Lab Contract

LAB CONTRACT

(updated: 8/22/2024)

The purpose of this contract is to establish policies and guidelines between P.I., Staff, and Students within the B.I.O.N.I.C. Lab (09/2024 to 12/2024) as follows:

1. LAB RULES AND EXPECTATIONS (Grad Student/Postdoc)

a. A Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) is a researcher, distinct from a student, compensated for 20hr/wk dedicated to labor encompassing low-risk data collection, surgery, data analysis, supporting existing experiments/projects, and manuscript writing that create knowledge for the taxpayers. In return, the GSR receives a stipend, financial support for benefits, and tuition coverage for 20hr/wk of learning. Learning involves classes during the semester, and in periods without classes, shadowing, self-directed learning through literature review, seminar attendance, grant writing, project outlining, writing a review paper, and workshop participation. Non-FTDH students commit 20 hr/wk to lab activities, guided by the Lab P.I. and funding grants. FTDH/postdoc/full-time staff (excluding summer non-FTDH) are obligated to contribute 37.5 hr/wk (with a 0.5 hr break) to lab work, as stipulated by the Lab P.I. and mandated by funded grants. GSR recess schedules align with "Faculty, Staff, & Designated Offices" rather than the student schedule.

• Each credit of a class is anticipated to necessitate a total commitment of 3 hours, comprising 1 hour in class and 2 hours outside of class. To uphold a balanced class-to-lab ratio, students are advised to enroll in 6-7 credits of classes per semester.

• Any time investment beyond the sponsor-funding institution's stipulated expectations of 20 hr/wk (or 37.5 hr/wk for FTDH, Postdocs, staff, or when classes are not in session, adhering to NIH/NSF/DARPA guidelines, etc.) is considered as bonus time dedicated to personal development and compound interest investment in your own career, distinct from obligations to the PI or the funding agency. Additionally, non-FTDH graduate students are anticipated to allocate 20 hr/wk towards coursework and learning.

• Students are required to email the PI outlining weekly goals and providing updates on the previous week by Monday at 10am. The specified goals and tasks should be meticulously broken down into 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8-hour increments, aiding students in organizing their tasks effectively. It is crucial to allocate 8-hour increments exclusively for experiments, while other tasks should be subdivided into smaller, manageable segments. This includes blocking off time for classes:

  • Weekly plans (a list of tasks and estimated amount of time in increments of 0.25-8 hrs/day) should be emailed to the PI between Friday 4pm and Monday 10 am. (8 hr increment should only be for experiments, break other tasks into smaller manageable pieces). 

  • A list of weekly accomplishments with revised amounts of time tasks consumed should be emailed to the PI between Friday 4pm and Monday by 10 am. This update should be divided into Learning (classes/classwork/literature-search/seminars (avg 20hr/wk; deliberate practice towards your 10,000 hrs)), and research/Labor  (avg 20hr/wk labor to benefit taxpayers), but not social activities/networking (personal time). 

  • These two reports can be combined.

  • Over time: If grant deadlines, exams, or other learning activities extend beyond the allotted 20 hours per week, this overtime must be deducted from personal time (up to 92 hours/week), not from the 20 hours/week allocated for research/labor. The 20 hours/week of research/labor is essential, as it covers stipend, tuition, and benefits.

  • Risk taking: Risk-taking is crucial for scientific growth, and failure plays a key role in learning and gaining experience. "Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want, and people pay a lot for experience." Risks that remain unproven count as part of the learning process. During class periods, research/labor should emphasize slow, steady progress (low-risk work). Once coursework is completed, 20 hours/week should still focus on low-risk, steady research outputs, but some learning time should be allocated to high-risk experiments. High-risk experiments are classified as research/labor only after preliminary experiments reduce uncertainty.

  • TA currently does not count as learning or labor due to union status.

  • Volunteering is extra time that does NOT count towards Labor nor Learning.

  • If chronic experiments or equipment availability require experiments on weekends or after hours, those hours can be traded for weekday hours. However, it is encouraged that trainees attend the lab during regular hours whenever possible to facilitate team communication and problem solving. Communicate this in weekly updates and Teams messages at the earliest opportunity.

• For undergraduates, a planned commitment of approximately 10 hr/wk is recommended to make a substantial contribution to a project, reaching a co-authorship level. It is acknowledged that this allocation may vary week to week based on the course schedule and examination demands. During the semester, this commitment increases to 20 hrs/wk and rises to 40 hrs/wk during the summer, particularly if the position is funded, for instance, by an SSOE or A&S fellowship.

• All Students are expected to be present for the lab workshop, journal club, 1-on-1 meeting times, and any other scheduled lab events. Any anticipated absences or emergencies need to be communicated with the Lab P.I.. Meeting times are included in the 20 hrs/wk of learning (37.5 hr/wk FTDH, postdoc)

  • 1-on-1 meetings are coaching time for research, career, learning, work-life balance, retirement, etc. Come prepared with questions.

  • If you are unable to find time during the week to meet. Find time to schedule Sunday morning or weekday evenings at 8:30pm.

• As a graduate research assistant, particularly when funded by taxpayer-supported programs like NIH or NSF, your role is a combination of learning and contributing to research that has real-world impact. While your education is a critical part of this process, it's important to understand that your work as a research assistant is equally valuable. This guide outlines how to view and balance these responsibilities effectively.

1. Understand the Mutual Benefit

Your education and research work are both supported by taxpayers through NIH or NSF grants. These programs are an investment not only in your personal development but also in advancing scientific knowledge for societal benefit. Your contributions in the lab or field are part of the return on that investment. While you gain advanced training, you're also expected to produce research that contributes to the broader scientific community.

Takeaway: View your research contributions as a crucial part of the value exchange. Your work helps to justify the investment made in your education and ensures continued support for future researchers like you.

2. The Apprenticeship Model

Your assistantship is much more than just funding your tuition and benefits—it's an apprenticeship. Through your 20 hours of work per week, you're not just "working" but actively learning and honing essential skills that will serve you throughout your career. This hands-on experience helps you apply theoretical knowledge, build technical expertise, and solve real scientific problems.

Takeaway: Consider your research work as a key component of your learning process. It allows you to gain practical, real-world experience that complements your academic education.

3. Recognize the Value of Real-World Skills

The tasks you perform during your assistantship are designed to help you develop the skills necessary for a successful career, whether in academia, industry, or elsewhere. Managing complex research projects, collaborating with others, and producing tangible results are crucial capabilities that employers and funding agencies value. These are skills you can't fully acquire through coursework alone.

Takeaway: Use your assistantship to build skills that go beyond academics—project management, data analysis, problem-solving, and teamwork. These are essential for your future career and will make you more competitive in any field.

4. Understand Your Responsibility to the Public

Being funded by NIH or NSF means you have a responsibility not only to your lab or university but to the public that supports these grants. The work you do has a direct impact on solving societal challenges, whether in healthcare, engineering, or other critical areas. Taxpayers expect progress on these challenges, and your role is to contribute to that progress.

Takeaway: Approach your research with the mindset that you're working on behalf of the public. Your efforts should aim to push the boundaries of science and produce outcomes that benefit society.

5. Focus on Building a Strong Career Foundation

Your assistantship is laying the groundwork for your future. It’s not just about getting through your degree but about building a career in science and engineering. The skills and experiences you gain through research—particularly those gained from addressing practical problems and contributing to meaningful outcomes—are what will set you apart as a professional.

Takeaway: Treat your assistantship as an opportunity to grow both academically and professionally. The work you’re doing now is preparing you for leadership roles in your future career.

Summary

Being a graduate research assistant is a dual role—you're both a student and an active contributor to research funded by public investment. The work you do is not just about fulfilling hours; it's about learning through doing and ensuring that your efforts contribute to meaningful scientific and societal progress. Embrace your assistantship as both an educational opportunity and a responsibility to produce high-impact research.

b. During periods of absence from the lab while the University is operational (excluding holidays or recess), it is mandatory for Students, Staff, and Researchers to promptly inform the Lab P.I., at least two weeks before the planned leave date (via email and on calendar). Students are further obligated to organize and train individuals to sustain 'chronic data collecting' or 'colony management' in their absence. Students are generally expected to take "recharge days" of 10 workdays in the summer, 5 in the fall, and 5 in the spring, alongside appropriate sick days. Additionally, there are extra winter days (+10) allocated for those engaged in chronic data collection between Christmas and New Years. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average number of paid vacation days is 11 days and 11 Federal Holidays for a total of 22 weekdays off per year. Including the 20 days of “recharge days” listed here and University Holidays, there are a total of 39 weekdays off per year. (Most R1 Universities, labs at Pitt, and Pitt staff get a max of 20 paid weekdays off per year) Researchers receiving paid stipends/salaries are aligned with the University schedule rather than the class schedule. Notably, if data collection is necessary when the University is closed, the data collection must proceed (your responsibility).

Additional days off can be negotiated with Lab P.I. by consistently going above and beyond the call of duty, leveraging productivity and research products.

c. Students are instructed to prioritize physical and mental health as their foremost concern within the Lab, encompassing but not confined to adequate sleep (8 hr), nutrition (particularly B-12, recommended at 500 pg/ml), and regular cardiovascular exercise, adhering to AHA guidelines (150 min/wk moderate-intensity or 75 min/wk vigorous aerobic activity). Work hours (9 am-5 pm) may be utilized to foster physical and mental well-being, provided that weekly commitments, including deadlines and meetings, are fulfilled. It is acknowledged that such prioritization may result in missing spontaneous opportunities within the lab. Importantly, this time dedicated to health is distinct and not included in the 20 hr/wk or 40 hr/wk of sponsor-funded work.

d. First semester of first year students. New students are encouraged to focus on building a social network with peers, including classmates from the same year. Establishing connections and cultivating a social and mental health support system is deemed vital for professional development, especially for those transitioning away from their "home" environment. The ability to share challenges and accomplishments with peers outside the lab is considered integral. Their time in the lab should be dedicated to shadowing procedures and assisting in data analysis on existing projects, aiming to secure a middle-authorship paper before the commencement of their second year.

e. Within the Department of Bioengineering, students are obligated to sustain a minimum "B" average in all courses for their performance to be deemed satisfactory within the program. 

f. Students are expected to know and follow EH&S, OSHA, IACUC (DLAR) guidelines and have read relevant animal protocols.

g. English is the designated language of science. Consequently, it is an expectation that all verbal communication within the lab or any research-related environment where one represents the lab (such as seminars, conferences, etc.) is conducted in English.

h. Students delivering a poster or talk at internal or external conferences are required to adhere to submission deadlines specified by the Lab P.I. (Refer to Section 8). The same abstract is not permitted for presentation at different external conferences, although it may be allowed for internal conferences. Abstracts must be approved by the PI a minimum of 10 days in advance and distributed to all co-authors 7 days prior. Final Poster/Slides need to be approved by the PI 7 days in advance and circulated to co-authors 5 days in advance. Failure to comply will lead to withdrawal from the conference and loss of reimbursements.

i. Staff members are obligated to work in person 8 hours per weekday, inclusive of a 0.5-hour lunch break. Any requests for early dismissal require confirmation from the PI and permission from the Department Chair. Timecards must be promptly submitted either on Friday afternoon or by Monday at 9 am. In the case of salary staff, timecards need to be submitted for sick or vacation time.

j. In the case of remote work (eg. quarantine, FMLA), trainees and staff should submit accomplishments and quantitative progress update every 1 hr with documented evidence of progress each hour (such as continuous updates on onedrive). 

k. If you are not in person, you are expected to respond to emails and Teams chat promptly (acknowledge receipt of message within 15 min) during normal working hours (otherwise, this will be recognized sick time). 

l. Respond ASAP (between 9-5) to messages, texts, emails, calls. Even if it’s simply as ‘Message received, will respond by #’ (then add a calendar reminder to make sure you follow through). 

2. FILE STORAGE

1. There are 4 main services used for the storage of files pertaining to lab organization, inventory, and research in the lab. The services are 1) Google Drive, 2) One Drive, 3) the Lab’s server, and 4) Github. The lists below detail what types of files can be found at each of these file storage services.

i. Google Drive: Ordering, animal inventory, antibody inventory, round table slides

ii. One Drive: Files pertaining to individual research projects (shared with people working on the project), data sharing, processed data (might benefit other’s analysis)

iii. Lab server (SSOE-BIOE online storage drive; requires PULSE to login from non-lab computers): All raw data, individual data backup

See Teams channel ‘server’ for detailed instructions on the two servers

iV. Github: programming stuff, tutorial, processing scripts, processing pipeline, data structures  

2. Guidelines for backing up the raw/analyzed data from temporary storage to backup hubs are detailed in the list below. A corner of the whiteboard will be designated to highlight the tasks for the week and the members responsible as a visual reminder (backup, waste removal, inventory).

i. Biweekly backups of raw data are made from sources (2-p computer, MVX, Ephys computer, Confocal) in which data was added during the time period to the respective folder on the server. Assignments are scheduled on the Workshop Facilitator Sheet. For example, imaging data will be saved into folders on the “data” folder on the MVX or “temporary storage” drive on the 2p computer. Everyone should save their data to a folder with their name. Depending on the schedule. 

ii. Facilitators assigned to backing up the data on a biweekly basis in “Workshop Facilitators” document on the Google Drive. Facilitator from week before is responsible for ensuring current facilitator completed the back ups. Facilitator responsibilities will be marked off in a section on the white board specifying 1. inventory check, 2. physical/server backup (2p,MVX,ephys). The facilitator is responsible for checking off that they completed the back up, changing their name to “Previous”, and add the next facilitator responsible for a back up on “up next”.

iii. Two photon:

• Backups of the ‘Temp’ drive will occur every 2 weeks on the Friday of that week.

• RAW drives will not be backed up

• Following backup, the ‘Temp’ drive will be wiped

E-phys: backup to external drive and analyzer computer

3. LAB COMMUNICATIONS

a. All administrative lab business, workshop/journal club items, important information/opportunities, and useful documents will be shared via the Lab listserv (bioniclab@googlegroups.com) and via Microsoft Teams (ask to be added) with an announcement message in the appropriate channel.

b. Ordering within the lab is organized via a Google sheet on the Lab Google Drive folder. It is each Student’s responsibility to follow the “second-to-last” rule when ordering items (i.e. place order when second-to-last box/package is opened). Animal orders must be placed by end-of-day on Tuesday of each week in order to be processed by DLAR for that week. Failure to do so will extend the length of time by a week before an animal order is processed. Any questions about orders should be directed to the Lab manager.

1. Orders over $5,000 require a requisition and department approval through Alexis Delgrosso

2. Orders over $10,000 require Sole source justification (signed by TK and Department Head) as well as export control form (signed by vendor, regardless if it is international or not)

3. If there is an item to be ordered from an external vendor (vendor that Pitt doesn’t have agreement with) you must fill out a purchase form and send to Kim Trost. If ordering from amazon, you must provide proof that the item is cheaper than if purchased with a Pitt associated Vendor (PantherExpress and Suppliers List).

4. Deliveries 

   1. Everyone should take care of their own deliveries.

   2. Guangfeng will notify the upcoming deliveries

   3. Whoever ordered the package should determine if he/she comes to get it by themselves or have someone else to help get it.

   4. When delivered, mark ordering sheet with the delivery date. 

5. For the weekly inventory check performed by facilitators, they will mark when the check has been completed on the whiteboard and place any items on the order sheet according to the “second-to-last” rule

c. The mouse inventory is organized via a Google sheet on the Lab Google Drive folder. It is each Student’s responsibility to update the mouse inventory to accurately reflect the number of animals that have been purchased or are available for surgery (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-yDIVo9eeqS3nPkpIoX5qoa49qQfHk3mf13yjQjNaS8/edit#gid=0). It is required that each student keep an inventory of their own to reflect which cages they are responsible for in order to accurately reflect the total number of cages being used and for what project/purpose.

d. Students are responsible for reserving time for equipment or lab space on the Lab Google calendar. If a reservation needs to be canceled the Student must do so with at least a 48 hour advance notice (message lab on Teams). In the case of emergency or sudden change in schedule, as soon as possible followed by notification of the Lab via e-mail/TEAMS correspondence.

BIONIC 242 2P

BIONIC 242 Surgery

BIONIC 242 MVX

BIONIC 242 Stimulator

BIONIC 244 2P - Two-photon microscope

BIONIC 244 2P/MVX - Surgery table in 2P room in front of MVX 

(e.g. Label 2P and 2P/MVX calendars if you need to perform surgeries while imaging in 2P room)

BIONIC Stimulator - TDT stimulator for ICMS

BIONIC Analyzer - Processing of data sets

BIONIC Autolab - Impedance recording, IROx activation

BIONIC Confocal - Confocal microscope (4th floor)

BIONIC Cryostat - Cryostat (room 243)

BIONIC 243 Fumehood

BIONIC Staining and Histology Bay

BIONIC Surgery Room - Surgery room connecting 2P room and Utility room

BIONIC Utility Room - Ephys recording

bioniclaboratory@gmail.com - General lab events, 1-on-1 meetings, JC/Workshop,

 student/staff time off

e.    A secondary form of lab communication designed for instant/real-time interaction (i.e. Team) will be established to facilitate separate Lab functions (general lab business, ordering, workshop, journal club papers, accomplishments, miscellaneous, etc.) amongst lab members.

f. Social, communication, and collaboration.

i. Regular Social:  Once a semester (plan a month in advance) (https://docs.google.com/document/d/16Z4R4AxeeLrD42Wfj6o0ZBzwzNS-4RIXb7TMX_95PIU/edit ) Scheduling can be done the week before using a polling software (doodle, when2meet, slack)  to  determine when everyone would be available. It is understood that sometimes/activities will not work for all lab members. Will add events to the general calendar (and post in “social” Teams channel). 

ii. Last Friday of every month social after working hours (Options: Pins, coffee shop, picnic, etc.).

g. In Person: Trainees should make a best effort (Sick, experiments, seminars, classes)  to be present in the Lab on M-F 9:00am-5:00pm to facilitate spontaneous group discussions, peer mentoring, and problem solving sessions. Staff are expected to be in person 5 days a week. 

1. allocate 30 minutes after finishing discussing Journal club paper to be social and 

lunch

2. If journal club paper takes up entire 2 hours, then journal club can be extended for social component 

3. Will make list of topics as backup to kick-start conversations

4. If you are sick, but able to attend meetings virtually, everyone should be on zoom with cameras on, and use Push to talk.

h.  When a lab member is notified of a seminar of interest, it is that lab member’s responsibility to add that seminar date and location to the “Research Seminars” Google calendar as soon as possible or within that day. Add the speaker, location, title, and abstract of the talk or other relevant information available within the description box of the event. 

i. Trello will be used to keep track of individual and group to-do lists. (https://trello.com/invite/bioniclab1/4914ae14baa74ed54372e70aea294241 invite link) 

• General procedures for organizing your trello list/column

j. Whiteboard: The large white board should be used for drawing out figures/analyses and collaborative thoughts. If the board is filled and you would like to use it, take a picture and send the image to Teams before erasing.

k. Small Group Meetings (Fall Only). Small groups will be composed of 3-4 randomly selected trainees. Groups will meet weekly in person for 1 hour to discuss proposed experiments, provide feedback on outlines and manuscripts, and engage in collaborative communication. These meetings are expected to take place sometime during MWF 9-5. Groups will be changed each month and assigned by the Workshop Facilitator at the beginning of the semester. 

September:  

1) Karlie, Khari, Kevin, Adam 

2) Chris, Collin, Vanshika 

3) Michael, Camila, Teresa

October: 

1) Khari, Camila, Kevin, Michael

2) Adam, Karlie, Collin 

3) Vanshika, Teresa, Chris

November: 

1) Karlie, Chris, Camila, Michael

2) Teresa, Adam, Kevin 

3) Collin, Vanshika, Khari
December: 

1) Teresa, Karlie, Adam, Kevin 

2) Collin, Camila, Vanshika 

3) Chris, Michael, Khari

4. LAB    WORKSHOP

a. Each week, a Facilitator will be chosen to lead the focus/discussion of the upcoming workshop and weekly journal club. Facilitators will be chosen ahead of time and, in the event that no Facilitator has been assigned, the Student who has not been selected to lead workshop longest will be automatically chosen. The schedule of facilitation will be decided within the first month of each semester. 

(If necessary, Facilitator will follow the order Kevin, Chris, Adam, Camila, Teresa, Collin,  repeat. Schedule can be found on the workshop worksheet: Workshop Facilitators.xlsx)

i. In the event that the scheduled facilitator does not have an outline/data to discuss, then it is their responsibility to discuss with the lab to find another topic to discuss. This can include but is not limited to:

Lab wiki pages (lab protocols for various experimental procedures)

Methods papers/pseudo journal club

Group project updates

Data processing tips

Organizing data for open access

b. Students must submit any action items or desired discussion topics to the Facilitator by end of day (5 pm) on the day prior to Workshop. The Facilitator will send out agenda items to the Lab (via bioniclab@googlegroups.com) prior to Workshop by the morning of. 

c. In the event that another Student wishes to facilitate workshop discussion they must notify the current Facilitator ahead of time, in which case the current Facilitator will be assigned to lead the subsequent Workshop and the schedule will be adjusted accordingly.

d. Time at the beginning of Journal Club will be allotted for a brief (2 min each via oral or 1-2 PWT slides via Google Drive folder) roundtable presentation of each Student’s summary of the week’s work/accomplishments and plans for the coming week (required). Agenda: 1) Business Items, 2) Round Table 3) main topic 4) planned work for the week

e. Time at the end of Workshop (5-10 mins) will be allotted for wrap-up, workshop summary, and discussion of any administrative items for the following week. Any updates or business items should be summarized and posted by the Facilitator to the Workshop channel in Teams during the meeting (for absent members).

f. In cases of extreme bad weather (Delays and Closures / Inclement Weather FAQ (pghschools.org)), workshops will be conducted on zoom via the link on google calendar. (Snow days or 2 hour delays) Alert via the Microsoft Teams channel. 

g.      Workshop Facilitator Weekly responsibilities besides leading workshop:

1. Physical and server 2P backup and it is to be done by the end of the week (schedule can be seen in workshop facilitator excel spreadsheet). If not scheduled for backup, facilitator is responsible for checking that all files were backed up.

2. Checking inventory and making sure items noted in the Teams channel “ordering” have been ordered by the end of the week. Picture of inventory sheet should be posted in Teams.

   1. A print out of the inventory list will be provided to each week’s facilitator for them to fill out over the course of the week. At the end of the week, the facilitator will pin the completed sheet to their column on the board to show completion. The facilitator will also be responsible for filling any necessary orders from the inventory list. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13CKOJSVozA_cpsWirwEs5MwtFifdnCrdsr0C6fflUcE/edit#gid=0

3. Choose Journal club paper

   1. Place journal club paper on Google Drive and send reminder via email and/or Teams by 5 pm Thursday before Journal Club.

5. LAB SPACE

a. Each Student is responsible for the cleanliness and preservation of lab equipment or lab space in which they are working. After a procedure is completed, the Student must return the equipment or space back to its original state in which it was prior to use. The last person in the lab will check that the lights are off and doors are locked for both rooms. 

b. Each Student is responsible for backing-up recorded data to 3 different locations: 1) the Lab’s SSOE-BIOE online storage drive in individual Student folders, 2) at least two back-up hard drives for storage, 3) a personal hard drive. It is the Student’s responsibility to keep their data backed up for routinely clearance of space on imaging and recording computers.

i. Data will be backed up to harddrives every two weeks and to the server once a month. The current week's facilitator will be responsible for this. 

ii. The raw storage drive on the two-photon computer will be purged within a week of the drive reaching 75% capacity, or as needed. An email will be sent via the lab listserv to notify the Lab members that have data stored on the drive. 

c. Cleaning two-photon filter (front and back) and filling coolant, etc. Person will be assigned during Workshop the week that the filter needs to be cleaned. Report completion on Teams.

d. Biohazard waste should be taken out biweekly by the two assigned lab members. All biohazard bins should be collected and the box taken to the loading dock. The schedule is found here: biological waste

e. Each Student is responsible for making and updating protocols of important lab equipment operations, and the latest physical copy of protocols should be physically available somewhere near the designated lab equipment. (Currently on OneDrive; work on transition to GitWiki)

f. Make use of the 3D printer whenever possible.

g. Lab training:

i. Learn surgical, imaging, and recording from older students

ii. Learn sectioning (cryostat) from Guangfeng (email her in advance to find a day/time to meet)

iii. \BIONIC_LAB\StandardProtocols

iv. When in doubt, ask for help.

6. Authorship guidelines: 

https://hms.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/assets/Sites/Ombuds/files/AUTHORSHIP%20GUIDELINES.pdf

https://www.elsevier.com/researcher/author/policies-and-guidelines/credit-author-statement

i. It is encouraged to send out drafts of your manuscript to the entire lab in order to get feedback from others.

ii.  At the minimum, one week before submission (ideally two weeks), the first-author must send out the final manuscript to the entire lab over the bionic lab email so that all lab members can assess potential authorship.

iii. Draft Credit list: A document/contract should be agreed upon by all contributors during the outline process. The document should be a live document with constant revisions/ edits as the project develops and/or new people are involved. The agreement will be saved in One Drive for each project.

Authorship agreement from Pitt: https://teamsciencetools.icre.pitt.edu/login?redirectTo=%2Fforms%2Fauthorship-agreement

iv. Figure widths must be 58, 88, 180, or 185 mm and height no more than 225 mm. Images need to be 300 dpi or for a combination image + line art 1200 dpi. Line art needs to be saved at eps where each element is separately preserved (don’t convert a .jpg to an .eps). Font sizes should be Arial, with a max of 11 and min of 5. Color scheme, subpanel label, and axes label should be consistent size and format for all figures. 

v. Raw figure files, such as powerpoint, illustrator, prism, .eps, .ai, .fig files need to be saved in a separate folder in the submission folder.

vi. Data points used need to be saved in an xls file with separate sheets for each subpanel (inclusive of N and n) and stored in the submission folder. 

vii. Consult with authorship guidelines for the target journal. All necessary forms and files should be in the submission folder. 

viii. Use Endnote for references, (free copy software.pitt.edu )

7. Conferences

For Internal (Pitt/CMU) conferences, you can present a poster at multiple conferences per year.

For an external conference, you cannot present the same poster at the same conference in subsequent years.

For external conferences, you cannot present the same poster at different conferences within a 12 mo period.

Abstract (external team members): Need to be approved by the PI 10 days in advance. 

Note: this is APPROVED BY, not submitted to the PI for the first time. 

Abstracts need to be sent to all co-authors 7 days in advance.

Abstract (internal team members): Need to be approved by the PI 5 days in advance, and sent to co-authors 3 days in advance.

Reimbursement: You can get reimbursed up to the daily limit set by the gov per diem rate for hotels and meals (but not alcohol). 

https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates/per-diem-rates-lookup 

This may mean that you have to split a room in order to meet the daily lodging limit. Receipts need to be turned in for all food items.

You can try to get tax removed using these forms: State Tax Exemption and W-9 | Purchase, Pay & Travel | University of Pittsburgh

Reimbursement Travel: The dept will not reimburse upgrades (first class, economy plus) or warranty/travel protection. Flights need to be reasonable with respect to the going economical price 21 days prior to travel, or you risk not being reimbursed for the full amount. (If you don’t have a PCard, you will need to book through Concur using Anthony Travel: Email Glenn and Alexis if you don’t know.) To be reimbursed for conferences, you need to “represent” the lab by presenting a poster or talk. Attending a conference without presenting will require you to pay for the conference, travel, lodging, registration, etc from your own fellowship, award, or stipend.

Societal Membership: is considered career development and cannot be reimbursed.

Registration and abstract submission fee will be reimbursed.

Apply to get travel funds to conferences from BioE department (https://www.engineering.pitt.edu/Departments/Bioengineering/_Content/Resources/Graduate-Travel-Grant/), EGSO, or CNBC. It is always encouraged to apply for travel funds for travel, but otherwise travel to one conference of relevance to the specific project is funded by the grant.

Final Poster needs to be approved by the PI 7 days in advance and circulated to co-authors 5 days in advance. The cost of poster printing will not be reimbursed, but BioE offers a free print service for 42in x 42in posters. Oral presentations must receive approval seven days in advance, and slides must be sent to co-authors five days in advance. Failure to obtain timely approval will result in the withdrawal of the poster or oral presentation. Note that these deadlines pertain to approval, not the initial review deadlines. If presentations need to be withdrawn due to missed deadlines or are otherwise unable to be presented at the conference, no reimbursements will be provided.

Note: the poster needs to be submitted 24 hours in advance, and you need to go to the FedEX on Forbes twice (once to approve the proof, and once to pick up the poster). If you miss the window, you will have to print at the conference out of pocket. Note that most places also charge a premium for printing at the conference. (check Poster Printing Instruction in Teams Workshop and FAQs)

All abstracts require preliminary data and analysis, you cannot submit an abstract on work you “will do” between the abstract submission date and the conference. You can ADD more data and analysis between the abstract submission and conference. However, you need to have some quantified metrics ##+/-## reported within the abstract.

If presentations need to be withdrawn (because deadlines were not met) or are otherwise unable to present at the conference, nothing can be Reimbursed.

Following the conference, present to the rest of the lab presentations and posters of interest.

By signing below, the P.I./Staff/Student agrees to the above policies and guidelines to be upheld and maintained during employment at the B.I.O.N.I.C. Lab.