Day 1: First day in lab

Before your first day in lab, be sure to complete required trainings and download lab software, as described in Day 0: Software training and setup. Once you have lab access, complete the list below to become oriented to lab processes and procedures.

Onboarding form

Complete the tasks on the lab Onboarding Form. Have your mentor (or another lab member) check off each one. This list includes:

• Given access to lab software accounts (requested in Day 0)

• Added the lab printer (stephenie)

• Have appropriate card and key access to the lab

• Acquired a lab notebook

• The two in-lab trainings described in the following sections

Lab-specific safety training

After completing all other safety trainings online, meet with the lab EHS rep to learn the relevant safety features of our lab (e.g., location of eyewash stations, processes for chemical waste disposal). To confirm that you understand these procedures, you must submit a Google form to be checked off by the lab EHS rep. This safety information is documented here, and key points are highlighted in the IAP 2024 lab-specific training slides.

For grad students and postdocs, an in-person training is also required for access to the room containing the autoclave, dishwasher, and ice machine (room 56-415). Once you have completed the Autoclave Safety Training module in Atlas, a lab member will demonstrate how to operate the autoclave and describe relevant safety features. Then, email the Building 66 Facilities Manager and ChemE EHS Coordinator (Chris Monaco and Brian Smith, directory) to request card access.

Lab citizenship

It is essential for lab members to display common courtesy and follow established procedures to ensure the lab runs smoothly. Professor Galloway expects all lab members to contribute to the lab mission and uphold lab values, as described on the lab website and internally here (IAP 2024). On your first day in lab, a current lab member will walk you through the lab space and our digital organization.

Maps for lab organization:

• Building map of lab rooms

• Lab equipment

• Freezer organization

• Incubator shelf assignment

• Plastics stocks

Selected lab protocols to be familiar with:

• Lab safety

• Ordering materials and reagents

• Receiving orders

• Recycling

• Cleaning and autoclaving

• Basic TC procedures

• Virus safety

Core facility access

If you anticipate using a core facility (e.g., flow sorter, confocal microscope, plate reader) check out the relevant protocol to obtain access. It’s best to start this process early, since obtaining access may take several weeks—training can be difficult to schedule during busy times, and you may be required to book supervised time on equipment before independent access is permitted.