Code of Conduct
The purpose of this document is to clarify policies, procedures, and expectations for working in the lab.
Absences and Illness: Lab members should alert their supervisor as soon as possible when they will be absent from the lab. Due to COVID-19, most of our work will be conducted remotely. If you are planning to come to the lab, you will be required to complete the health screen. If you do not pass the health screen, you will need to stay home and follow the instructions for contacting health services.
Religious/Cultural Observance: Persons who have religious or cultural observances that coincide with lab hours and activities should let the supervisor know in writing (by e-mail for example) at the beginning of the semester/rotation. I strongly encourage you to honor your cultural and religious holidays and am happy to work with you to coordinate your time/hours to make this possible!
Mentorship and Guidance: Working in a lab should be a mutually beneficial arrangement. The main goal is for lab members to learn valuable skills while contributing to the lab by moving research projects forward in productive and impactful ways. Thus, all lab members will receive mentorship and guidance for all tasks you are asked to complete. It is very important that if you do not understand something, you let your supervisor know right away. You will meet with your supervisor regularly (either weekly or biweekly depending on scheduling and needs). During the first meeting, you will go over general lab procedures, set your schedule, and decide on goals for your time in the lab. Subsequent meetings will be focused on discussing the tasks you are/will be working on, addressing any questions that have come up, and ensuring that you are working toward your training goals. The supervisor will be available to you (either physically in the lab or via email/phone) between meetings if you have questions about anything you are working on.
Interacting with Human Participants and their Data: Prior to interacting with research participants and their data, everyone must complete PEERRS and HIPAA training for biomedical and health sciences. Research participants play an instrumental part in our ability to answer important research questions. Participants must always be treated with respect and appreciation. Participants are freely agreeing to participate in our studies and are permitted to end their participation at any time for any reason. If participants express concerns about any aspect of our study, promptly report this information to the lab director. It is imperative that participant privacy be protected at all times. All members of the lab are expected to understand and follow all rules and regulations to protect participants and their privacy. Any concerns about participant protections should be reported to the lab director. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) oversees all research activities and approves study activities. Any deviations from approved study protocols will be reported to the IRB.
Authorship and Credit: Everyone who has contributed to a project must be given appropriate credit for their work. Specific roles, responsibilities, and credit should be openly discussed with all individuals early in their involvement with the project, and revisited periodically throughout the course of the project. All authorship decisions should be made in collaboration with the lab director. Nothing should be submitted without approval by all authors. Guidelines for determining requirements for authorship credit and tips for discussing authorship.
Scientific Integrity: Plagiarism, falsification, and fabrication are not tolerated. It is every lab member’s responsibility to conduct research with integrity and to report any misconduct they become aware of to the lab director. Research misconduct will be reported to the Office of Research Ethics and Compliance.
Interpersonal Communication and Lab Environment: Working in a lab involves teamwork and collaboration. We are here to work together and learn from each other. All lab members deserve an inclusive and supportive environment in which they can learn and grow. We will strive to recognize and respect that we all come from different backgrounds and may have different perspectives and experiences. We will strive to allow all lab members to contribute to discussions and activities. We will use each person’s requested pronouns, names, and titles when addressing and referring to each other. When challenges or disagreements arise, lab members are expected to try their best to resolve the issue using open and respectful dialogue. If this is not possible for any reason, concerns should be brought to the lab director, who will assist with finding an appropriate solution. Discriminatory behavior will not be tolerated. If a member of the lab observes, experiences, or expresses discriminatory behavior, the lab director should be informed. Concerns about discrimination, bias, or general misconduct in the lab or elsewhere can be reported to the UM Office for Institutional Equity. Additional resources and reporting options for sexual and gender based misconduct can be found here: Sexual Misconduct Reporting. Concerns about general campus climate can be reported here: Campus Climate.
Accessibility and Accommodations: If you think you need an accommodation for a disability, please let the lab director know at your earliest convenience. Some aspects of the work we do in the lab may be modified to facilitate your participation and progress. As soon as you make me aware of your needs, I will work with you and the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities, or the Adaptive Technologies Computing Site to help determine appropriate accommodations. I will treat any information about your disability with the utmost discretion.
Student Mental Health and Well-being: University of Michigan is committed to advancing the mental health and wellbeing of its students. If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed, depressed, and/or in need of support, services are available. For help, contact Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at (734) 764-8312 during and after hours, on weekends and holidays, or through its counselors physically located in schools on both North and Central Campus. You may also consult University Health Service (UHS) at (734) 764-8320, or for alcohol or drug concerns, see: AOD Resources. For a listing of other mental health resources available on and off campus, visit: MHealth, and the “Resources” page on this lab website.