Building a Supportive Research Environment in the Lab
by Haoming You, PhD student, Grubb Lab, CDN, KCL
Introduction
This quote from Stuart Ritchie’s book Science Fictions highlights the often-overlooked role that human factors play in the modern scientific publication system. Upon reading this, I immediately started thinking about how our daily research activities are also a “social” endeavour and how much they influence our scientific careers and shape our scientific qualities. Reflecting on talks and autobiographies from notable scientists, it’s clear how appreciative and grateful they are when discussing the colleagues and mentors who supported them in making great scientific discoveries. Indeed, a major part of our scientific journey involves working closely with others to solve scientific problems, and when issues arise, colleagues are often the first people we turn to for help. In this sense, scientific research is undeniably social.
It is, therefore, crucial to establish a supportive research environment where everyone feels safe to interact, seek help, and collaborate. In such an engaging atmosphere, we can truly work collectively to develop our best science. In this blog, I want to build on Stuart Ritchie’s perspective and discuss how we can create a supportive research environment. I did this through asking people in various labs across my department, the Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, who are at different career points, what does a good research environment mean to them.
What is a supportive environment?
At first glance, this question may seem complex, as different people might have varying answers or perspectives on what constitutes a supportive environment, making it seem like an impossible task. However, this is far from the truth. After discussing this topic with people of various seniority levels in different labs, I found that many individuals share similar views.
Below is a summary of the key elements of a supportive lab environment:
1. People feel comfortable asking for help without fear of judgment.
This is the most common and essential factor in creating a supportive environment, especially for junior scientists (like undergraduate and graduate students). When someone first joins the lab, along with excitement comes a certain amount of fear. New members often hesitate to ask questions or request help, worrying that they’ll waste others' time on something “elementary” or appear unknowledgeable. This fear can hinder their progress, preventing them from learning new skills and draining their passion for research.
Equally important is creating a space where people’s opinions are respected and not judged. Lab members come from diverse backgrounds, which can lead to differences in how they approach or understand a research topic. These differences, however, shouldn’t lead to competition or discrimination but should instead be seen as opportunities for collaboration. Sharing knowledge and experimental wisdom can make the lab more dynamic and naturally foster stronger bonds between members. Additionally, troubleshooting becomes much easier with extra input from lab mates.
2. Fostering collaboration.
Lab work involves much more than reading papers and conducting experiments. For a lab to run smoothly, certain tasks require collective effort. While some of these tasks might seem simple, they can be time-consuming. However, if everyone contributes willingly, these tasks become easier to manage. Moreover, when your colleagues asked for help, try your best to help them. This is an ideal opportunity for you to practice your knowledge. Your colleague can be benefited by having their problem solved, while you consolidate your understanding on the subject through teaching.
3. Building strong mentor-mentee relationships.
Mentorship is a crucial aspect of research life. Regardless of career stage, there is always something to learn from those around you. Before publishing results, we receive training from others on how to conduct experiments, perform analyses, and present our findings. The importance of a healthy, trusting mentor-mentee relationship cannot be overstated in building a supportive research environment.
In the following sections, I’ll discuss ways to foster such an environment.
How to Build a Supportive Environment
1. Effective communication.
Many conflicts and misunderstandings can be avoided through clear and effective communication. One way to achieve this is by being honest and forthright. This builds trust and strengthens relationships within the lab.
2. Engaging with new members and providing appropriate guidance.
For instance, having informal meetings such as coffee chats can help mentors learn more about their mentees’ backgrounds and discuss effective supervisory strategies. During these meetings, mentors can describe what to expect from certain experiments and highlight potential challenges. While discussing expectations might seem too direct, it is an effective form of communication that can prevent future conflicts. Mentees, in turn, can share their level of experience and how they prefer to be mentored.
3. Being proactive in asking for help.
It is completely normal for experiments not to go as planned or for new problems to arise. Before seeking help from a supervisor, it can be helpful to ask yourself:
- What do I think went wrong?
- What have I done to address it?
- How much progress have I made?
- What specific assistance do I need from others?
Solving problems independently is an essential part of the learning process, and many supervisors encourage this as a way to help student build autonomy. However, if you’ve tried everything and are still stuck, don’t hesitate to ask for help. These questions help you communicate the problem effectively to your supervisor, showing that you’ve made an effort rather than simply passing the issue onto others. This also saves your supervisor time by narrowing down the problem and providing context.
4. Creating an open environment for discussion.
For people to speak up—whether to ask questions or address issues with experiments - there needs to be an environment where everyone’s opinions are welcomed and respected. In such a space, people can agree to disagree, and no one feels judged for what they say.
5. Fostering a sense of community through lab social events.
Doing things together as a group can encourage interaction among lab members. This could involve social activities outside the lab, which helps people bond over non-work-related experiences. Alternatively, something simple like having lunch together can facilitate casual conversations and contribute to a more pleasant lab environment
Summary
Creating a supportive research environment is crucial, and it is a collective effort that requires open communication, collaboration, and mutual respect. Every lab member plays a role in building such an environment, and when successful, it can lead to better science and a more fulfilling research experience.
Lastly, I want to thank all my interviewee for their valuable time and perspectives.
About Haoming
Haoming You is a second-year PhD student in Professor Matthew Grubb’s lab, studying cellular circuits in the olfactory bulb at the Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King’s College London.
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