The Center for Social & Behavioral Science (CSBS) hosted an Emerging Investigators Lunch on November 7th, focusing on “Effectively Managing Your Lab.” The event was an opportunity for early-career faculty to explore strategies for successful lab management – a key challenge many assistant professors face. Panelists included professor Karen Tabb (Social Work), associate professor Naiman Khan (health & kinesiology), and associate professor Joe Cohen (psychology), all of whom shared insights from their experiences running labs of varying sizes and focus areas.
Each panelist shared an overview of their lab’s focus and structure, as well as the management techniques they’ve developed over time. Dr. Tabb, whose research involves perinatal populations, spoke about her approach to empowering team members by offering them a choice in projects. She explained that aligning lab members’ tasks with their strengths and interests increases engagement and fosters a sense of ownership.
Dr. Khan, who manages a relatively large lab studying diverse populations, emphasized the importance of intentional hiring practices. For him, lab culture and values are set during the recruitment process, which he views as indicative of and critical for long-term lab cohesion. Dr. Cohen, who leads a smaller lab focused on developmental psychopathology and youth mental health, described his method of aligning lab goals with the personal and professional aspirations of his students. By creating structured, collaborative plans, Dr. Cohen helps mentees find a balance between their interests and the lab’s objectives, while making meaningful progress towards both.
The discussion also covered other important topics, including project management, authorship protocols, and mentorship styles. Each panelist highlighted the importance of matching lab roles to individuals’ strengths, setting clear expectations, and maintaining open communication. Dr. Cohen shared that transparency is key in his lab’s approach to authorship, encouraging early communication about each student’s role in a project. This helps ensure that students can take on meaningful contributions, he explained. Dr. Khan described how, in his lab, authorship is generally awarded to those who make substantial contributions across multiple areas of a paper, which he believes fosters a truly collaborative environment. Dr. Tabb discussed how she considers first authorship a development tool for her students, taking the time to identify her students’ strengths and tie them to professional goals.
Attendees brought up additional management concerns, such as supervising students, fostering a collaborative lab environment, balancing research priorities, and organizing project timelines. They also offered feedback on topics they would like to explore in future assistant professor programming, including quantitative methods workshops, time management, strategies for securing funding in a shifting political climate, and mentorship best practices. Several attendees mentioned a need for discussions on balancing research and mentorship demands.
The Emerging Investigators Lunch provided a practical forum for assistant professors to learn management techniques and build valuable connections with colleagues across disciplines. By bringing in experienced faculty to share their approaches, CSBS created a supportive space for early-career academics to develop the skills they need to run efficient, inclusive, and impactful labs.