Labbie Information

Welcome to the new version of The Connections Lab. The purpose of all of our work is to get better every single day. This includes not only our work; but my supervision, the structure of the lab, our work with research partners, funding, and everything that we do. In addition to the other information that is available on this website, especially the blog page entitled “how not to suck in graduate school” here are some of the goals and procedures that we will be implementing.

Reasonable Expectations of Dr. Shaw

  • Expect 24-hour turnaround on e-mails. Yet during summer, holidays, and weekends e-mails typically require 48 hours. Feel free to nag and mock me if I go over that time frame.

  • Expect 10 working days for any letters of recommendation. I will let you know if there is any deviation from that.

  • Expect 5 working days to read and edit manuscripts, proposals, and other work.

  • Expect 15 working days to read doctoral and masters theses.

  • I can be distracted and a bit of a slacker. Feel completely free to remind and nag me. I am okay with that.

  • Remember that theses are your projects. I am the leader of your support team.

  • Labbies are divided into two groups: Active labbies—those who are currently taking classes and collecting data. Senior labbies—those who are on internship, are co-supervised, or completing doctoral theses. Most of these points are relevant to active labbies. Undergrads and volunteers are considered active labbies.

  • I will be meeting with each active labbie once per week for 30 minutes during fall and winter terms.

    History: The term “labbie” was used by residents of Los Alamos, New Mexico to refer to the influx of scientists into the community during the Manhattan Project. It was first a term of derision, but later became a term of affection.

Expectations of Labbies 

  • For active labbies with a full class load and clinical responsibilities, it is best to think of time commitments to the research lab as an additional course. As such, labbies are expected to average 10 hours per week on Connections Lab activities.

  • Within 24 hours of our meeting, please send me a summary of the meeting via e-mail—this is a reminder of what I am supposed to do, makes sure we both have the same understanding of the meeting, and keeps meetings focused on issues.

  • Have an agenda coming to each meeting. Preparing for the individual meeting is at least ½ of the value of the meeting.

  • Bring a log of all laboratory-based activities that you have done each week. We will be reviewing these at every meeting.

  • Summer is the most productive time of the year for manuscript production. For labbies to meet their goals they will almost certainly need to produce at least one manuscript for publication over the summer months. Summer is also prime time for thesis writing and developing conference of examinations.

  • I will support your masters or doctoral theses and your required two manuscript submissions per year, but they are your projects.

  • See the blog post: https://www.shawconnectionslab.com/how-not-to-suck-in-grad-school/2017/12/25/establishing-a-lab-culture-how-not-to-suck-in-graduate-school for the basics of your expectations and rules of this lab.

Lab Social Media Policy

Students who use social networking sites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and other forms of electronic communication should be mindful of how their communication may be perceived by clients, colleagues, faculty, and other mental health professionals. As such, each student should make every effort to minimize visual or printed material that may be deemed inappropriate for a professional psychologist. To this end, student should set all security settings to “private” and avoid posting information, photos, or using any language that could jeopardize their professional image. Students should consider limiting the amount of personal information posted on the sites and should never include information or comments about clients and/or students for whom they currently serve or have served as an instructor, clinical supervisor, and/or clinical consultant. Clients should not be included as part of a personal social network, since doing so constitutes a boundary violation. Discussion of any clinical activities should be avoided. In addition, any information that might lead to the identification of a client or student represents a violation of confidentiality, which is a breach of ethical standards that govern the practice of counsellors, psychologists, and mental health professionals and training. Engaging in these types of actions could result in the student being dismissed from the program.

Separating personal accounts from professional accounts is an important task. Social media and networking sites can be critical to developing a professional development network. However, personal accounts for social networks are quite different. Most trouble occurs when these two things are blended. The program recommends that social networking that involve nonprofessional activities including but not limited to politics, family, religion, relationships, and hobbies be reported on anonymously labelled accounts.

Social networking sites are critical aspects of controlling your Internet footprint. Every employer and most clients will conduct an Internet search of you before working with you. Ensure that all content on social networking sites and other locations reflect the professional image that you wish to project.