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LAB CODE OF CONDUCT
The core values of our lab are curiosity, collaboration, and integrity. We are a group that shares a common excitement for science and we support and respect each other. Our lab code of conduct is outlined below:
Be respectful of others. Treat all people inside and outside the lab with respect. Discrimination, harassment, bullying, gossiping or inappropriate sexual behavior of any sort will not be tolerated. Exclusionary comments or jokes, threats or violent language are not acceptable. Do not address others in an angry, intimidating, or demeaning manner. Clean up your work space and communal space. Clean up your messes and properly dispose of your garbage. Treat equipment with respect. If you finish the last of a reagent, make more or order more.
Be supportive. Helping others in the lab, sharing experiences and troubleshooting resources that may be helpful to other members is encouraged. Collaboration within the lab and with other members of the scientific community enriches everyone’s experiences; be open to suggestions and encourage everyone to participate. Remember that you are not in competition with other lab members: each person’s success and the lab’s success are one and the same.
Be safe. Take all appropriate biosafety and chemical safety training courses and follow all safety rules and regulations. Properly dispose of hazardous waste. When working with biohazardous materials, disinfect work space after finishing. If you are unsure about the hazards associated with a particular reagent, procedure or equipment, ask.
Work ethically. All science must be performed to the highest possible standards. Data quality and integrity are essential. Plan your experiments with proper controls. Keep a clear and comprehensive lab notebook. It should be complete enough that anyone in the lab would be able to pick it up and determine what you are doing, how, and why. Remember that negative results are just as important as positive results and assess your own experiments with the same scrutiny as you would assess others. Communication of “failures” is as important, if not more important that communication of successes. Back up all your data and keep your freezer and fridge boxes, paraffin block, primers, etc. well organized so that they can be of use even after you have left the lab.