Everyone has stressful periods and deadlines where we have to work really hard and for long hours, and depending on the place you are in your career and what you are trying to achieve these periods may be longer or shorter. However, crazy long hours should be the exception, not the norm.

 

9 - Everyone works differently, and some lab members prefer to work longer hours, weekends or holidays while others concentrate their work over shorter spurts. As long as you schedule enables you to be an effective, I will respect it. However, if you are not managing your time well or not being effective, we will talk about it, and work together to try to resolve things as best we can. 

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10 - Everyone in the lab is entitled to a comfortable, safe, secure and pleasant working environment, and it is my job to provide that. Therefore, if things are happening in the lab that make you angry or uncomfortable or sad or scared, speak with me about them immediately and I will work to remedy them as rapidly as I can.

 

11 - Our lab is a team that we are all a part of, whether or not we are happy, sad, angry, frustrated, or thrilled with other lab members. The feeling that there is competition within the lab, or that different people are a part of different "sides" or "teams" is toxic, damaging and unacceptable. If you begin to feel that way, let me know as soon as possible so we can discuss and resolve the source of those feelings.  

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12 - It is not my job to provide you with success, it is my job to provide you with the best support and opportunities that I can so that you can be successful. I will always do my best to support you, but it is your job to take advantage of those opportunities in order to succeed.  

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