Business of Running a Research Group (PSD, PME)

Our annual mini-course designed for future faculty!

This mini-course will address some of your most pressing concerns as you consider the practical aspects of starting your own lab. Each of the four 90-minute sessions will be a moderated panel discussion, structured around questions that each panelist will answer. This mini-course is highly appropriate for late-stage grad students and postdocs who are nearing the academic job market.
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Course Dates: January 30th and 31st, 11 AM – 2 PM
Course Capacity: 40
Location: IN-PERSON and on campus! Lunch will be provided.
Registration end date: January 28th, 2025

Participating Faculty

Chibueze Amanchukwu, PhD
Assistant Professor
Molecular Engineering
University of Chicago

Clara Blättler, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Geophysics
University of Chicago

Michelle Driscoll, PhD
Associate Professor
Physics & Astronomy
Northwestern University
Physics PhD ‘14

Andrew Ferguson, PhD
Professor
Molecular Engineering
University of Chicago

Arnab Banerjee, PhD
Assistant Professor
Physics & Astronomy
Purdue University
Physics ‘13

Stefano Castruccio, PhD
Associate Professor
Applied and Computational Math and Statistics
University of Notre Dame
Statistics ‘13

Keigo Kawaji, PhD
Associate Professor
Biomedical Engineering
Illinois Institute of Technology
Medicine Postdoc ‘18

Miaoyan Wang, PhD
Associate Professor
Statistics
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Statistics ‘15

Course Content

Thursday, January 30th, 11 AM – 2 PM (including lunch break at noon)

Session 1: Negotiating and budgeting your start-up package
Sample questions from previous years:

• How can an applicant determine was is a “reasonable” budget and what needs to be included?
• Did you overlook or underestimate anything as you forecasted the budget for your early years?
• Did you do any negotiating and, if so, for what?
• What was your strategy for spending start-up funds?
• What were your initial sources of funding?

Session 2: Grant writing, submission, and management
Sample questions from previous years:

• What University resources exist to help obtain and maintain funding?
• Do you have a process that you’ve developed that helps you get from writing the first words through to the end?
• Is there anything proactive you can do when your grant gets rejected?
• How do you manage the money if you have multiple grants?
• What is the most challenging logistical aspect of working in your field and what must every early-career academic consider?
• University Research Administration staff will be present to share information about their role in assisting faculty with grant management.

Friday, January 31st, 11 AM – 2 PM (including lunch break at noon)

Session 3: Time management, planning, and staffing your research group
Sample questions from previous years:

• What were your major priorities during the 1st year of your faculty appointment?
• What was the greatest difference in your time management strategy as a postdoc and as a new PI?
• Do you have any implicit or conscious time-management strategy that you feel has been important to your success?
• How much say do you have about which course/s you teach? What percentage of time do you spend teaching vs researching?
• What did you consider in staffing your early research group?

Session 4: Lab management, culture, and mentorship
Sample questions from previous years:

• How is your lab culture and function structured with regards to lines of reporting and group dynamics?
• To what degree are you involved in the daily functions of your research group?
• Have you sought formal mentor or group management training?
• What are some of the warning signs that it’s time to part with a student or employee?
• What interpersonal skills have been more important than you anticipated?
• What is your least favorite part of running a research group?