Lab Philosophy#

Mission Statement#

Our lab aims to shed light on fundamental principles of human motor control and learning during both health and disease. To this end, we develop theories that are formalized, tested, and refined by combining computational modeling and behavioral experiments. We strive to practice open science and will develop open-source software to improve scientific rigor, regardless of discipline. All of this will be accomplished in a welcoming and collaborative environment that serves as a training ground for a diverse group of creative scientists.

The Big Picture#

Scientific research is extremely rewarding, but it does come with a large set of challenges. A helpful strategy to develop early on (and one that I continue to work on) is to learn to focus on, and appreciate, the process of doing science, perhaps above all else. No matter whether an experiment goes to plan, or a manuscript or grant gets rejected, there is still a great deal of satisfaction to be derived from applying your mind to a tough question and learning something new, or simply seeing an experiment through so that you can design a better one for next time. Of course, this is easier said than done, especially when you’re a student and you need to hit specific benchmarks. And results definitely matter, too! But experience has shown me over and over again that if you’re persistent, rigorous, and thorough, it’s just a matter of time until you do start to see the fruits of your labor, both in terms of interesting results as well as improvements in your scientific skills and knowledge.

One of the most rewarding aspects of scientific research is the collaborative nature of the work. A lab makes meaningful strides when a small collective of individuals works together with the common purpose of making new discoveries and the shared goal of helping to make those around themselves better. The following are some guiding principles to help us all be successful:

1) Scientific integrity#

  • Take the extra time to make sure your work is thorough, systematic, and reproducible (see point 3). While it may take more time up front, this advice will save you loads of time (and stress) in the long run when you’re not scrambling to figure out how a piece of code works, how to fix a figure, where a file is stored, etc.

  • Think deeply about your projects. Think through the validity of a hypothesis/method/result and, ideally, try to follow-up on your questions by designing a new experiment or model.

2) Learn to lead#

  • This is specifically in reference to your research projects, education, and career. Ask your questions during one-on-one meetings, lab meetings, seminars, etc. You know better than anyone what you need to make progress.

  • Don’t let the fear of making a “mistake” prevent you from trying something, especially something new and potentially helpful to you in the long run. Besides, we all make mistakes, and no matter how silly they may seem in hindsight, we learn from them and do better the next time. As the late, great Miles Davis said: “It’s not the note you play that’s the wrong note—it’s the note you play afterwards that makes it right or wrong.”

  • Share, and teach, what you know to others.

3) Be a good scientific citizen#

  • Practice open science.

  • Volunteer to give talks, lead journal club discussions, and be a science advocate.

  • Volunteer to be a mentor, especially for programs that target providing more research opportunities for underrepresented groups in STEM.

  • When providing feedback, focus on problem solving rather than critique.

Expectations and Responsibilities#

Principal Investigator: Hyosub Kim#

  • Support everyone in the lab scientifically, professionally, and in the case of graduate and postdoctoral trainees, financially

  • Be available in person and via email or Zoom and have regular meetings to discuss your research and other topics of interest

  • Provide timely feedback on project ideas, conference abstracts, grants, manuscripts

  • Support your career development by introducing you to other researchers, promoting your work, writing recommendation letters, and supporting your attendance at conferences to help you prepare for the next phase of your career

Graduate students#

  • (PhD students) Develop your dissertation research: in order to defend, you should have at least 3 substantial chapters/manuscripts that answer a big picture question

  • (Master’s students) Develop your thesis research: in order to defend, you should have at least 1 substantial chapter/mansucript that answers an important question

  • Prioritize your research – coursework, TA-ships, and extracurricular activities are all important, but your research is what earns you your degree and advances your career

  • Be able to work independently, with guidance from Hyosub

  • Help mentor undergraduates in the lab

  • Present your work regularly at lab meetings, seminars, and conferences

  • Apply for scholarships/grants

  • Maintain human ethics approvals, archive old consent forms, keep any required paperwork up to date and organized

  • Think about what you want for your career and communicate with Hyosub about how to accomplish your goals

Undergraduate students#

  • Assist other lab members with data collection and analysis

  • Assist with recruitment and scheduling of participants

  • Develop your weekly schedule by talking to your graduate student mentor(s) or Hyosub

  • Come in every week and commit enough time to get work done

  • If you are earning course credit, you should also attend lab meetings (as your schedule permits), present at 1 lab meeting, and submit a write-up of your research work by the end of the semester

Acknowledgments#

Thanks to the following people for sharing their helpful thoughts on running a lab: