Lab Manager Magazine^®

We’ve all done it. Either in a rush, under pressure, or trying to save money, we’ve gambled with our safety. Opting not to wear the bike helmet for a quick ride around town; skipping the sunscreen since it’s really not that sunny; not flossing, despite the dental hygienist’s threats and pleas. While these examples are fairly trivial and affect only oneself, other safety gambles have much more serious consequences.

The question I posed to my children when they were risk-taking adolescents, “What do you win when you win? What do you lose when you lose?” is the same question lab managers need to ask themselves everyday when they consider their safety practices. And based on this month’s cover story as well as the results of our 2013 Lab Safety Survey, the time for asking that question is now.

This month author and safety expert Vince McLeod describes three recent headline-making industrial accidents and examines the organizational and technical failures behind them. Regarding the recent West Chemical and Fertilizer Company disaster, McLeod asks, “How much would it have cost to write a safety plan, prepare a true and complete emergency response plan, and conduct a risk assessment? Would these have prevented the disaster? Maybe, maybe not, but surely they would have helped lessen the severity.” Most troubling is McLeod’s suggestion that such failures are increasing. “Too often we are seeing similar failures or safety-averse decisions in recent times. And the disasters are not only increasing in numbers but becoming more serious,” he says.

Supporting his observation are the results of this year’s Lab Safety Survey, in which we found across the board declines in lab safety practices throughout all types of labs—academic, medical, industrial, and government. Turn to page 16 for the particulars.

In addition to lab safety, our June issue focuses attention on two other important aspects of lab management, namely onboarding and negotiating salaries. In “Effective Laboratory Onboarding,” (page 28) author Bernard Tulsi discusses the increased attention being given to the onboarding process as a way to retain your best employees. “The most urgent corporate goal now is to use onboarding as an effective employee retention tool. To accomplish this, onboarding must be perceived as an ‘ongoing conversation’ and not just a week or two of front-end induction and orientation.” He also makes the case that lab managers need to focus as much on their relationships with employees as they do on their technical ability, especially with regard to the next generation. “From a new employee standpoint, the incoming generation of new technicians in labs want an environment that is more interactive, conversational, and informal, so that they can have a voice that management must respond to.” Additional tips and insights into the onboarding process can be found in Mark Lanfear’s Science Matters column on page 26.

As for negotiating salaries—always a difficult and sometimes confusing part of the hiring process— turn to Allison Kerska’s article on page 20 in which she demystifies the process with information about the new global workforce. “First and foremost, as the world has morphed into a truly global, connected economy, we’ve seen that salaries do not exist in vacuums anymore. They involve real people, demonstrated skills, supply and demand, and a whole host of other highly nuanced factors.”

Technology news this month covers INSIGHTS on laboratory data systems and product focuses on LIMS, fume hoods, HPLC systems, particle sizing and chromatography data systems. If you’re in the market for any of those technologies, check out the appropriate pages for the latest product trends and developments

In the meantime, here’s to safety!

How we communicate with those we work for and those who work for us is dictated by a variety of factors. Your boss prefers weekly face-to-face meetings, you prefer brief emails, others on your team favor long-winded phone conversations, while your newly hired college grads are happiest texting. Despite the many new channels available for getting your message across, all are not created equal when it comes to the communication challenges you and your organization face. The takeaway from this month’s cover story is that choosing the appropriate communication technique and medium should not be left to chance. Rather, a lab manager needs to carefully assess every situation, every business goal, every team, and every individual to determine the most effective ways of communicating. “Telephones, email, and social technology modalities have their rightful place in labs as a quick and easy means of conveying and/or broadcasting information, but managers who use these methods to the point of minimizing or excluding real-time person-to-person communication on a reasonably consistent basis should not be surprised if levels of staff motivation and trust start to flag.”

A similar message is echoed in this month’s Ask the Expert article in which expert Angelo Filosa, discussing how to optimize his lab’s service program, says, “In the first year we had meetings at the end of every week and quarterly calls with the vendor to evaluate how the program was going. Slowly we cut back to meetings every two weeks and then to once a month as we got used to each other. You need communication for it to work.”

The theme of communication shows up yet again in this month’s Leadership & Staffing article on managing disruptive employees. In that, author Ron Pickett describes the unhappy situation in which a former peer begins to behave in unreliable and counterproductive ways after you have taken a leadership position. Along with many good and creative suggestions for handling this, one key bit of advice is, “Assume that the cause is faulty communication or a ‘personality conflict,’ but don’t assume that for long! Take extra precautions to clarify your expectations, and check to ensure that your message is being received correctly.”

Other important articles this month that don’t have to do with communication include “Continuous Improvement” (page 18), a case study that demonstrates the obvious and not-so-obvious benefits of implementing an electronic data management system. Another, “Managing R&D Data in a Virtual World,” (page 28) describes changes in the life science industry that have prompted the need for data driven collaboration and the technology that is making that possible. “Despite the obvious hurdles, there is no reason why ‘virtual R&D’ shouldn’t improve significantly on the internally focused processes of the past. We are seeing more advanced organizations implementing structured metadata tagging, controlled at the enterprise level, that delivers the security control and auditability required for full virtual collaboration.”

Finally, if your lab is in the market for a microscopy or imaging system, turn to this month’s INSIGHTS article (page 56), which provides a comprehensive overview of developments in this important area as well as what you should consider when making that purchase.

We recently sent out surveys on laboratory etiquette and lab safety practices. Thank you in advance if you participated, as that will provide good information on these important topics for upcoming issues.

Best,
Pamela Ahlberg
Editor-in-Chief

It’s the week before Easter, but outside my window there are still patches of snow on the ground. To which I say, enough already! Bring on Spring and make it snappy.

If your thoughts, like mine, have turned to things green, you’ve come to the right place. This month we look at improvements in energy efficient laboratory equipment design and processes. From greener manufacturing to a reduction in the use of certain consumables, you may be pleasantly surprised by recent developments. In addition to sustainability benefits, some of these improvements may also increase the “green” in your wallet.

In “Energy Improvements,” a separate article on the same topic, we look at a wide range of solutions for improving a lab’s energy usage. While some, such as turning off or turning down equipment, you may already practice, there are others worth reviewing. Turn to page 28 for a quick refresher course.

And if by chance you are involved in a new lab design project or retrofit, the article on page 32 discusses the important role that laboratory exhaust systems play in improving energy efficiency. “Laboratories can reduce energy use significantly by optimizing their exhaust systems, with the use of modern technologies such as VAV controls, airflow and contaminant sensors, and building automation systems that can adjust airflow for actual conditions.”

In addition to all this green, this month we address the non-environmental problem of micromanaging. Turn to page 24 to find out what drives the typical micromanager, how to avoid his or her stultifying effect, and whether you yourself may have earned that title. We also cover the critically important matter of evaluating, sourcing and purchasing the best and most useful equipment for your lab. More than simply getting the best price, author Bernard Tulsi explores the myriad of other factors that go into the process. “[Price] is important, but it is not necessarily the largest part of the total cost over the entire life cycle. You have to look at the service and support the vendor offers, the cost of service contracts, and what your uptime and downtime is going to be on the equipment.”

If your current purchasing plans include a mass spectrometer, you have again come to the right place. This month’s INSIGHTS covers every aspect of evaluating and ultimately buying the best mass spectrometer for your research needs. Turn to page 72 to find out the latest trends in the technology, maintenance and sample prep requirements, its role in life science research and as a detector, and finally candid insights from current MS expert users. Once read, you will be in a much better position to make that important purchase.

In March the staff of Lab Manager, as well as our sister publications, attended Pittcon 2013— held for the first time in Philadelphia. In addition to the technical and educational offerings, the expo floor featured 1,011 exhibitors showcasing the latest instrumentation and technology used in laboratory science. In next month’s issue we will highlight the technologies we learned about at this year’s conference.

Happy Spring.

The good news from this year’s confidence report is that the laboratory industry, by and large, is moving in the right direction—forward—though in slightly smaller steps than we would have hoped. But as author Angelo DePalma writes in this month’s cover story, “Steady as She Goes,” “Survival is not a dirty word in a world recovering from catastrophic financial shenanigans, and toward that end treading water is not such a terrible strategy.” If you didn’t participate in this year’s survey, let me know if these results are in line with your own feeling of confidence as you head into 2013.

Managing relationships can be challenging, especially if those relationships affect business outcomes. One particularly complex and potentially vexing relationship is that between a lab manager and his or her equipment vendors. In “The Procurement Dilemma,” author Key Kidder explains that, unlike in the past when buyers generally called the shots, a new paradigm has emerged that is less adversarial and more mutually beneficial. “As lab managers and suppliers work together and deliver on what’s promised, trust builds and the quality of their information sharing improves, enhancing performance.” Turn to page 20 to find out more.

Relationships among coworkers can also be difficult at times, with most managers believing it is their job to maintain peace in the kingdom by squelching any and all conflicts. However, this month’s Lab Manager Academy article, “Resolving Conflict in the Workplace,” takes the opposite tack. Author and speaker Michael Soon Lee says, “Successful organizations embrace conflict as an inevitable product of diverse human beings working together. Smart leaders encourage differences of opinions and work styles as a way to increase creativity.” This month’s Leadership & Staffing article, “Motivate Your Lab,” looks at the most challenging issue facing every manager, which is how to get the most out of your team without micromanaging them. Turn to page 34 to learn about some “recent research on keeping people motivated [that] is providing new explanations for some old tenets of good management.”

For the past five years, the March issue of Lab Manager Magazine has provided a preview of the technologies being introduced at that year’s Pittsburgh Conference. This year is no different. Turn to page 88 for a sampling of the equipment, software, services and consumables you will be seeing later this month in Philadelphia. When you’re at the show, please be sure to sign up for this year’s Lab Manager Bootcamp, “Nonverbal Communication: The Hidden Message,” on Tuesday, March 19th from 1 to 5 p.m. Also, please stop by the Lab Manager booth (# 3639) to say hello.

On a separate and sad note, in late January, we lost a very dear friend to the magazine— John K. Borchardt. His knowledge of both science and laboratory management was immense and his indomitable spirit remarkable. We will miss him very much.

Correction: On page 50 of the January/February issue, we mistakenly described the features of Sartorius’ Secura® line of analytical and top-loading balances. Instead of “one-touch level control,” that line features LevelControl, a visual display for guidance to level the balance.

Perhaps you’ve made your usual New Year’s resolutions: Get to the gym more often, be a better friend, eat more fruits and vegetables, for which I commend you. However, if you’re looking to make resolutions that will have a direct impact on your job performance and career development, you’ve come to the right place.

Resolution #1 – Expand your focus. This month’s cover story outlines the necessary mindset changes required to move higher up your organization’s management ladder, the most important of which is to gain a larger perspective. “Lab managers need to expand their focus from internal matters and company politics in order to develop an externally informed perspective on business opportunities and challenges,” author John Borchardt tells us.

Resolution #2 – Mentor more. This month’s Leadership & Staffing article looks at the lack of good mentoring programs in most labs today and argues that this is a dangerous shortcoming. “One of the points of differentiation between labs that have survived and grown and those that have disappeared or been absorbed by larger organizations was the way they treated their people. Valuing, training, and mentoring the people who work in our labs is of critical value,” says Martin Mitchell, managing director, Certified Laboratories, Inc. (Plainview, NY). Driving that message home is Rebecca Pfundheller, president and CEO of Analytical Food Laboratories (Grand Prairie, TX) in this month’s Perspective On article, in which she says, “One of my favorite parts is working with the employees and seeing them grow and helping them. I like to help their growth and their motivation because, in turn, they help the company and everything, so it gives back tremendously.”

Resolution #3 – Create partnerships. Whether it is with your equipment vendors or your IT team, success in those relationships depends on how effectively you develop partnerships. Mark Lanfear in this month’s Science Matters article says, “In the economic crunch of the current global marketplace, the potential benefits of treating a vendor like a true partner and selecting the right one can be a make-or-break scenario, as all companies are realizing that the world of work has changed and strategic partnership planning is a must.” As for your IT department, author Joe Liscouski echoes the same message: “Informatics and computer-controlled systems are going to play an increasingly important role in lab work, and those tools are going to become more powerful, capable, and complex. For those tools to work properly, the underlying pieces need to function; and that, in part, is a role that IT groups provide. The smart choice is to develop an effective partnership that is mutually beneficial and synergistic. That requires planning and thought.”

While the benefits of these three resolutions won’t show on your scale or waistline, they just might improve your work life and advance your career in important ways.

Beginning with this issue, we are bringing our INSIGHTS supplement within the pages of the magazine. This month author Angelo DePalma tackles the very important topic of sample preparation, calling it “a tedious, time-consuming task but a necessary part of nearly every analytical workflow, regardless of industry or laboratory type.” Turn to page 65 to find out everything you need to know when making your next sample prep equipment purchase.

Happy New Year!

Perhaps you’ve made your usual New Year’s resolutions: Get to the gym more often, be a better friend, eat more fruits and vegetables, for which I commend you. However, if you’re looking to make resolutions that will have a direct impact on your job performance and career development, you’ve come to the right place.

Resolution #1 – Expand your focus. This month’s cover story outlines the necessary mindset changes required to move higher up your organization’s management ladder, the most important of which is to gain a larger perspective. “Lab managers need to expand their focus from internal matters and company politics in order to develop an externally informed perspective on business opportunities and challenges,” author John Borchardt tells us.

Resolution #2 – Mentor more. This month’s Leadership & Staffing article looks at the lack of good mentoring programs in most labs today and argues that this is a dangerous shortcoming. “One of the points of differentiation between labs that have survived and grown and those that have disappeared or been absorbed by larger organizations was the way they treated their people. Valuing, training, and mentoring the people who work in our labs is of critical value,” says Martin Mitchell, managing director, Certified Laboratories, Inc. (Plainview, NY). Driving that message home is Rebecca Pfundheller, president and CEO of Analytical Food Laboratories (Grand Prairie, TX) in this month’s Perspective On article, in which she says, “One of my favorite parts is working with the employees and seeing them grow and helping them. I like to help their growth and their motivation because, in turn, they help the company and everything, so it gives back tremendously.”

Resolution #3 – Create partnerships. Whether it is with your equipment vendors or your IT team, success in those relationships depends on how effectively you develop partnerships. Mark Lanfear in this month’s Science Matters article says, “In the economic crunch of the current global marketplace, the potential benefits of treating a vendor like a true partner and selecting the right one can be a make-or-break scenario, as all companies are realizing that the world of work has changed and strategic partnership planning is a must.” As for your IT department, author Joe Liscouski echoes the same message: “Informatics and computer-controlled systems are going to play an increasingly important role in lab work, and those tools are going to become more powerful, capable, and complex. For those tools to work properly, the underlying pieces need to function; and that, in part, is a role that IT groups provide. The smart choice is to develop an effective partnership that is mutually beneficial and synergistic. That requires planning and thought.”

While the benefits of these three resolutions won’t show on your scale or waistline, they just might improve your work life and advance your career in important ways.

Beginning with this issue, we are bringing our INSIGHTS supplement within the pages of the magazine. This month author Angelo DePalma tackles the very important topic of sample preparation, calling it “a tedious, time-consuming task but a necessary part of nearly every analytical workflow, regardless of industry or laboratory type.” Turn to page 65 to find out everything you need to know when making your next sample prep equipment purchase.

Happy New Year!

“What we’ve got here is failure to communicate”*

Talking to your staff, your customers, and to upper management is common sense, natural and instinctive, right? Think again. “Effective communication requires thought and constant effort.” So says John Borchardt in this month’s cover story, which revisits the oft-covered and always important topic of effective communication with some fresh insights and new approaches. That importance is echoed loudly in “Perspective On: An Academic Clinical Lab” (page 68), in which Lisa Wright, QC and regulatory specialist as well as lab manager at Indiana University School of Medicine, discusses the need to communicate effectively with “current and future clients regarding laboratory processes,” with staff members in order to “keep the flow of work moving,” and with “clientele to ensure that accurate results are given in a timely manner.” She does that with an awareness of each unique relationship and the intended purpose, which certainly requires thoughtfulness and effort.

Inefficient processes? Outdated procedures? Inexperienced analysts? Turn to this month’s Management article, “Investing to Save” (page 18) to learn how certain return on investment ROI) calculations can help you decide which investments are best for your lab. The same need for smart financial focus and calculation is reiterated in this month’s Technology & Operations article, “It’s All in the Planning” (page 38), which discusses laboratory layout as another way to improve efficiencies. “Optimizing the space for efficiency of the experimental or technical process can yield increased ROI. For that reason, lab design is essential to improved process management.”

And if laboratory design and layout are important topics to you, please take a look at this month’s 22-page INSIGHTS supplement that covers everything from what to expect when planning a new design or retrofit, to trends, to energy consideration, plus expert feedback from those actively involved in the design process. “Develop a good working team, and develop it early on,” says expert Arthur Brings.

For more expert advice, turn to page 46 to find out what Dr. Amanda Capes-Davis, independent cell culture consultant and Founding Manager of CellBank Australia, has to share when it comes to setting up a cell culture lab. For example, “When you are choosing equipment for a new lab, you have to remember that you are going to be living with those choices for years. So you want to have things that can be cleaned easily and you should know where to get them serviced or calibrated if there is a problem.” She also says, “All labs should think about having an emergency power supply to run fridges and freezers that contain irreplaceable samples,” which brings us to Sandy.

For those of you in the northeast U.S. who may have been affected by last month’s “super storm,” please let me know what, if any, impact it had on your facility, staff, or research. Were you prepared? What would you do different in terms of planning for such an event going forward? In our January/February issue, we plan to include an article on preparing your lab for power failure and into 2013 focus considerably more attention to this new area of concern. For myself, eight days without heat, electricity or hot water was certainly a wakeup call to better preparedness. I’m sure I’m not alone.

Whether effected by Sandy or not, I hope you are well, warm and looking forward to a joyful holiday season.

* A quote from the 1967 film, Cool Hand Luke.

In this month’s cover story, author John Borchardt describes the changes that have taken place since 2008 in priorities for hiring new laboratory employees. Most significant is that today’s employers, rather than hiring newly graduated scientists and allowing them the time to master the required skills, “expect new hires to begin making meaningful contributions almost immediately.” The reason is that the time and training required to get that new graduate up to speed are luxuries that most cannot afford. “In 1979 young workers received an average of two and a half weeks of training. By contrast, a study last year by the consulting firm Accenture found that only 21 percent of the employees surveyed had received any training at all in the past five years,” says Borchardt. The same trend is reflected in this month’s Salary & Job Satisfaction survey, in which 10 percent fewer respondents said their companies provided training.

For these reasons, “A seasoned candidate who brings a wide variety of skills and experience to the table is going to have an advantage over younger candidates,” says Borchardt. A sentiment likewise echoed in our Salary Survey, in which one percent of this year’s respondents were under 25, while 29 percent were older than 55, “indicating that the baby boomer bulge remains alive and well in today’s lab.”

But lab managers still need ways to identify and retain the best and brightest employees for their labs, be they newbies or veterans. For that, our cover story offers an array of strategies, key among them is to provide a workplace that cultivates and manages talent. As Mark Lanfear tells us in his Science Matters column (page 18), “Building an environment where your talent resources feel they are valued will not only build your credibility as an employer but will also serve to attract top talent when it becomes available.”

Whether looking to hire or be hired, there is good and hopeful advice to be found in this month’s Management article, “Career Counseling,” in which the author identifies six key competencies everyone needs in order to roll successfully with career punches and changes, the first one being: Always have a Plan B. Turn to page 24 to find out what the other five are.

As for technology, this month’s issue presents trends in HPLC columns, IT for gene sequencing, mass spec, UV-Vis spec, and vacuum pumps. But if yours is a cell culture lab, our INSIGHTS supplement this month explains all aspects of this burgeoning area. “Although cell culture is more than 100 years old, it has only been applied to the manufacture of biological drugs for about 25 years. Today mammalian cell culture is the workhorse production platform for most of biotech’s protein therapeutics and increasingly for cell- and virus-based vaccines,” says author Angelo DePalma. This removable supplement, which covers workflows and facilities, equipment, cell culture media, and contamination, will be a welcomed resource for anyone working in this field.

Separate from INSIGHTS, but cell culture-related, is our Technology & Operations article, “Preventing Cell Death” (page 38), which describes an ultrapure water system that lowers endotoxin levels below the limits necessary to propagate cell lines or cell cultures.

Whether running a cell culture lab, hiring new employees for any kind of lab, looking to advance your career, or purchasing equipment, we’ve got you covered.

Driving back to my office today, I heard an interview on NPR with Lisa Randall, Professor of Physics at Harvard University. She was there to talk about new discoveries in the field of physics, including new evidence for the existence of the Higgs boson. In the context of her discussion she said, “I think it’s fairly widely known by now that the World Wide Web was developed at CERN ... and that was awhile ago.”

Twenty-one years ago to be precise. And why did CERN develop it? “To get experimenters in different countries to be able to talk to each other as if they were in the same room.”

While the need for trans-global collaboration was obvious in 1991, the reluctance of the scientific community to embrace the social media aspects of the Internet for that same purpose seems curious. As recently at last April, we were asking the question: “Are laboratory professionals ready to take advantage of [social media’s] new communication tools?” The answer then was uncertain. However, this month’s cover story answers with a resounding “yes.”

“Social technologies have become a means of exchanging information among a network of peers in scientific and lab contexts. The dissemination of interesting research findings or controversial studies will increasingly flow through social media channels. That’s not up for debate. It’s just a fact,” says Dietram Scheufele, professor and director of graduate studies for life sciences communication at the University of Wisconsin.

Mark Lanfear in this month’s “Science Matters,” (page 34) says, “However your business ends up using social media in the sciences, just know that the trend is not likely to wane. If you can get a grip on it now and explore how you can use it to your advantage, you’ll already be well on your way to succeeding in the scientific workplace of the future.”

In “No Boundaries,” (page 16) John Borchardt echoes the same sentiment as it pertains to managing global teams: “Some managers view social media such as Facebook and Twitter as time-wasting distractions. However, they can offer advantages for global collaboration because they create a sense of community. Social media offer a new style of collaboration through profiles, status updates, groups, feeds, lists, and filters.”

Borchardt also stresses good communication practices when it comes to managing a global research enterprise, reminding managers to “use some of the same principles as employed in effective listening but do so in writing. The most important principles include asking open-ended questions and restating what another person wrote in order to clarify understanding.”

And speaking of communication, in his article, “Talk the Talk,” Ron Pickett provides some unique and somewhat counter-intuitive advice for communicating effectively with your staff. One topic is how a manager should deal with work/friend relationships. “Building the work/friend relationship and making it work is one of the most difficult issues managers face. It begins when you first take on the responsibilities of leadership and it never goes away.” Turn to page 24 to learn more.

Whether you are interested in purchasing new or upgrading your current LIMS or ELN, you would be wise to read this month’s INSIGHTS supplement, which takes an in-depth look at laboratory data management systems. From trends in the technology, to maintenance and upgrade considerations, to honest insights for end-users, there is a wealth of information to help you make the very best purchasing decision.

The northern short-tailed shrew. Wikimedia Commons, Gilles Gonthier

A company in the eastern Canadian province of New Brunswick has uncovered a possible cure for cancer in the venom of the northern short-tailed shrew.

However, because the company – Soricimed Biopharma – is connected to a university that doesn't have a big name for itself in medical research and is also located in a very small town, it faces unique challenges in getting the money it needs to continue to develop the cure.

Learn more about the company and its research in the Toronto Star article here.

It’s been a while since our last INSIGHTS supplement, but never fear, this feature is still alive and well at Lab Manager Magazine with the next issue set for Septem - ber 2012. September’s INSIGHTS will focus on data management systems, providing all you need to know about selecting the right system for your specific lab and research goals. You’ll learn about the latest trends in LIMS, ELNS, and integrated management systems and the many different features you’ll want to consider when you’re buying any one of these systems. Like our past INSIGHTS supplements, Septem - ber’s will include a section on how data management systems can affect a lab’ s bottom line and a Q & A with data management system end-users in which they will discuss the specific systems they use and what works best for them. If your lab has been wondering if it’s worth it to invest in an ELN, LIMS or other data management system, the September 2012 INSIGHTS will help you make that decision.

Last month we provided important and practical information about project management techniques and their usefulness in laboratory management. This month we turn our attention to a different management challenge that becomes more commonplace every day in every industry—global management. As Key Kidder writes in this month’s cover story, “Conventional [management] strategies that worked well enough when collaborators were down the hallway lose their efficacy in this greater global arrangement.” And, according to Dr. Nicholas Steneck, director of the Research Ethics and Integrity Program of the Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research, “Training in the U.S. tends to focus heavily on the content and method of the science, not on how to manage a project responsibly.” But fear not; the article goes on to provide a comprehensive checklist of what to do and not to do when managing the cultural, national, and communication issues that come with global collaborations. Something clearly worth the effort, as Alan Edwards reiterates in his Science Matters column this month: “Largely because of the vast amount of knowledge sharing that has occurred as a result of the Internet and cross-collaboration, life sciences companies both large and small quite frankly would be limiting themselves if they didn’t explore how partnering with people around the globe could add value to their projects and, ultimately, their businesses.”

Introduced last month with an article on cloud computing, our new editorial section, “Computing & Automation” this month covers the topic of Enterprise Resource Planning. While ERP systems traditionally focus on the administrative and managerial functions needed to run businesses, they have begun to find application within research organizations. “The utility of ERP systems in the laboratory may be facilitated or even enhanced when they are integrated with laboratory information management systems (LIMSs) in a way that harmonizes the lab’s internal and external business processes,” says author Bernard Tulsi. However, challenges remain, particularly in terms of quality, security, and compatibility of systems. Turn to page 26 to learn more.

“Field instruments have been around for decades, but advances in computing and electronics miniaturization have spawned a new generation of instruments that are more approachable, smaller, and lower in cost,” says Angelo DePalma in this month’s Technology & Operations article, “Field-Worthy Instrumentation.” (page 32) While not appropriate for every lab, this burgeoning technology now allows Raman and XRF spectrometers, quadrupole MS and GC-MS systems, and FTIR gas analyzers out of the lab and into the field. The article discusses the breakthroughs behind these ever-smaller devices, new applications, and their various strengths and weaknesses.

In September 2012, the Institute for Laboratory Automation and Lab Manager Magazine will offer a series of webinars under the heading “Lab Automation Is Inevitable: Are You Ready?” as part of the Lab Automation University program. Turn to page 30 for details and sign up information.

And, if you’re in the market for an ultrapure water purification system, check out this month’s Ask the Expert column on page 40 where, with the help of two different experts, you can get good information on what to consider when making this important purchase.

Happy reading

According to PMI (the Project Management Institute), project management is the application of knowledge, skills and techniques to execute projects effectively and efficiently. It is a strategic competency for organizations, enabling them to tie project results to business goals—and thus, better compete in their markets.” While it might not be a lab manager’s distinct profession, basic project management skills and techniques certainly find application in most modern research facilities. If you manage one of those facilities, turn to page 22 for John Borchardt’s five rules for successful project management. As with so many other management tasks, it is no surprise that communication is the critical component.

The importance of sound project management practices in the lab is echoed in this month’s “Science Matters” column (page 20), in which Alan Edwards tells us, “When a lab can effectively adopt a work project model, it is embracing a spirit of teamwork and already a step ahead in adapting to the new business reality of the sciences.”

In addition to management skills, making the right buying decisions is equally important in running a lab. For that we provide product focus reports this month on centrifuges, PCR reagents, freeze dryers and electronic lab notebooks. Complementing the ELN report is this month’s “Ask the Expert” column (page 40), in which Tanuja Koppal talks to two scientists—one from pharma and the other from academia—about their experiences transitioning from paper to ELNs. Issues such as ease of use, customization, integration, and security are all discussed by these steely-eyed end users. In addition, this month’s Technology & Operations piece, “Building Transparency—A Top-Down View” (page 36), discusses a real-world project designed to gain efficiencies through the integration of electronic laboratory notebook (ELN) systems.

Another important technology that is having or will have an impact on scientific efficiency and productivity is cloud computing. In this month’s feature, “Concerning the Cloud,” author Mike Weaver says that the true disruptive technology that is emerging from the cloud is data—lots of it and that this Big Data is the offspring of the cloud’s main advantage: collaboration. “The collaborative potential in the cloud has woven together relationships like nothing the world has ever seen, expelling an hourly exhaust of terabits of data. Big Data may be defined as the analytical crunching of this massive amount of data into meaningful business productivity. The result: a true competitive edge,” says Weaver.

Integrated ELNs, cloud computing, ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), Big Data, and high performance computing are the kinds of topics we plan to cover more thoroughly for the remainder of this year and next, when we launch an editorial section devoted exclusively to important scientific computing and lab automation topics.

Speaking of future editorial topics, we are currently at work on our 2013 editorial calendar and are very grateful to those of you who recently participated in our Readership Survey. Your comments and suggestions will help us identify topics of interest that matter most to readers. So thank you very much for that important feedback. For those who did not participate in the survey, feel free to send any and all suggestions to me directly (pam@labmanager.com).

We hope you find this month’s cover story about OSHA’s new Hazard Communication standard timely and useful as you set about to prepare your lab accordingly. Fortunately, you have some time, but best not to procrastinate too long.

Cheers

Some expect the mobile apps market to quadruple over the next four years, from $6.8 billion to $25 billion. Others forecast revenues at $29.5 billion by 2013, increasing from $7 billion in 2010. And still others have projected that by 2014 the revenues generated by apps sales globally will hit $35 billion. No matter who’s exactly right, it’s safe to say that apps are certainly on a growth trajectory. This month’s cover story looks at the types of mobile apps that are making their way into the laboratory. While we sample just a few, “it seems inevitable that the use of versatile compact software apps will continue to grow as their value becomes more evident and entrenched, indeed more indispensible,” says author Bernard Tulsi. If you use other apps in your lab, please let us know which ones and for what. We would like to continue tracking this exciting trend to see how it changes things in your laboratory.

Many think of an automated lab as consisting of large, complex robotic systems carrying out myriad streamlined analytical processes at amazing speeds. However, sometimes that image is not only wrong, but also inappropriate for any number of analytical tasks. This month’s Lab Automation article, “Modular and Flexible,” describes a simple modular automated system that employs three microplate-based instruments linked with a plate mover to shuttle microplates as required for the ELISA process. Advantages of such a system include increased throughput, maximum instrument usage, better operations monitoring, and safety and space efficiency. Turn to page to 26 to learn more.

In this month’s Lab Management article, “Got Ethics?,” author Tambra Thomas stresses the importance of laboratory ethics and data integrity programs. She argues that such programs, which emphasize and support sound ethics, improve data integrity and data quality, which in turn improves “trust from the laboratories’ customers, regulatory agencies, and fellow coworkers and management team.” Turn to page 22 to discover some ways that your lab can build and flex its ethical muscle.

As many of you may know firsthand, selecting, implementing, and running a new LIMS is fraught with challenges and unknowns. Vendors promise the moon, but in the end will the LIMS do what you want it to do and change when you want it to change? This month’s Product Focus on LIMS (page 70), as well a case study describing such a real world LIMS-selection scenario, may provide some guidance in your decision-making process. In “Faster Turnaround Means Happier Customers,” the end-user was looking to get better insight into all aspects of his processes. “With data easy to find, we’ll be able to see where our bottlenecks are, which will make my job easier, which will make data go out faster,” he said. Turn to page 40 to find out how things turned out.

This month we feature our third INSIGHTS supplement, focused on automated liquid handling systems. If you’re in the market for an ALH, I encourage you to take a look at this very in-depth study of the trends, the business pros and cons of investing in such a system, what you need to know once you’ve installed an ALH in your lab, and candid feedback from end-users who have gone down the same path. Forewarned is forearmed.

Lastly, for a snapshot of this year’s Pittcon product highlights and award winners, turn to page 90.

Here in my neck of the woods in Northwestern New Jersey, spring arrived weeks ago, which the early and abundant forsythia flowers outside my office window testify to. No guarantee, however, that we won’t see snow on Easter. But because of their regularity, these wacky weather patterns are no longer noteworthy, and the public’s reaction (based on my conversations with folks at the post office and bank) seems equally blasé. But climate change and its presumed causes remain a big concern within the scientific community—both in terms of research and sustainable lab design.

This being the April issue of Lab Manager Magazine, we turn our attention to issues of energy efficiency and environmental responsibility. To that end, our cover story this month looks at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s (LBNL) Molecular Foundry laboratory. Completed in 2006 with the goal of achieving a U.S. Green Buildings Council LEED Silver rating, the lab went beyond expectations and received a LEED Gold rating though various measures, including minimizing energy use and rightsizing. According to Paul Mathew, staff scientist and leader of the Commercial Building Systems Group at LBNL, “The interesting fact is that often there are really good efficiency opportunities in laboratories. What you want to focus on are the big things like ventilation. It is obviously a little more complicated, but there are very well-tested, proven solutions to reduce energy use for labs.” Turn to page 10 to learn a whole lot more.

Sustainability is also the message of this month’s Technology & Operations article on page 34, which looks at a how performing a life cycle analysis (LCA) on key laboratory technologies can help “to quantitatively determine the energy and greenhouse gas impacts of a product, from its manufacture through its useful lifetime and to its ultimate disposal at the end of its life.” End users of these technologies can apply the knowledge gained from that analysis to their own sustainability goals of reducing energy consumption and minimizing environmental risk. Echoing another “green” theme is this month’s Perspective On article (page 60), which examines the challenges and business strategies of two biofuel research labs that, despite facing “the slings and arrows of environmentalists, food producers and even applied economists,” soldier on to find ways to improve production techniques and cost-effectiveness. Christopher Perkins, lab director at the Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering at the University of Connecticut and Dr. Sabrina Trupia, assistant director of biological research at the National Corn to Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) in Edwardsville, Ill., both see growing opportunities in their field despite the obstacles.

Unrelated to the “green” message, but equally important, is this month’s Lab Management article on how to efficiently source the very best job candidates. With a manager’s time more precious than ever, it’s important that the hiring process be as streamlined and effective as possible. Turn to page 22 for John Borchardt’s six strategies to help you better focus your efforts in finding well-qualified candidates.

For those of you who attended our Lab Manager 2012 Bootcamp last month at Pittcon, I hope it proved valuable and you returned to your labs with stronger and more positive communication skills. For those who stopped by the Lab Manager booth, thank you. We appreciate your feedback and support.

Happy springtime

“The year 2011 was tumultuous for the laboratory industry. In comparison, the outlook for 2012 looks only slightly positive. Laboratory decision makers generally expect their funding conditions either to remain the same or to minimally improve.” So says Frost & Sullivan’s Jonathan Witonsky in this month’s cover story, which presents the results of our Fourth Annual Investment Confidence survey. Turn to page 12 for the complete picture and to find out how your view of current business conditions compares with those of your peers.

Whether your lab is flush with cash or watching its pennies, most likely you or someone from your organization will be attending this month’s 52nd annual Pittsburgh Conference in Orlando, Florida (March 11 – 15). As has been our tradition for the past four years, Lab Manager Magazine’s March issue showcases the instruments, software and consumables that will be on display at this year’s event. Turn to page 86 for a sneak peek of what you’ll be seeing in person in a few weeks.

If you’re thinking about new instruments for your lab, you should also be considering the training and maintenance required for that equipment. For help in that effort, turn to page 36 for this month’s Technology & Operations feature, “Planned Downtime.” Here, author Sean Jordan explains the theory behind a key performance indicator known as overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), which “captures relative equipment effectiveness over a set time period by measuring unplanned downtime, resulting defects/errors, and equipment operating speed.” According to Jordan, “If you can improve OEE, you can increase overall lab efficiency and reduce equipment repair costs.”

Another concern regarding new laboratory equipment, especially that which is highly automated, is power outages. If that is something your lab is challenged by, turn to this month’s Lab Automation article “We Need Backup!” on page 30. In this piece, author Raymond Hecker explains the advantages of instrumentation power protection systems (IPPS) which, when coupled with an emergency generator, can correct a generator’s power “to provide pristine power delivery to your automated equipment.”

Unrelated to equipment, but very important to all managers, is leadership style and effectiveness. In this month’s Lab Management article (page 20), author Ron Pickett channels Steve Jobs as an illustration of one who inspired his team to go “beyond what anyone thought possible” and to do “some great work, really great work that will go down in history.” Pickett provides practical analytical tools to help managers find things to do that will make a difference in their labs. “If you aren’t making a difference in your laboratory’s climate, its future prospects, and the development of your staff, what are you being paid for? Maintaining the status quo isn’t valued and probably isn’t possible for more than a short time,” says Pickett.

The message of improving your management style and technique is picked up again in Alan Edwards’ “Science Matters” column (page 26), in which he says, “Personal management style can also dictate which employees—even the contract ones—are willing to stick around for the long haul as well as for future projects.” Take a look to make sure you’re doing everything you can to improve openness and creativity in your lab.

And if you’re heading to Pittcon this month, please stop by Lab Manager Magazine’s booth 1529 and say hello.

I hope to see you there.

In his latest lab safety article, author Vince McLeod weighs in on the use of portable audio devices in the lab. He says that iPods and other such devices, in conjuction with noise from the lab, can lead to hearing loss.

He suggests:

• If you can't have a normal conversation with someone because of iPod use, the volume should be lowered to where you can hear colleagues and speak at a regular volume
• Develop a written policy for iPod use in the lab and be sure to highlight which situations iPods are prohibited in
• If you're unsure about how to handle iPod use, call in a professional to help you assess the risks

What is your policy for the use of devices like iPods in your lab?

LabManager142593121 points out another risk these devices pose in the comments section of the article: possible infection control issues with iPods potentially becoming contaminated with bacteria and then being brought home. What are your thoughts on this issue? Feel free to share your comments at the bottom of this post or on the original article.

On January 1st, 2012, the front page of The New York Times Sunday Business section featured a large, squalling New Year’s Day baby. The headline read: “I Just Got Here, But I Know Trouble When I See It.” The sentiment—echoed almost everywhere—is that the U.S. economic forecast remains gloomy and recovery is not expected any time soon.

Apropos of these restrained economic times, this month’s cover story examines the budgeting process and how managers can design and work most effectively within their research budgets which, as our recent survey revealed, have been essentially flat since 2009. Software tools, project management techniques, and ideas for maximizing research dollars are all covered. One idea the author puts forth is outsourcing. “Outsourcing of various lab activities, particularly capital- and staff-intensive ones, can also provide cost savings, thereby freeing funds to be spent elsewhere.” As the author points out, “No one enjoys the budgeting process, but it’s something that must be done.” And, done well, is worth the effort.

Echoing the same need for frugality, this month’s Laboratory Management article, “To Own or Not to Own,” looks at the financial advantages of and options for leasing capital equipment. “Leasing allows laboratories to use the most up-to-date technology without having to fork over the huge initial amount of capital necessary to purchase the instruments.” Turn to page xx to find out whether a leasing program is right for your lab and if so, what sort of agreement would be best.

Our second management article, “An Enterprise Approach to R&D Informatics,” opens with the economy: “The ongoing economic recession means that businesses everywhere need to rein in spending and do more with less.” Author Michael Doyle makes the argument that “closing cost and efficiency gaps between the research lab and final product requires a new approach to informatics, one that focuses on “e-enabling” data visibility, integration and sharing across the end-to-end innovation cycle.” Something else you might consider in your belt-tightening, productivity-improving resolutions for 2012.

And finally, this month’s Technology & Operations article, “The Evolving Service Model,” repeats the same theme: “As capital budgets became constrained due to the economic downturn, companies look to save costs in as many areas as possible. So as they try to eke out more mechanical life from their existing base of installed laboratory equipment, they will turn more frequently to service agreements.” Author Bernard Tulsi then describes various manufacturers’ equipment service and maintenance offerings and developments in this important category.

On another note, beginning with this first issue of 2012, we are pleased to introduce a new editorial section to the magazine devoted to developments in laboratory automation. Turn to page xx for Joe Liscouski’s piece, “Integrated Systems.” It’s not surprising to hear that the dream of integrated automation systems remains just that—a dream. However, Liscouski provides some ideas for getting around system juggernauts and making the most of what’s currently available. “The bottom line is planning. Labs have to develop rational lab-wide plans for the specification, purchase and use of laboratory technologies. You have to purchase from the selection of products that exist, but you can make informed choices,” he says.

Hope you enjoy these timely pieces along with everything else we offer in Lab Manager Magazine’s first issue of 2012.

Happy New Year!

When you walked into your lab today, did you notice your environment? Or did you take for granted the open, airy spaces, floor-to-ceiling windows, fabulous views of the outdoors, art work and potted plants? Or maybe that doesn’t exactly describe the place you work. In either case, the current state-of-the art lab design model advocates environments that are responsive to current and future needs; foster interaction and team-based research; balance the need for open and closed spaces; can accommodate ever more complex technology; and are environmentally sustainable. A tall order to be sure, but one that promises to deliver greater productivity, a happier and more creative workforce, and the ability to attract top talent. “Research scientists and technicians are more productive in labs that are efficient, healthy and inspiring. Improve the workplace, and the work results too will improve,” say the authors of this month’s cover story, “Changing Spaces.” Hopefully that’s the kind of space you’re working in right now.

While the labs featured in our cover story have obviously been created from the ground up with very deep pockets of funding, that is not the case for all research facilities. For those with more constrained budgets, this month’s Lab Design & Furnishings article on page 32 provides two case studies in which existing office spaces were transformed into high-technology laboratories. “Although additional revenue was needed to upgrade the existing office space, it was still less costly than purchasing or leasing new lab space. It can be done. Start with a good plan and an initial study to determine if it is viable for you,” says author Mark Paskanik.

This month’s Perspective On article (page 66) looks at developments in the tools and technologies used in a food testing lab. Author Bernard Tulsi tells us, “There seems to be a general global consensus supporting more testing, evaluation and control, and greater care being taken within food-based facilities.” And Dr. Paul Young, director, chemical analysis operations, Waters Corporation, says, “We are starting to see a significant movement toward mass spectrometric methods because of their ability to generate robust and unequivocal results.” All of which promises improved food safety in the future “once we accomplish our technical mission of creating effective detection and measurement systems—and the legal and regulatory missions.”

Meanwhile, John Borchardt’s article, “The Patent Business,” (page 54) provides a detailed explanation of the various ways and reasons a company can use patents for business purposes. Among those are: to gain clues to competitors’ business strategies; to locate experts to serve as consultants or expert witnesses in patent litigation; to avoid duplicating the research of others; and to avoid infringing on other organizations’ patent rights, to name just a few. “In today’s knowledge-driven economy, effective use of patent information contributes to the success of many companies,” says Borchardt. Good information for anyone looking to stay competitive.

Outside the pages of Lab Manager, our umbrella organization, LabX Media Group, is pleased as punch to have recently purchased The Scientist magazine. We look forward to working with our new sister publication and sharing some of their unique content with the readers of this magazine.

Wishing you a healthy and joyful holiday season!

“Scientists and engineers tend to communicate poorly because their professions have not valued explanation and their career advancement doesn’t depend on having lay-level explanatory skills, leaving scientists strategically maladroit when they engage external publics,” says F. Key Kidder in this month’s cover story. However, some believe public engagement is “a scientific duty that benefits the public good by promoting informed debate.” In addition, there have been studies that show a correlation between visibility of research and research funding. “Communications that target legislators are a proven means of moving the federal funding levers supporting agencies such as NIH and NSF and can also improve funding atmospherics for other researchers,” says Kidder. Turn to page 10 to learn more.

With budgets tight and pressure to be more productive greater than ever, lab managers cannot afford to make bad hiring decisions. Two articles this month focus on that fact and offer sound advice on how to make sure you staff your lab with the best and brightest. John Borchardt’s “Hiring the Best” article (page 18) states: “[Lab managers] need to understand how to define job positions and how best to generate a job applicant pool and assess candidates. They need to understand how to make job offers.” He then describes a process that allows managers to most efficiently identify and hire high-impact performers.

Alan Edwards, in his “Science Matters” column (page 24) says, “The days of the long-term strategic hire, when a company had the luxury of molding the perfect employee over time, are gone. The right experience— and a hiring manager’s ability to spot it—is perhaps the most important component of the hiring process today to ensure an employee will hit the ground running.” He recommends professional networking as one way to increase your odds of making the right hire. “You might have as few as 20 colleagues you can call on, but if they’ve got the right connections, the odds of them knowing someone who is the right fit for the job are in your favor.”

This month we feature an update on field instrumentation—reporting on how this technology has evolved since we discussed it last year in the July/August issue. Turn to page 26 to find out how much smaller, lighter and accurate these devices have become.

For anyone building new or retrofitting an existing lab, this month’s Lab Design & Furnishings article (page 38) discusses the often overlooked matter of sound and acoustics. Unlike our cover story on letting your research voice be heard, when it comes to lab design, it’s better to keep those decibel levels down.

Included with our November issue is this year’s 2011 Product Resource Guide, filled with an abundance of up-to-date laboratory technology information. We hope it will find a trusted place on your desk or benchtop and provide you with a go-to resource for making all your purchasing decisions.

LabManager.com has now added the ability to post comments on most articles on the site!

If you read an article in the print, digital, or online versions of the magazine that you'd like to say something about, just sign into your Labmanager.com account using the link in the new grey comment section or click the "register" link in the same area. You can also sign in or register using the respective links in the lower left corner of the site.

We look forward to your comments, whether positive or negative, as they will only make our magazine and website better and will hopefully help drive informed, relevant discussions here at LabManager.com

So, what are you waiting for? Sign up or register to get commenting and interacting with fellow readers and magazine staff today!

In our Fifth Annual Salary & Employee Satisfaction Survey, the majority of you told us again that you were happy in your current work situations and had no plans to change careers. However, 13 percent fewer of you than in 2010 answered in the affirmative to the statement, “based on job is secure.” For anyone in any job market, job security is certainly not a given—especially if you believe what you hear every day on the news. Therefore, now more than ever, it would be prudent of you to consider ways to protect your current position by making sure you have the “something extra” that can set you apart if, heaven forbid, there is a head count reduction in your organization. To that end, John Borchardt identifies ten specific skills you need in order to improve your status and effectiveness as a lab manager in this month’s cover story; none of which are too difficult or require going back to school. Please take the time to check those out.

The good news from this year’s survey had to do with career advancement and training, with a reported four percent increase among those who felt prepared for their next position, and double digit percentage increases among those who felt their organizations provided sufficient training and professional development opportunities. If you have those opportunities, take advantage. If you don’t, “use your own manager as a mentor and advisor. Consulting with other recently promoted lab managers will allow you to share common problems and develop solutions,” advises Borchardt.

A different sort of career advancement plan is offered in this month’s Leadership & Staffing article, “Visualizing a Career Path ” (page 20), which describes a unique visual system for representing the multidimensional and many-levelled paths of an individual’s career, in this case those of a refinery chemist. The system provides visual representation of what these chemists do and offers a method for determining the cross-discipline skills required to move up their specific career ladders.

Whether you are one or report to one, a lab manager should be involved in recruiting and developing their staff as well as helping guide their career growth. The operative word here is “should.” Because there are other types of managers for whom the welfare of their staff and even their institution is subordinate to their own psychological quirks. This other manager is one author Ron Pickett affectionately calls the “Psychobarbarian.” Turn to page 24 for a description of this manager, one “with a weak or suspect ego, who has learned some techniques for controlling their staff members in ways that not only work but fortify their own personality.” Hopefully you won’t recognize him or her as the one currently managing your team.

As for business, author David Beyerlein in his article, “One Step Ahead,” makes the case that it is strategically smarter to stay ahead of your client’s needs than to react to them—thereby losing valuable method development and start-up time, not to mention your company’s reputation. As for Beyerlein’s organization, he says, “We have chosen the proactive approach to growth and generally hire individuals, acquire instrumentation, and secure space in anticipation of increased work flow rather than wait until after the work arrives. There is some risk to our approach; however, we believe there is a greater risk in being underprepared and potentially disappointing a client.” Turn to page 68 to see if this method might serve your lab as well.

As always, we hope everything you find in this month’s issue of the magazine helps make you a more creative and effective lab manager.

A few weeks ago some colleagues and I drove from the New York City area north to Ontario, Canada for Lab Manager Magazine’s annual sales meeting. Five hours into the trip—somewhere near Buffalo—I realized I’d forgotten my passport.

A minute or two after the shock and embarrassment wore off, my fellow passengers and I began a furious brainstorming session—pitching different ideas; considering different options; playing out different scenarios. In the end, we made our way to the border where, after having done some online research and with a pdf of my passport on my boss’s blackberry, we crossed into Canada without a problem.*

Talk about a team-building exercise! While I didn’t need to close my eyes and fall backwards to find out whether my colleagues would catch me, I did learn something about trust.

During the hour-plus car ride from Buffalo to the Canadian border, there was only brainstorming, support, and good humor—no recriminations.

Unless you live alone in a cave, chances are what you do involves other people. But until things go badly, you may not have the opportunity to learn how your workmates—be they peers or superiors—will behave in a crisis. What I learned during that drive to Niagara Falls is that collective teamwork and trust makes all the difference in getting through rough patches as well as just getting one’s job done. What does this have to do with our September issue? Quite a bit.

“Staff who regularly receive ‘trust cues’ from managers perform best, since higher levels of trust allow staff to buy into the manager’s vision of task significance and its potential beneficiaries, driving motivation,” says Roger Mayer of North Carolina State’s Poole College of Management in this month’s cover story. “A key ingredient for management to motivate knowledge workers is earning their trust. If employees don’t trust their managers, they continually have to think of ways to protect their vulnerabilities. To the extent employees’ minds are focused on self-protection, they are less able to focus attention on complex and creative tasks that need to be accomplished,” adds Mayer.

Once trust is established, managers are also tasked with helping their staff identify professional growth opportunities within their organizations. Reed George, in his Leadership & Staffing article, “Beyond Pay and Promotions,” (page 24) tells us that lab managers, unable to offer their employees career growth in the form of regular promotions, need to broaden “the traditional definition of growth, drawing on the initiative of the employee and elevating professional development goals above the personal level.”

Whether motivating, establishing trust or guiding career development, managers need a strategy. Alan Edwards, in this month’s Science Matters column, says managers would do well to enlist project management principles in these efforts. “Ultimately, you must treat the goal of motivating and engaging your employees like any other project that requires systematic steps in order to be implemented correctly,” he says.

And as if today’s lab managers don’t have enough on their plates, they are also tasked with non-personnel responsibilities, including operations. For that, John Borchardt in his Business Management article on page 78 recommends Activity-Based Management as a way to “improve R&D and technical service effectiveness while identifying and better managing activities that consume excessive resources and drive up operating costs.”

As a lab manager with a full plate of responsibilities, I hope you find the articles and everything else in this month’s issue helpful. I also hope you had a wonderful summer vacation and that your road trips, if any, were without incident. Welcome back to business.

*In case you ever find yourself in this situation, know that U.S. citizens traveling into Canada only need photo I.D. Returning to the U.S., a passport is required.

We recently surveyed our readers on their use of mobile technology in the lab. Thirty eight percent told us they were currently using mobile devices in their labs, 23 percent said they would be in the future, and 39 percent said they had no plans to. This month’s cover story examines these latest trends and finds out what’s useful, what’s not, and what’s promising. You can bet we will be circling back to this topic in another six months or so, as I’m sure things will be changing fast.

Speaking of fast change, this month we look at the challenges of managing a team or working within an organization that is undergoing change. In our Lab Manager Academy article on page 32, Dave Jakielo advises readers: “To successfully implement change in your lab ... concentrate on the 50 percent who are on the fence and be open about the change and make sure you explain the rationale.” In our Leadership & Staffing article (page 26), Ron Pickett discusses a “Systems Thinking” model that provides managers with a “more robust,unemotional foundation for looking at elusive and indirect, but important, changes in relationships.” Done right, this approach can predict reactions to change in advance in order to prepare for and ameliorate possible bad outcomes. Resist or accept, change is the one true constant in all of our lives. Best to be prepared.

In this month’s Business Management article (page 74), John Borchardt looks at the driving forces behind the globalization of R&D and offers up practical advice for creating workable and successful codevelopment programs. “Whether research is conducted by a single company in research centers located in two or more countries or by multiple companies, effective and timely communications among team members is essential. In addition, R&D managers must understand what team members expect and want from their managers,” says Borchardt.

The problem of excess noise is the topic of Vince McLeod’s Lab Safety article this month, in which he shares ways to determine safe or unsafe noise levels and recommends possible fixes either in the design phase or later. Excess noise, he tells us, “is not a good thing. It can make conversation difficult, affect concentration, distract workers and increase fatigue, not to mention the potential adverse effects on other support personnel who enter the area.” Turn to page 70 to learn more.

Every year about this time we begin identifying topics for the following year’s editorial calendar. This year we think we’ve done an even better job of coming up with the topics of most interest and value to you. That being said, I’m still open to suggestions. If there are any management issues, safety or regulatory concerns, new technologies, or anything else you and other readers would benefit from learning more about, please send your suggestions to me.

Happy summertime.

Balancing a lab’s safety with its budget can be tough but, in the July/August issue of Lab Manager Magazine, James A. Kaufman has a great, simple safety tip for lab managers – create a separate account line for safety-related expenditures.

He notes two important benefits of having a separate account line for safety equipment:

• Safety becomes more important once it’s recognized as a separately-funded aspect of work in the lab
• Funding safety isn’t as likely to be at the cost of other budget areas such as general supplies

Kaufman also talks about the importance of involving staff members in the budgeting process so they can share their ideas on purchases needed to make their lab safer, healthier and more environmentally-friendly.

Sharing and discussing safety tips like these with other lab professionals is important too and one great way of doing so is by joining our Lab Manager Lab Safety Solutions Group on LinkedIn.

“We must not think of OSHA as ‘the enforcer’ here to levy hefty fines when we are caught doing things wrong. OSHA is a resource, one that can help in big ways,” says Vince McLeod in this month’s cover story. For labs wishing to go above and beyond existing workplace safety standards, the OSHA Voluntary Protection Program’s benefits include improved employee morale, reduced turnover and absenteeism, greater pride of place, and, most importantly, better health and safety protection for your laboratory staff.

However, even with the very best workplace and employee safety standards in place, staff compliance can remain a challenge. Someone in your lab forgets to don their safety glasses; someone else is wearing sandals or chewing gum; and another has failed to put on their latex gloves. What’s a manager to do? For senior lab manager, Sandy Walker, the answer is chocolate. Turn to page 26 to learn about a sweet incentive plan which, along with a few other tricks, delivered more than 98 percent compliance on all PPE and 100 percent compliance on wearing safety glasses.

Wikileaks in the lab? Maybe.

When it comes to protecting intellectual property, laboratories are no different than other businesses or institutions. In fact, lab employees often have greater access to intellectual property than other employees. In this month’s article, “Keeping Secrets,” (page 60) John Borchardt reminds managers “to be sure their staff members understand what the confidentiality agreement legally binds them to do. Even experienced employees inadvertently and sometimes knowingly share or even sell the confidential intellectual property of their employer.”

In the same vein of protecting intellectual property—in this case authenticity—author Robert Flinton, in his article, “Proving Ownership,” (page 64) explains how an electronic “sign and witness” process can ensure indisputable authenticity and long-term legal defensibility throughout the chain of custody while saving hundreds of man-hours and costs each year.

In last month’s Lab Safety article, “Use it or Lose It,” John Borchardt shared a wealth of information on managing, disposing of and reusing laboratory chemicals. He said that the first step in recycling or disposing of chemicals is to know what you have by maintaining an inventory of all the chemicals in your lab. In this month’s Lab Safety feature, Vince McLeod focuses squarely on chemical management planning. To get you started down the right path to safe laboratory operation, he identifies three important first steps: collecting MSDSs and references; developing an inventory system; and instituting a labelling program. Turn to page 44 to learn more.

Lastly, I hope you’re in the market for a biological safety cabinet because this month’s issue has everything you need to know before making that purchase. If you’re curious about the evolution of BSCs—from 1900 to the present—turn to page 42. For a snapshot of trends in BSC design, turn to Angelo DePalma’s Product Focus article on page 50. And if you want to know the BSC buying practices of your peers, turn to our Survey Says piece on page 48.

When it comes to all other lab equipment purchases, it’s a good idea to start with labmananger. com’s Lab Product Resource Pages (www.labmanager.com/?articles.labProductArticles), where you will find the latest product reviews, purchasing roadmaps, and new product introductions for over 40 of the most used laboratory products.

We’re here to help.

Pam

According to some sources, smartphones have become ubiquitous in laboratories as increasing numbers of apps are now targeted to scientists. Examples include: Solutions, an app that helps you prepare your buffers before you start an experiment; chemical databases PubChem and Chebi; The Elements, dubbed “the periodic table on steroids;” and MyCalculator, designed for those dealing with 2D and 3D math that lets you plot your function and find those points of interest on your iPhone. Some vendors are also releasing laboratory apps for biological research.

Obviously, this technology will only become more important to lab professionals. Because of that, we will be closely tracking its growing acceptance and adoption among our readers.

Are you on board? If so, what have you found most useful? Do you see opportunities for new applications? Beyond science, are there apps you use to manage your lab? Please take a minute to send an e-mail (pam@labmanager.com) and let me know. We need your input.

Alternatively, take a few minutes to complete our survey on this same topic. Tell us about your use of mobile devices in the lab, or lack thereof, and you could win an Apple iPod Nano.

Click here to get started

Unlike the recent British nuptials, where strict social etiquette dictated every nod, handshake and curtsey at the ceremony, rules of behavior in today’s laboratories are slightly more relaxed. But whether strict or subtle, good manners and proper social conduct are keenly important to lab professionals—judging by the 1,160 of you who registered for our recent Lab Manager Academy webcast: “Lab Etiquette - Maintaining High Professional Standards in the Lab.”*

Based on feedback to a survey on the same topic, issues of concern included not cleaning up after oneself, taking the last supply and not re-ordering, using lab computers for things other than lab work, overuse of cell phones, bad attitudes and outright rudeness.

If you’re among those who wonder what ever happened to common courtesy in the workplace, read our May cover story to learn what lab managers can do to reverse this trend and perhaps increase a sense of teamwork and professionalism in the lab.

But manners alone do not a great laboratorian make. Lab professionals also need regular training to keep their skills and knowledge from languishing, skills that are not limited to research and scientific techniques, but include management. According to a 2006 study, 42 percent of a scientist’s time is consumed by administrative matters. This month’s Leadership & Staffing article, “Empowering Your Staff,” shares techniques for improving your staff’s skill set across multiple areas in order to enhance your lab’s research culture and decrease the managerial burden.

In keeping with our tag line, “Running Your Lab Like a Business,” this month’s Business Management article addresses the very important and bottom line-improving matter of creating new sources of revenue for your organization. As author John Borchardt points out, “Recently, big pharmaceutical companies have cited the failure to develop new products and develop new revenue streams as the rationale for R&D cutbacks and even the closure of large research centers. Preventing this sort of situation from occurring at your company is a major responsibility for lab managers at all levels of the organization.” Read the article to learn some pro-active techniques to help your lab become aware of new science and business developments and how to take advantage of them.

This month we introduce the first in a three-part series of articles on cell culture contamination. “Since the sources of culture contamination are ubiquitous as well as difficult to identify and eliminate, no cell culture laboratory remains unaffected by this concern.” If this is true for your lab, read more to learn the causes of and possible techniques for managing this problem.

And if you’re in the market for a biological safety cabinet, but overwhelmed by the myriad of choices, the panelists from our February “Product Showcase” webinar on this same topic will help guide your decision-making process. Read more here.

Lastly, in preparation for an article we’re working on for the July/August issue, I am soliciting your opinion concerning the use of smartphone and tablet apps in the lab. Are you an early adopter or a skeptic? Take our survey on this topic for a chance to win an Apple iPod Nano, and if you have anything to share on that now, I’d like very much to hear from you. E-mail me: pam @ labmanager.com.

Here’s hoping all those April showers deliver an abundance of May flowers. Happy Spring!

Pam

*If you missed this event, go to www.labmanager.com/etiquette to view the archived webcast.

Two weeks ago I didn’t text, I didn’t Skype, and my Facebook page was a sad, unrevealing shell of a thing because, at the time, I had no interest in sharing either my deeds or my thoughts with my “friends.” But all that changed when my daughter-in-law went into labor and the only way to track events was via text messages. News of the delivery came in the form of a four-word message from my son that read: “Ta Da. She’s here.” Since her birth, the texting has continued fast and furious. And, in addition to buying a camera for the computer in order to Skype little Olivia, I suddenly cannot resist telling my Facebook friends all about her.

My point is, regardless of one’s reluctance to share information or communicate via these new mediums, their availability and obvious usefulness cannot be ignored. And if you have yet to be seduced in one way or another by “social media,” you’re stronger than I.

This month’s cover story examines the shifting attitudes among lab professionals regarding Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and the like. Bit by bit, it seems we’re all coming around.

This being the April issue, the month in which the U.S. has celebrated Earth Day (April 22) for the past 41 years, we have devoted a good amount of our editorial to “green” laboratory matters. Our Design & Furnishings article looks at ways older laboratories are being retrofitted to meet current energy consumption and green building standards. Turn to page 32 to learn a variety of strategies to reduce energy consumption, ranging from major mechanical retrofits, to recommissioning existing HVAC systems, to installing exterior insulation and new lighting. Our Technology & Operations article on page 26 describes several approaches for ensuring that the automated equipment in your lab is designed for and operating at maximum efficiency. “With lab equipment that’s properly designed from the beginningin other words, optimized for a given applicationit’s possible to achieve substantial energy savings.” And if that’s not enough, turn to this month’s Mind Map on page 70 to learn a number of different steps you can take to further reduce your lab’s environmental impact.

Not related to energy efficiency but equally important is this month’s Ask the Expert column on laboratory water purification systems. Turn to page 52 to share University of Pennsylvania lab manager Emily Anna Bridges’ rather harrowing experience when the aged water purification system supplying water to her research building which, after months of leaking and contamination problems, stopped functioning entirely. And if you’re interested in knowing what your colleagues are looking for when it comes to their own lab water purification needs, turn to page 49 for the results of this month’s survey, “Are You in the Market for a Water Purification System?”

For anyone who attended last month’s Lab Manager Boot Camp at Pittcon in Atlanta, please let me know your thoughts regarding its usefulness. We were very pleased by the 150 plus attendance number and hope you all came away with some good leadership information and inspiration. If there was anything about this year’s Pittcon that was especially interesting or useful, please share that as well.

Lastly, I would be remiss without mentioning the disaster in Japan: first the earthquake and tsunami and then the release of radiation due to the damaged nuclear power plants. Our heartfelt condolences go out to those affected by these catastrophic events.

Pam

The takeaway message from this year’s confidence report is neither good nor bad. But while things have not gotten worse in the past year, there remains the sense that labs have lowered their expectations, accepted a belt-tightening mentality for the time being and are just waiting it out. There are slight differences within specific markets, however, with the microbiology sector showing the highest level of confidence and the clinical sector showing the lowest. But across all sectors, the survey revealed a barely one percent improvement in overall confidence from last year. Rafael Leniz, laboratory director of the Coachella Valley Water District in California: “I think 2011 will be even worse.” Wanda Ingersoll, Mississippi Public Health Laboratory’s division director: “We are unable to fund any salary increases or add any new positions.” Serena McCoy, a research technologist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln: “Grants are becoming much more competitive as everyone is looking for money.” I think you get the picture.

Adding to this less-than-cheery outlook is the forensic lab sector, which faces its own unique challenges. “With substantive regulatory changes slated for 2011, [forensic] labs may soon experience alterations in how they are accredited and managed, how their staffers are trained and certified, and how they are funded and paid for their services,” says Bernard Tulsi in this month’s Perspective On: Forensic Labs article on page 64.

But despite current economic difficulties, labs still need to compete, and that requires buying new equipment. But what if your lab has no capital budget available or your existing bank lines are insufficient? What if your company is new in business or venture backed without revenue? The answer may be a capital lease or rental of the equipment. Dean Stolberg, in this month’s Business Management article, “Rent, Lease or Buy,” helps readers determine when they should consider financing, basic equipment financing types, and how to choose the right finance provider. Turn to page 90 to learn more.

Refuting what your mother might have told you when you were a kidthat nobody likes a showoff—is John Borchardt’s Leadership & Staffing article, “Showing Off Your Lab,” (page 28). If you’re managing a lab that could benefit from more business, better customer and public relations, more streamlined inspections, and greater appeal to prospective employees, a good show off strategy might be just what you need. “Laboratory visits can be the seed for joint development programs of new products that can help your own and your visitors’ companies grow. Lab visits can help dissolve an “us versus them” attitude—on your staff members’ and the customer’s part,” says Borchardt.

Alan Edwards echoes that message in this month’s Science Matters column saying, “Labs of all sizes... operate within an outdated business model that provides no opportunity to stand out in the crowd, even as personnel may feel confident in their ability to solve a customer’s problems. This dilemma demonstrates the need for modern laboratories, now more than ever, to adapt to the new marketing reality. As is true for most businesses, scientific labs will flourish if they stop competing on services and instead learn how to compete on best customer outcomes.”

In addition to these important and timely articles, our February/March issue devotes 18 pages to the new products you’ll be seeing at this year’s Pittcon (March 13 – 18, Atlanta, GA). If you will not be attending, let this be your virtual “walking the floor.” If you will be in Atlanta next month, please stop by the Lab Manager Magazine/LabX Booth 847 and say hello.

I’ll see you there.

Pam

“Maximizing profits” and “competing for market share” are not typical phrases most people associate with laboratories. Right? Well, maybe they should be.

Welcome to the first issue of Lab Manager Magazine for 2011. Well into our third year of publication as part of the LabX Media Group, we wanted to begin the New Year by focusing on our key editorial mission—to help you “Run Your Lab Like a Business.” For that, both our feature article, “Maximizing ROI,” and our Business Management article, “The Devil in the Details,” look at the very business-specific practices of metrics and benchmarking.

In John Borchardt’s cover story, he shows how metrics can be used to improve a lab’s product development and co-development programs, better manage R&D outsourcing relationships, and conserve laboratory resources. Bernard Tulsi, in his Business Management article on page 62, explains the growing need to do benchmarking as “laboratories, especially in the bigger companies, are always under pressure to improve their quality, excellence and competitiveness.” Benchmarking, he says, is particularly useful in measuring energy costs, especially for pharmaceutical companies “very keen on managing costs and increasing profits.” While obviously useful in specific applications, both authors warn against an over reliance on either metrics or benchmarking, with Borchardt saying, “One should be careful of having too many metrics and of turning metrics into an overly bureaucratic exercise.”

In addition to being the beginning of a new year, January is also LabAutomation month (January 29 to February 2, Palm Springs, CA). Apropos of that, we have devoted significant editorial to the topic of laboratory automation, beginning with Joe Liscouski’s Technology & Operations article, “Automating Science,” in which he takes a look at the fast-changing skill set that automation requires. “Laboratory managers need to be conversant with automation and informatics technologies and the planning needed to design effective programs for the use of the technologies available. Beyond that they need to understand their future needs well enough, and how those needs match-up against current product capabilities, to advise vendors on how product characteristics and functionality has to be changed,” says Liscouski.

When asked how to determine what sort of automation a lab needs, this month’s “expert,” Marc Ferrer, answered: “Try to get opinions from several people. Get critical information related to versatility, robustness, technical support and training; this is going to be very important in getting the infrastructure up and running. You have to do your homework and find out what people are happy with, before talking to the vendors and making any kind of investment.”

And finally, a real-world example of what happened when a biotech company decided to automate the time-consuming task of agitating small glass media bottles for a set amount of time, weighing the bottle and its contents, and recording the weight. In “Robots to the Rescue,” (page 28) George Aux, technical development representative for Syngenta Biotechnology Inc. (Research Triangle Park, NC), tells us that through the use of a robotic system they have been able to “increase the speed of data collection and interpretation, ask and answer questions previously not addressed using other technologies and most importantly derive more value from the same work.”

So if you’re looking to improve your lab’s bottom line or invest in automation systems, our January issue provides an abundance of good information to help you do just that.

As always, we welcome your feedback and article suggestions. And if you’re planning to attend LabAutomation 2011, please stop by the Lab Manager booth and say hello.

Pam

Correction: In the December issue’s Table of Contents we mistakenly attributed the cover article, “Managing Change” to Bernard Tulsi when the author was John Borchardt.

The September issue is en route to all our subscribers and the feature this month is Social Science. Is climate change real or the hysterical imaginings of environmentalists? Is seafood from the Gulf of Mexico safe to eat? Are organophosphate pesticides the prime cause of ADHD? And which scientist's answers to any of these questions should the public believe? "While scientific and technical analyses are essential, they will not and arguably should not carry the day unless they address, substantively and procedurally, the issues that concern the public," says Baruch Fischhoff, Carnegie Mellon University Professor of Social and Decision Sciences and Engineering and Public Policy in a recent article in the journal Science. "We have the science needed for meaningful public involvement," he said. "However, in order to use it, senior leadership must view two-way communication as a strategic commitment," says Fischhoff.

As this month's cover story makes patently clear, the days of scientists and researchers holed up in academic or industrial labs detached from society are over. These days they must proactively communicate scientific information to the public in ways that stress "personal relevance and common shared values or risk ceding the stage to rivals and competing interests."

Other articles of interest this month include a case study describing how the J&J Alza facility in Vacaville, CA used simulation-based planning of optimize operations in response to changing market needs and financial pressures. The article shows how simulation was used to predict the load on staff and equipment as well as how the lab schedule was integrated with the production stream model for a complete end-to-end flow.

In "Recycling Closed Laboratories," John Borchardt explains that instead of spending scarce capital to purchase or build a laboratory, firms can rent facilities in one of the large laboratories closed as a result of corporate mergers and acquisitions and reopened, usually under new ownership, as rental facilities. These facilities enable small and midsized companies to rent first-class laboratory space at relatively modest cost.

Introduced for the first time last month, our new Survey Says feature in September covers purchasing practices for centrifuges, glassware washers and water purifi cation systems. If you happen to be in the market for the latter, we feature a product focus article on water purification systems on page 52, as well as a Lab Design & Furnishings article, "What to Consider When Designing a Customized Lab Water System" on page 34. For more information on glassware washers, turn to this month's pull out – an "Independent Guide to Purchasing a Lab Glassware Washer."

But to get the most out of this month's issue, go page by page to find all the amazing articles of specific interest, from the role of customer service in your lab, to what's involved with using electronic signatures, to how to set up a cell culture lab. I'm sure there is something of value for everyone. http://www.labmanager.com/digital/

Expert Dr. Greg Shipley's latest webcast on Real-Time qPCR is now posted, view the video. Ask the Expert: Utilizing Whole Cell Lysates Directly for Real-Time qPCR Dr. Gregory Shipley is director of the Quantitative Genomics Core Laboratory at The University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston

Join Karla Brandau for a free webinar on Goal Setting. The event is titled: Tips That Will Help You Set and Achieve Goals for Yourself and Your Lab. Be sure to sign up and take part this Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 1:00 – 2:00 ET. View details and register for the Goal Setting webinar. It's free! P2YD9YUW83W3

The web is full of new and interactive ways to engage with lab products and marketings minds are getting more and more creative. This week I came across the BioTek video contest that you might like to explore. You can submit a short video describing why you need the BioTek Epoch Multi-Volume Spectrophotometer System for your lab, and you could win the entire system.

More details on the Biotek video contest found here.

In Thomas Friedman's The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century, the author examines the impact of the "flattening" of the world, and argues that globalized trade, outsourcing, supply-chaining and political forces have changed the world permanently, for both better and worse. He also argues that the pace of globalization is quickening and will continue to have a growing impact on business organization and practice.

This month's cover story "Global Management" looks at the flattening world from the perspective of the lab manager struggling to stay on top of projects and teams located far away from his or her facility. According to author John Borchardt, complexities of the problem include various cultural attitudes toward deadlines and punctuality as well as differences in language, age and time zones. He credits technology such as e-mail, long-distance conference calls and videoconferencing with making global management even remotely (no pun intended) possible, but also points out their limitations. Those technologies "are not conducive to relaxing and engaging in the informal conversations that build familiarity, trust and a sense of common purpose between managers and their staff members and between staff members themselves."

John Borchardt also contributes this month's Leadership & Staffing article, "Competing Priorities". In the piece he discusses the critical importance of making sure your efforts in the lab are in line with those of the larger organization. He offers up practical tips for keeping your priorities straight, your lab more competitive and, perhaps in doing so, your job better protected.

In this month's Technology & Operations article, "Into the Field," Angelo DePalma explores the latest in field instrumentation and the technologies and demands that are driving its evolution. Though the need for real-time, actionable analytics that the instrumentation offers is great, DePalma says that many of these portable instruments "lack the dynamic range, sensitivity, resolution, automation capability, and interoperability of their benchtop counterparts."

This month we are proud to introduce two new features to the magazine. The first, Lab Manager Academy, introduces the topic and the presenter of our next Lab Manager Academy webcast. Meet Karla Brandau who, here and in her webcast on September 1, shares her insights into the importance of setting crystal clear goals for your lab. Visit www.labmanager.com/academy to learn more and register.

We also introduce our first Lab Product Surveys results. Based on your participation, learn what your peers say goes into purchasing a titrator. And speaking of surveys, if you haven't already, expect to receive this year's Lab Manager Magazine Salary and Job Satisfaction survey in your e-mail inboxes soon. Please take a minute to share your story so that we can get a clearer picture of what, if anything, has changed over this past year of economic changes and challenges. The results will be published in the October issue. Make sure you're included.

Lastly, I hope you will be taking some time away from the lab this summer to relax and recharge your batteries. Enjoy yourself and don't forget the sunscreen! - am

olicymakers, universities, and employers should work together to speed the development of professionally oriented master's degree programs in the natural sciences. Graduates of these programs -- which build both scientific knowledge and practical workplace skills -- can make a strong contribution to the nation's competitiveness. – The National Research Council, July, 2008

For many, Project Management means graphs, charts, and procedures, often implemented through a software package, designed to plan and guide to completion repetitive and highly predictable work. If that's what it means, does it have a place in today's research lab?

Pittcon 2010 ended yesterday afternoon at the Orlando Convention Center. As expected, the attendance numbers were down slightly from last year. If you weren't there, please tell us why. If you were, please share your impressions.

There is currently no governmental body, no state or federal agency that oversees the forensic labs that run tests on DNA, fingerprints, ballistics, even on the blood of drunken driving suspects.

All generations are not created equal nor are they motivated the same way. How much attention do you pay to the personality characteristics that differentiate boomers from Gen Xers from Generation Ys?

When interviewing a job candidate, do you adhere strictly to a grading scale or do you sometimes modify the job requirements based on the unique qualifications of the candidate?

Welcome to the updated "Editor's Buzz," now a blog. As editor-in-chief of Lab Manager Magazine, I have a unique bird's eye view on the world of lab management. With this perspective, I will be weighing in on a variety of topics that should be of keen interest to lab managers. While contributing writer John Borchardt will focus on management and staffing matters on his blog (Lab Management Matters), I will cast a wider net to include topics such as "Tips for getting the most out of trade shows," "Keeping clutter at bay," and "Tracking grant dollars." I will also use this platform to point out new features of the site and on-line only articles of interest, as well as timely industry news and events. I will also create conversations on topics of interest based on reader feedback. For example, one reader recently challenged an interviewing technique author Ron Pickett recommended in his October article, "Honing Your Interviewing Skills." I will share that letter along with Ron's response and then ask readers to weigh in. Keep an eye out for that blog entry next week. Until then, say goodbye to the old style "Buzz" and hello to the new blog-style Buzz!

Sincerely,
Pam

PS. We have included the previous Editor's Buzzes below so feel free to comment on any of the past topics or future blog posts.

Last week I received a phone call from a lab manager asking if there was literature or guidelines for cleaning up the glassware clutter and chemicals in his research lab. I had nothing to offer. Do you?

While not the most glamorous of lab management tasks, controlling clutter and helping your staff keep their work areas tidy (and thus safe) is no small feat. However, based on some cursory research after hearing from this lab manager last week, it seems there's not much in the way of step-by-step guidelines for getting and keeping one's lab ship shape. If I've missed something, please let me know. If you can offer your own suggestions, I'll take that as well and pass along via the magazine or online. I look forward to hearing from you so that I can help your colleagues clean up their acts.

While not the most glamorous of lab management tasks, controlling clutter and helping your staff keep their work areas tidy (and thus safe) is no small feat. However, based on some cursory research after hearing from this lab manager last week, it seems there's not much in the way of step-by-step guidelines for getting and keeping one's lab ship shape. If I've missed something, please let me know. If you can offer your own suggestions, I'll take that as well and pass along via the magazine or online. I look forward to hearing from you so that I can help your colleagues clean up their acts.

Pam Ahlberg
Editor-in-chief
Lab Manager Magazine
pam@labmanager.com

In our June Leadership & Staffing article, author Allison Champion describes her lab's cross-training program in which technicians develop capabilities in more than one area and adjust their focus as needed to alleviate workflow bottlenecks.

In the July/August issue, author and lab manager Mark Gibson shares a similar story--describing the advantages garnered from a Six Sigma program that also included the creation of "flex analysts"--individual analysts whose tasks alter, or "flex," based on the workload.

"We realized that what we primarily needed was an individual geared for specific tasks, and not necessarily someone experienced and knowledgeable of the full spectrum of HPLC theory. As a lab manager and chemist, the idea made me feel a bit uncomfortable, as anything less than a fully trained instrument chemist would increase the opportunity for errors and rework. Yet, it was successful. Training our current lab analysts to perform basic process HPLC analysis allowed us to begin balancing our lab work load and enabled samples to move more smoothly through our processes," says Gibson.

Has your lab implemented anything similar? If so, what were the results? If not, what's stopping you?

Please share.

This month's cover story, which should be on your desk or lab bench next week, looks at the issue of social responsibility. In the article, the author puts forth the following: "There is, increasingly, a new coin of the realm--a set of socially responsible behaviors that embrace a more humane global perspective, made manifest through bioethics, environmental and energy initiatives, community outreach, transparency and data sharing, safety and security, affordability and access, inclusion, employee rights, and other benchmarks.

And as the social responsibility paradigm matures, lab managers and bench practitioners realize greater opportunity to act on it."

...

Would you agree? And would you also share examples of how your lab, if at all, addresses the issue of social responsibility. Have you seen more attention paid to this over the past few years or do you think it's just a passing fad or lip service?

Oddly, and somewhat contradictory, recent survey results indicated that for the majority of our readers an institution's social responsibility record has very little influence on their decision to work there or not.

Please weigh in.

Pam Ahlberg
Editor-in-chief
Lab Manager Magazine
pam@labmanager.com

When asked what possible advantages Agilent and Varian customers will gain from the acquisition, Matlow said, "The combined company will be able to provide a more comprehensive set of solutions across a wider range of industries. The acquisition broadens applications and solutions offerings for mass spectrometry and chromatography, expands Agilent's product portfolio into atomic and molecular spectroscopy, and establishes a leading position in nuclear magnetic resonance, imaging and vacuum technologies."

....

As a user of both Varian and Agilent instruments, what effect do you expect the acquisition will have on you? Or if you've been through a previous merger of analytical instrument companies, what was the effect, if any? Were there advantages to be had? Were there any disruptions in service, support or purchasing agreements?

Based on your experience, please share with new managers what they should prepare for in the case of the Agilent/Varian merger.

Thanks.

Pam Ahlberg
Editor-in-chief
Lab Manager Magazine
pam@labmanager.com

The quote comes from our July/August cover story, which should be in your hands next week. In the article, John Borchardt looks at the question of diversity in the lab workplace and what, if any, progress has been made. He also discusses some of the challenges lab managers face with regard to hiring and managing a culturally diverse team. Regardless of those challenges, most seem to agree that it's well worth the effort.

Tony Montana, vice president of scientific operations for Garden State Nutraceuticals, notes, "Our structural analysis team consists of five members, each of a different cultural background. Their backgrounds and education are quite diverse from each other. Nevertheless, they communicate quite effectively as a team, and the diversity of their backgrounds allows each to present [his or her] own different views and opinions in regard to problem solving. They have established themselves as one of the most productive and innovative teams within our organization."

How well is your lab doing in this regard? What have your challenges been? What have been the rewards? Please share your thoughts.

Thanks.

Pam Ahlberg
Editor-in-chief
Lab Manager Magazine
pam@labmanager.com

Click here for the complete story:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-me-uclaburn22-2009jun22,0,277231.story

This tragic story brings up serious lab safety issues that all lab professionals need to think about. The family of the victim, who considers the investigation into the accident shoddy, says, "[It] does not address whether the equipment Sheri was using that day was appropriate for the experiment or whether it (hood, vacuum, inert gas) was properly functioning." The family is appealing the case, asking that the fine paid by UCLA be upgraded from $31,875 to four violations of "willful" and "repeat" status -- with penalties of up to $70,000 each.

Are higher fines the corrective action needed in this case? If not, what is?

Thanks.

Pam Ahlberg
Editor-in-chief
Lab Manager Magazine
pam@labmanager.com

In the July/August issue, author and lab manager Mark Gibson shares a similar story--describing the advantages garnered from a Six Sigma program that also included the creation of "flex analysts"--individual analysts whose tasks alter, or "flex," based on the workload.

"We realized that what we primarily needed was an individual geared for specific tasks, and not necessarily someone experienced and knowledgeable of the full spectrum of HPLC theory. As a lab manager and chemist, the idea made me feel a bit uncomfortable, as anything less than a fully trained instrument chemist would increase the opportunity for errors and rework. Yet, it was successful. Training our current lab analysts to perform basic process HPLC analysis allowed us to begin balancing our lab work load and enabled samples to move more smoothly through our processes," says Gibson.

Has your lab implemented anything similar? If so, what were the results? If not, what's stopping you?

Please share.

Thanks.

Pam Ahlberg
Editor-in-chief
Lab Manager Magazine
pam@labmanager.com

Based on a recent Lab Manager Magazine survey, we learned that nearly 44 percent of you have applied for Federal Stimulus Plan grant money - 46 percent from academia, followed by 12.7 percent from hospital or medical centers, and 12.7 percent from pharmaceutical/biotech firms.

If you're one of those, how difficult was the application process; what are your chances; has the money begun to flow?

In a recent article in The Scientist, author Alastair J.J. Wood said, "Were it not that the purpose of the bill was to attempt a rescue of our teetering economy, this would indeed be a time to celebrate. The additional funds to the scientific enterprise are sorely needed and long overdue, but it is hard not to have some misgivings at the manifest "short termism" of the overall scientific funding process."

Two years from now, when the stimulus money will be gone, are you concerned that people and projects will be yanked abruptly?

Care to weigh in?

Thanks.

Pam Ahlberg
Editor-in-chief
Lab Manager Magazine
pam@labmanager.com

Based on a recent Lab Manager Magazine survey, we learned that nearly 44 percent of you have applied for Federal Stimulus Plan grant money - 46 percent from academia, followed by 12.7 percent from hospital or medical centers, and 12.7 percent from pharmaceutical/biotech firms.

If you're one of those, how difficult was the application process; what are your chances; has the money begun to flow?

In a recent article in The Scientist, author Alastair J.J. Wood said, "Were it not that the purpose of the bill was to attempt a rescue of our teetering economy, this would indeed be a time to celebrate. The additional funds to the scientific enterprise are sorely needed and long overdue, but it is hard not to have some misgivings at the manifest "short termism" of the overall scientific funding process."

Two years from now, when the stimulus money will be gone, are you concerned that people and projects will be yanked abruptly?

Care to weigh in?

On the Twitter homepage (http://www.twitter.com) is the following explanation: "Twitter is a service for friends, family, and coworkers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?"

The question is whether "What are you doing?" is a question worth asking lab managers and their colleagues? Is it just me or does the question imply: Stop what you're doing and turn your attention toward me the twitterer. But, heh, I'm still uninitiated. If you're not, tell me what value Twitter serves you work wise. The social stuff, like "I'm heading over to Starbucks for a latte, want to join me," I get.

On the Twitter homepage (www.twitter.com) is the following explanation: "Twitter is a service for friends, family, and coworkers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?"

The question is whether "What are you doing?" is a question worth asking lab managers and their colleagues? Is it just me or does the question imply: Stop what you're doing and turn your attention toward me the twitterer. But, heh, I'm still uninitiated. If you're not, tell me what value Twitter serves you work wise. The social stuff, like "I'm heading over to Starbucks for a latte, want to join me," I get.

Thanks.

Pam Ahlberg
Editor-in-chief
Lab Manager Magazine
pam@labmanager.com

"The sciences could well rise in the new pecking order of career status. The Obama administration wants to double federal spending in basic research over 10 years and triple the number of graduate fellowships in science.

There are already signs of a renewed interest among students in science and technology. For the first time in six years, enrollment in computer science programs in the United States increased last year, according to a university survey last month."

Does this sound likely? And, if so, does it bode well for you and your lab?

Care to comment?

"The sciences could well rise in the new pecking order of career status. The Obama administration wants to double federal spending in basic research over 10 years and triple the number of graduate fellowships in science.

There are already signs of a renewed interest among students in science and technology. For the first time in six years, enrollment in computer science programs in the United States increased last year, according to a university survey last month."

Does this sound likely? And, if so, does it bode well for you and your lab?
Care to comment?

Kind regards,

Pam Ahlberg
Editor-in-chief
Lab Manager Magazine
pam@labmanager.com

As consumers rely more and more on the internet to make high-end purchasing decisions, is the same true when it comes to purchasing equipment for your lab?

Have you developed effective online search or research methods to help learn more about a product or category of products?

Have you found reliable online sources for getting real user feedback on the equipment you're considering buying?

What is the most useful aspect of the internet when it comes to laboratory purchasing? We'd like to hear from you.

Any tips and insights you provide will be posted here for all to share.

As consumers rely more and more on the internet to make high-end purchasing decisions, is the same true when it comes to purchasing equipment for your lab?

Have you developed effective online search or research methods to help learn more about a product or category of products?

Have you found reliable online sources for getting real user feedback on the equipment you're considering buying?

What is the most useful aspect of the internet when it comes to laboratory purchasing? We'd like to hear from you.

Any tips and insights you provide will be posted here for all to share.

Kind regards,

Pam Ahlberg
Editor-in-chief
Lab Manager Magazine
pam@labmanager.com

In the current issue of Lab Manager Magazine, Gloria Metrick provides an overview of the blogs, discussion boards, Wikis, and online social networking and data sharing sites available to laboratory professionals. (http://www.labmanager.com/articles.asp?ID=203)

"We have already seen that new technologies come and go, but good content and good connections seem to be what keep people interested in coming to a site and remaining part of it. A site that cannot provide useful content on a consistent basis is just not that interesting, no matter how cutting edge it is," says Metrick.

Are there sites you have found with particularly useful content? Are they research, career or socially focused? Care to share?

Kind regards,

Pam Ahlberg
Editor-in-chief
Lab Manager Magazine
pam@labmanager.com

In the current issue of Lab Manager Magazine, Gloria Metrick provides an overview of the blogs, discussion boards, Wikis, and online social networking and data sharing sites available to laboratory professionals. (http://www.labmanager.com/articles.asp?ID=203)

"We have already seen that new technologies come and go, but good content and good connections seem to be what keep people interested in coming to a site and remaining part of it. A site that cannot provide useful content on a consistent basis is just not that interesting, no matter how cutting edge it is," says Metrick.

Are there sites you have found with particularly useful content? Are they research, career or socially focused? Care to share?

With everyone braced for a smaller turnout in terms of exhibitors and attendees, this year's Pittcon surprised many with its vitality and respectable attendance. Vendors I spoke with acknowledged less booth visitors, but commented that the quality of their leads was as good as any Pittcon they could recall. From an attendee's point of view, were you pleased with the quality of the symposia, workshops and sessions? Were you able to "kick the tires" of the equipment you came to see? Was there any new technology that wowed you particularly? Please share your thoughts.

With everyone braced for a smaller turnout in terms of exhibitors and attendees, this year's Pittcon surprised many with its vitality and respectable attendance. Vendors I spoke with acknowledged less booth visitors, but commented that the quality of their leads was as good as any Pittcon they could recall. From an attendee's point of view, were you pleased with the quality of the symposia, workshops and sessions? Were you able to "kick the tires" of the equipment you came to see? Was there any new technology that wowed you particularly? Please share your thoughts.

Kind regards,

Pam Ahlberg
Editor-in-chief
Lab Manager Magazine
pam@labmanager.com

"Poor training, poor technique, lack of supervision and improper method," said Neal Langerman, former head of the American Chemical Society's Division of Chemical Health and Safety, about the lab fire that killed UCLA research assistant Sheri Sangji.

Whatever the reasons, shortcomings or outright failures that led to this tragedy will be analyzed for months to come. But the grim reminder is that diligent attention to lab safety strategies and training are clearly a matter of life and death. Take this opportunity to review your own lab's safety and training programs in order to protect the most valuable lab asset – your people.

Let me know what changes you make.

"Poor training, poor technique, lack of supervision and improper method," said Neal Langerman, former head of the American Chemical Society's Division of Chemical Health and Safety, about the lab fire that killed UCLA research assistant Sheri Sangji.

Whatever the reasons, shortcomings or outright failures that led to this tragedy will be analyzed for months to come. But the grim reminder is that diligent attention to lab safety strategies and training are clearly a matter of life and death. Take this opportunity to review your own lab's safety and training programs in order to protect the most valuable lab asset – your people. Let me know what changes you make.

Kind regards,

Pam Ahlberg
Editor-in-chief
Lab Manager Magazine
pam@labmanager.com

The NIH is expected to receive $10 billion, including $8.5 billion for research and $1.5 billion for university research facilities. The NSF will receive $3 billion, including $2.5 billion for research, $400 million for infrastructure and $100 million for education. The DOE will receive $2 billion for scientific research, and NASA will be allotted $1 billion, including $400 million for climate change research.

Will any of this have an impact on your lab or research goals? If so, how so?

The NIH is expected to receive $10 billion, including $8.5 billion for research and $1.5 billion for university research facilities. The NSF will receive $3 billion, including $2.5 billion for research, $400 million for infrastructure and $100 million for education. The DOE will receive $2 billion for scientific research, and NASA will be allotted $1 billion, including $400 million for climate change research.

Will any of this have an impact on your lab or research goals? If so, how so?

Kind regards,

Pam Ahlberg
Editor-in-chief
Lab Manager Magazine
pam@labmanager.com

Due diligence in purchasing requires an investment in time and resources to manage risk and obtain the most value for the money. This requires some oversight of the actual buying cycle and is not a trivial task. How complicated is the process at your lab? How involved do you get? Have you found better or simpler way to make smart purchasing decisions?

I'd like to hear from you.

Kind regards,

Pam Ahlberg
Editor-in-chief
Lab Manager Magazine
pam@labmanager.com

Due diligence in purchasing requires an investment in time and resources to manage risk and obtain the most value for the money. This requires some oversight of the actual buying cycle and is not a trivial task. How complicated is the process at your lab? How involved do you get? Have you found better or simpler way to make smart purchasing decisions?

I'd like to hear from you.

He also said, "We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do."

What was your reaction to President Obama's address and, more specifically, to his pledged commitment to science and technology? Given that delivering on such pledges takes time, what action would the President need to take next to move that promise forward? Are you optimistic?

I'd like to hear from you.

He also said, "We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do."

What was your reaction to President Obama's address and, more specifically, to his pledged commitment to science and technology? Given that delivering on such pledges takes time, what action would the President need to take next to move that promise forward? Are you optimistic?

I'd like to hear from you.

Kind regards,

Pam Ahlberg
Editor-in-chief
Lab Manager Magazine
pam@labmanager.com

Invention is "new technology that really changes things, that is radical disruption," explains Dr. Lienhard. One reason for this disruption is that invention is cumulative, as noted by Merton Flemings, director of the Lemelson-MIT Program, a nonprofit organization that celebrates inventors and inventions: "Side effects or limitations of an invention create new opportunities." Invention can result in the creation of entire new industries. An excellent example is the invention of the digital computer in 1939. It took a while, but this invention resulted in the creation of information technology industry: computers and software. Similarly, the invention of the airplane resulted in the development of the airline industry and greatly increased personal mobility, which resulted in a vast expansion of the hotel and travel industries. It also resulted in a new dimension for warfare: aerial combat.

In contrast, "Innovation is seldom accompanied by major disruptions," says Dr. Lienhard. "Innovation literally means renewing something. Innovation is the result of wanting to be just a stitch ahead of the competition. And American industry likes to use it for a kind of incremental tinkering of something already there. Innovation is safe, while invention is dangerous."

How does your research facility increase the invention productivity of their people?

I'd like to hear from you.

Invention is "new technology that really changes things, that is radical disruption," explains Dr. Lienhard. One reason for this disruption is that invention is cumulative, as noted by Merton Flemings, director of the Lemelson-MIT Program, a nonprofit organization that celebrates inventors and inventions: "Side effects or limitations of an invention create new opportunities." Invention can result in the creation of entire new industries. An excellent example is the invention of the digital computer in 1939. It took a while, but this invention resulted in the creation of information technology industry: computers and software. Similarly, the invention of the airplane resulted in the development of the airline industry and greatly increased personal mobility, which resulted in a vast expansion of the hotel and travel industries. It also resulted in a new dimension for warfare: aerial combat.

In contrast, "Innovation is seldom accompanied by major disruptions," says Dr. Lienhard. "Innovation literally means renewing something. Innovation is the result of wanting to be just a stitch ahead of the competition. And American industry likes to use it for a kind of incremental tinkering of something already there. Innovation is safe, while invention is dangerous."

How does your research facility increase the invention productivity of their people?

I'd like to hear from you.

Kind regards,

Pam Ahlberg
Editor-in-chief
Lab Manager Magazine
pam@labmanager.com

How the technical or lab manager anticipates and responds to the constant and turbulent change that envelops an organization is frequently the difference between commercial and personal success and failure.

Most technical and business people dislike uncertainty. Uncertainty breeds distrust, fear, loss of confidence, anger, rumors, and all the attributes that complicate and usually retard progress and success in the lab or the office. Therefore, the first priority for the manager should be to reduce uncertainty in the workplace and replace the undesirable attributes mentioned above with facts, sensitivity to employee concerns, and clarity of the group goals and objectives. Here are four managerial guidelines to follow at all times, especially in times of uncertainty and turbulence:

1. Establish clear goals for all employees with clearly defined areas of responsibility and accountability.
2. Communicate, motivate and inspire.
3. Get out of the way.
4. Invest in your employees.

How does your research facility deal with uncertainty and turbulence?

I'd like to hear from you.

How the technical or lab manager anticipates and responds to the constant and turbulent change that envelops an organization is frequently the difference between commercial and personal success and failure.

Most technical and business people dislike uncertainty. Uncertainty breeds distrust, fear, loss of confidence, anger, rumors, and all the attributes that complicate and usually retard progress and success in the lab or the office. Therefore, the first priority for the manager should be to reduce uncertainty in the workplace and replace the undesirable attributes mentioned above with facts, sensitivity to employee concerns, and clarity of the group goals and objectives. Here are four managerial guidelines to follow at all times, especially in times of uncertainty and turbulence:

1. Establish clear goals for all employees with clearly defined areas of responsibility and accountability.
2. Communicate, motivate and inspire.
3. Get out of the way.
4. Invest in your employees.

How does your research facility deal with uncertainty and turbulence?

I’d like to hear from you.

Kind regards,

Pam Ahlberg
Editor-in-chief
Lab Manager Magazine
pam@labmanager.com

The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society's Job and Financial Security Resource Center offers resources that can help professionals search for employment, develop qualities beyond the technical competencies that are valued by employers and learn how to obtain employment rights and legal protections. The Financial Security section of the resource center marries three economic topics--long-term, short-term, and immediate financial actions. TMS members can gain access to information ranging from planning for life events to personal finance and contingency planning.

For more information, visit http://www.labmanager.com/news.asp?ID=532

Does your lab offer services such as these? Or are you a member of a professional society that does? If so, please share details. If not, do you think this kind of program would be beneficial? How so?

The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society’s Job and Financial Security Resource Center offers resources that can help professionals search for employment, develop qualities beyond the technical competencies that are valued by employers and learn how to obtain employment rights and legal protections. The Financial Security section of the resource center marries three economic topics—long-term, short-term, and immediate financial actions. TMS members can gain access to information ranging from planning for life events to personal finance and contingency planning.

For more information, visit http://www.labmanager.com/news.asp?ID=532

Does your lab offer services such as these? Or are you a member of a professional society that does? If so, please share details. If not, do you think this kind of program would be beneficial? How so?

Kind regards,

Pam Ahlberg
Editor-in-chief
Lab Manager Magazine
pam@labmanager.com

Based on some cursory research (visit: http://www.epa.gov/sbo/labguide.htm), the following areas seem most challenging for small labs:

• Professional development opportunities
• Training
• Expenditure for internal audits
• Becoming a GLP laboratory
• Justifying the expense of automation
• Competitive bidding

If you run a small lab, does this list ring true? Are there other, more important issues? Please share your insights in order to foster some shared solutions.

Your colleagues would like to hear from you.

Kind regards,

Pam Ahlberg
Editor-in-chief
Lab Manager Magazine
pam@labmanager.com

Based on some cursory research (visit: http://www.epa.gov/sbo/labguide.htm), the following areas seem most challenging for small labs:

• Professional development opportunities
• Training
• Expenditure for internal audits
• Becoming a GLP laboratory
• Justifying the expense of automation
• Competitive bidding

If you run a small lab, does this list ring true? Are there other, more important issues? Please share your insights in order to foster some shared solutions.

Your colleagues would like to hear from you.

David P. Friedman, Ph.D., professor of physiology and pharmacology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, says that until the 1980s, the scientific community did a very poor job of communicating with anyone beyond their own campuses. That, he says, was and still is a mistake. (Read the Full Article)

“It’s a different kind of work, but it’s a commitment we all must be willing to undertake if we are to have the impact on society that our training, scientific expertise and knowledge make possible for us,” says Friedman.

Does your research facility offer any kind of media training? If so, what kind? If not, do you think it would be beneficial?
I’d like to hear from you.

Kind regards,

David P. Friedman, Ph.D., professor of physiology and pharmacology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, says that until the 1980s, the scientific community did a very poor job of communicating with anyone beyond their own campuses. That, he says, was and still is a mistake. (Read the Full Article)

"It's a different kind of work, but it's a commitment we all must be willing to undertake if we are to have the impact on society that our training, scientific expertise and knowledge make possible for us," says Friedman.

Does your research facility offer any kind of media training? If so, what kind? If not, do you think it would be beneficial?

I'd like to hear from you.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science, AAAS, posted a letter on its website yesterday, congratulating President-elect Obama and urging him to “act quickly to nominate—by inauguration day on January 20th—a cabinet-rank Assistant to the President for Science and Technology.” They also proposed that he “broaden science advice to the White House by reinvigorating the Office of Science and Technology Policy, as recommended by a host of leading advisory groups.”

By what actions will you be convinced of Obama’s commitment to U.S. R&D efforts? How would those actions affect you directly?

I’d like to hear from you.

Kind regards,

The American Association for the Advancement of Science, AAAS, posted a letter on its website yesterday, congratulating President-elect Obama and urging him to "act quickly to nominate--by inauguration day on January 20th--a cabinet-rank Assistant to the President for Science and Technology." They also proposed that he "broaden science advice to the White House by reinvigorating the Office of Science and Technology Policy, as recommended by a host of leading advisory groups."

By what actions will you be convinced of Obama's commitment to U.S. R&D efforts? How would those actions affect you directly?

I'd like to hear from you.

According to their "About the Project" page, http://www.sciencemoms.wordpress.com began as a single post to a list serve with an excerpt and link to a New York Times article about the . It quickly became a forum for discussion of the difficulties (and joys) of juggling job and family. The project eventually led to the book, Motherhood, The Elephant in the Laboratory: women scientists speak out published by Cornell University Press in May of this year. It is a collection of essays about science and motherhood written by 34 women scientists.

If this speaks to your situation, I suggest you check out both the book and the website. Let me know what you think.

According to their “About the Project” page, www.sciencemoms.wordpress.com began as a single post to a list serve with an excerpt and link to a New York Times article about the illusion of combining motherhood and career. It quickly became a forum for discussion of the difficulties (and joys) of juggling job and family. The project eventually led to the book, Motherhood, The Elephant in the Laboratory: women scientists speak out published by Cornell University Press in May of this year. It is a collection of essays about science and motherhood written by 34 women scientists.

If this speaks to your situation, I suggest you check out both the book and the website. Let me know what you think.

In one presentation, John Ford, of Project Solutions, spoke of the need for mentoring within the lab and the benefits derived for both mentor and mentee. Is there a mentoring program at your lab? Is it formal or informal? Has it been successful and, if so, how do you measure that success? Please share your thoughts.

An article we posted yesterday talks about the growing number of Web-based social-networking sites aimed at individuals with a specific interest or career focus – in this case, biomedical research. (http://www.labmanager.com/news.asp?ID=474) Are you there yet? Are members of your staff?

If you were at the ALMA Conference last week, tell me what you thought. What topics do you wish had been covered that weren't.

I look forward to hearing from you.

In one presentation, John Ford, of Project Solutions, spoke of the need for mentoring within the lab and the benefits derived for both mentor and mentee. Is there a mentoring program at your lab? Is it formal or informal? Has it been successful and, if so, how do you measure that success? Please share your thoughts.

I recently came across a web site in which McCain and Obama answer the top 14 science questions facing America – sharing their views on issues of environment, health and medicine, and science and technology policy. It's worth checking out.

http://www.sciencedebate2008.com/www/index.php?id=42

Regarding the economy, we at Lab Manager Magazine are working on a feature article for the November/December issue that will look at the impact this downturn is having on the laboratory market as well as suggestions for weathering the storm.

This week we featured news about a Brookhaven National Lab program that provides grant money to local nonprofits to promote science and math to under-represented members of the community. What, if anything, does your lab do in the way of community outreach? Please share your thoughts.

I look forward to hearing from you.

I recently came across a web site in which McCain and Obama answer the top 14 science questions facing America – sharing their views on issues of environment, health and medicine, and science and technology policy. It’s worth checking out.

http://www.sciencedebate2008.com/www/index.php?id=42

Regarding the economy, we at Lab Manager Magazine are working on a feature article for the November/December issue that will look at the impact this downturn is having on the laboratory market as well as suggestions for weathering the storm.

This week we featured news about a Brookhaven National Lab program that provides grant money to local nonprofits to promote science and math to under-represented members of the community. What, if anything, does your lab do in the way of community outreach? Please share your thoughts.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

Pam Ahlberg
Editor-in-chief
Lab Manager Magazine
pam@labmanager.com

Welcome to the Lab Manager Magazine web site. Beginning today, I will be using this part of the site to regularly comment on industry trends and events, update you on product, research and event news, point out new features and functions of the site, and solicit your opinions.

Two questions on my mind today are:

1. How, if at all, do you think the recent turbulence on Wall Street will affect your lab?
2. Do you or does anyone in your lab make use of YouTube tutorials, such as the one linked here? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZYtxW0ZKUE
If so, are there others you would like to share? If so, please send me those links.

I look forward to hearing from you.

EDITOR'S BUZZ with Pam Ahlberg

Welcome to the Lab Manager Magazine web site. Beginning today, I will be using this part of the site to regularly comment on industry trends and events, update you on product, research and event news, point out new features and functions of the site, and solicit your opinions.

1. How, if at all, do you think the recent turbulence on Wall Street will affect your lab?
2. Do you or does anyone in your lab make use of YouTube tutorials, such as the one linked here?
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZYtxW0ZKUE
   If so, are there others you would like to share? If so, please send me those links.