Contents

  1. Overview
  2. General Expectations
  3. What is Expected from Research Assistants
  4. What is Expected from Research Technicians
  5. What is Expected from Other Associates
  6. What to Expect from the Lab Director
  7. What to Expect from the Lab Manager and Lab Tech

Overview

The NDCLab community relies upon each member to be open, accountable, and respectful. This means that there are certain expectations incumbent upon each member. In addition, the roles of lab director, lab manager, and lab technician have special, ancillary responsibilities to fulfill so that all lab members may count on them to serve the best interests of the lab.

What is Expected from All Lab Members

You are now a lifelong member of the NDCLab and a future lab alumnus/a. The success of each member of the lab (or team of lab members) means the success of the NDCLab as a whole. When one person or group publishes a great paper, it shows anyone else in the lab can do the same. If one lab member is accepted into a top-tier PhD program or lands a dream job in industry, it shows that others can come through the NDCLab and achieve their own lofty goals. With each individual success of the lab, the lab gains prestige and this increases the value of your membership because letters of recommendation from the lab director will carry more weight.

Therefore, membership in the NDCLab is a team effort and all members are expected to fulfill our community standards by:

  • Learning from and with each other.
  • Mentoring and helping one another.
  • Supporting and lifting each other up.
  • Doing our part to create a culture of open communication.
  • Acting professionally and with integrity.
  • Acting with care and being attentive to detail.
  • Being respectful.
  • Being open about our strengths and weaknesses.
  • Owning our own mistakes.
  • Pre-empting potential conflicts through constructive dialogue.
  • Being accountable for the tasks we say we will accomplish, and completing them when we say we will.
  • Being honest and forthcoming about roadblocks or challenges that may cause delays.
  • Communicating quickly, openly, and honestly.
  • Being unafraid to make suggestions and question things we don’t understand.

Dress Code
Members of the NDCLab interact not only with one another, but also with members of the greater FIU community and with the adolescents and families supported by the Center for Children and Families. In all lab-related activities, lab members are expected to wear business casual clothing that would be appropriate for interacting with children and families. Clothing should be modest, clean, free of holes, devoid of sayings/phrases or large logos, and should not contain material that could be considered offensive or obscene. All NDCLab members are also expected to have properly attended to their personal hygeine before attending lab-related activities. If you are uncertain as to what constitutes appropriate attire or hygeine, reach out to the lab manager for additional guidance.

What is Expected from Research Assistants

Research assistants play a pivotal role in the lab’s research. They assist with many aspects of data collection and analysis, such as helping recruit study participants, set-up and run experiments, and code data. All research assistants are expected to be actively interested in the theory behind the lab’s research and therefore to treat their time with the lab as an opportunity to learn about the research process. In addition to project-specific and general lab-related duties, all Miami-based RAs are expected to volunteer at two recruitment events per semester in order to assist in the lab’s ongoing efforts to recruit participant families for future research studies. Senior RAs serve as knowledgeable members of the lab community and often take on the role of project lead for specific research initiatives; this role entails an expectation of leadership and a deeper commitment from the lab director in terms of long-term career support.

Quick List of RA Expectations

  1. Devote an average of 9 hours weekly to data collection, data coding, data analysis, and/or participant recruitment tasks.
  2. Anticipate a three-semester commitment, at a minimum.
  3. Volunteer for two participant recruitment events each semester.
  4. Adhere to the lab’s dress code for all data collection and participant recruitment activities.
  5. Enroll in PSY 4940 for 0 or 3 credits (waived for RAs who are not currently enrolled at FIU).
  6. Establish a specific schedule for the semester when you will be working on lab activities.
  7. Maintain an active presence on Slack to engage with the lab community.

What is Expected from Research Technicians

Research technicians play a vital role in the lab’s research by developing the tools that enable the collection and analysis of high-quality data. All research technicians are expected to be actively interested in the methods used by the lab and to contribute their technical knowledge to the accomplishment of the lab’s objectives for 9 hours weekly.

What is Expected from Other Associates

Other associates, such as graduate student affiliates or high school interns, are expected to contribute to the lab in either an assistantship or technician capacity for 9 hours weekly.

What to Expect from the Lab Director

Lab Level
The lab director commits to:

  • Ensuring that the NDCLab remains a positive, inclusive and supportive environment where we can achieve the dual objectives of the lab.
  • Setting the larger research agenda and priorities for the lab.
  • Ensuring the lab has the people and resources it needs to run smoothly and achieve our goals.
  • Fostering collaboration and communication, and celebrating differences.
  • Communicating the larger context of any given task.
  • Removing roadblocks to execute tasks in line with agreed priorities.
  • Operating honestly and transparently.

Individual Level
For members who remain committed to the lab, you can expect the lab director to remain committed to you for life. He will strive to:

  • Match your strengths and skills to impactful roles and experiences.
  • Recognize your contributions (did someone say “authorship?”).
  • Provide mentorship/connections to help you navigate academia or a non-academic career.
  • Provide direct, one-on-one, theoretical, technical, and practical training where appropriate. (But also: point you in the right direction to facilitate your “learning how to learn.”)
  • Motivate you when you lose sight of the bigger picture. (But also: have frank conversations about the diversity of possible career paths, within and outside academia.)

What to Expect from the Lab Manager and Lab Tech

As support staff for the lab, the lab manager and lab technician are expected, in addition to fulfilling the expectations established for all lab members, to ensure that the lab is well-organized, operating smoothly, and a positive place to do science.