Dear Labby Archives

Shedding light on the dark side: how to become an administrator

June 11, 2019

DEAR LABBY: I’m a midcareer cell biologist at a large research university. Recently, I’ve found myself on some university committees, through…

The first draft

April 30, 2019

Dear Labby

DEAR LABBY: I am a fifth-year graduate student and am excited about writing my first paper describing amazing results collected over…

Constructive vs. Destructive Criticism in the Lab

March 8, 2019

Careers, Dear Labby

DEAR LABBY: I am a new graduate student at an “impressive” university. I come from a small, well-known liberal arts college.…

Meetings Large and Small

October 15, 2018

Careers, Dear Labby

DEAR LABBY: I am an assistant professor with limited funds for travel to meetings. Although I am a devoted ASCB…

Predators and Prey in Publishing

August 15, 2018

Careers, Dear Labby, Professional Development, Early Career, Faculty, Graduate Student, Mid-Late Career

DEAR LABBY: I’m a mid-career faculty member in a biology department at a large public university. Our department has been…

Is an Academic Career Just a Dream?

June 21, 2018

Careers, Dear Labby, Professional Development, Graduate Student

Dear Labby, I am a fifth-year cell biology graduate student doing basic research at a major research university. I am…

Tone deaf?

April 23, 2018

Careers, Dear Labby, Inclusivity, Workforce Issues, Graduate Student

Dear Labby, As a first-year woman medical student, I have appreciated my medical school’s efforts to mitigate unconscious bias. However,…

Balancing demands as a new faculty member

March 15, 2018

Careers, Dear Labby, Professional Development, Workforce Issues, Early Career, Faculty

Dear Labby, I am just completing my first semester as an assistant professor. After five years as an international postdoc…

How to join the conversation

November 21, 2017

Careers, Dear Labby, Professional Development, Workforce Issues, Graduate Student

Dear Labby, I am a second-year PhD student who joined a large lab full of confident and opinionated senior graduate…

What’s next after a PhD?

October 10, 2017

Careers, Dear Labby, Professional Development, Graduate Student, Undergrad

Dear Labby, I am about 18 months from filing my PhD thesis (finally) and I am considering my post-PhD options.…