"To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly... " Micah 6:8

The lab operates based on three major principles, listed in order of priority. In case of conflicts, it is important to adhere to the principle with a higher order. When joining the lab, please review this manual and feel free to approach Frank if you have any questions.

• Integrity (to act justly):

Uphold the highest standards of research integrity. Fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism in any form or circumstance are completely unacceptable.

• Care and support for one another (to love mercy):

If you are facing challenges, don't hesitate to reach out. The lab is committed to the well-being of all its members. We work as a team, without hierarchical distinctions. All lab members, including Frank, are expected to collaborate, assist, and serve one another to achieve our common goals. In the event of tension or hostility within the lab, immediate action must be taken. Disrespect or rudeness will not be tolerated. If you feel uncomfortable confronting the person involved, please inform Frank.

• Work ethics (to walk humbly):

Lab members should demonstrate responsiveness and proactivity in their lab duties, which include teaching, data analysis services, and collaborations. 

Lab members are encouraged NOT to work overtime or during weekends or holidays unless necessary due to deadlines. 

• Lab activities:

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Fiber Tractography has transitioned to a fully remote work model. Each member will manage their own schedule and report to Frank on a weekly basis.

Our lab operates on the principle of teamwork, with responsibilities allocated based on the expertise and skill sets of each member. For example, Frank may provide valuable data analysis support for students, ensuring that everyone has the necessary resources and guidance to succeed in their research.

The fiber tractography lab often collaborates with many research groups and hosts regular workshops teaching researchers around the world. Frank will dispatch work items, and all lab members will work together to provide the service and teaching responsibilities. The exact duty will be discussed to fit the lab member's training, interest, and schedule.

We still maintain a physical office at Scaife Hall 9F for any necessary in-person activities or collaborative work.

• Lab meetings:

There is no regular group meeting in the Fiber Tractography lab.

In place of regular group meetings, the lab has embraced one-on-one meetings for mentoring and guidance. Frank is committed to one hour of his time every Friday for individual mentoring sessions with each lab member. The post-doc may have meetings with students to carry out projects. These one-on-one sessions provide a valuable opportunity for personalized support, allowing us to address specific challenges and nurture individual growth. 

We understand the importance of flexibility in our approach. While the scheduled one-on-one mentoring sessions are available, Frank is open to adjusting the frequency or duration of meetings based on the needs and preferences of each lab member. In fact, if everything is progressing smoothly and there are no pressing concerns, Frank prefers to forego the meeting altogether. 

The Lab recognizes the importance of collaboration and encourages members to proactively engage in discussions and meetings with one another. These collaborative interactions stimulate the exchange of ideas, promote knowledge sharing, and strengthen the sense of camaraderie within the lab. By embracing a flexible and personalized approach to meetings and mentoring, the lab strives to create an environment that maximizes productivity, supports individual growth, and fosters strong collaborations among lab members.

Principal Investigator

• Support your career development by introducing you to other researchers in the field, promoting your work at talks, writing recommendation letters for you, and letting you attend conferences as often as finances permit. If there is a better opportunity elsewhere, I will encourage you to pursue it for your career development instead of keeping you in the lab.

• Care for your emotional and physical well-being

• Give you feedback on a timely basis, including feedback on project ideas, conference posters, talks, manuscripts, figures, grants

• Be available through zoom meetings and via e-mail on a regular basis to discuss your research (and anything else you’d like to discuss)

• Give my perspective on where the lab is going, where the field is going, and tips about surviving and thriving in academia

Research Assistant/Scientist

Expectations

• Keep a list of the to-do list and continuously working on and updating it.

Responsibilities

Frank may dispatch the following activities on a need basis.

• Teach, train, and mentor students in the lab when they need it – either because they ask, or because I ask you to.

• Assist grant writing.

• Assist other lab members when they need your guidance or help.

Post-doc

Expectations

• Develop your independent line of research by looking for topics, conducting research, and publishing papers.

• Define, update, and pursue short-term and long-term goals in academia. 

Other optional activities (highly recommended)

• Take workshops about career development and grant writing.

• Applying for grants.

Responsibilities

Frank may dispatch the following activities on a need basis.

• Teach, train, and mentor students in the lab when they need it – either because they ask, or because I ask you to.

• Participate in lab's grant writing.

• Assist other lab members when they need your guidance or help.

Graduate Student

Expectations

• Complete coursework and TA duties

• Keep track of graduation requirements, deadlines, and schedules, and make sure Frank is aware of them!

• Make continuous progress in research. Your dissertation should have at least 3 substantial experiments/subjects that answer a big-picture question that you have. Much of your work has to be done independently, but remember that others in the lab are there to help you when you need it.

• Think about what you want for your career (academia – research or teaching, industry, science writing, something else), and talk to Frank about it frequently to make sure you’re getting the training you need for that career.

Responsibilities

• Assist other lab members when they need your help.

Visiting Scholars/Students

• Develop your own independent line of research

• Assist other lab members with data collection and analysis (unless you are working on your own independent project under the mentorship of another lab member, in which case you should work on that)

• Develop your weekly schedule by talking to your graduate student mentor or your post-doc mentor. You should be coming in every week, and scheduling enough time to get your work done

• If you are earning course credit for research, you must also attend lab meetings when your schedule permits, present at one of these lab meetings, and submit a write-up of your research by the end of the semester