Dear All,

First, let’s thank Corey Mathis for taking and sharing her detailed notes during yesterday’s seminar (9/8/2015).  It will help us review the important topics from the meeting.

Professor Ladisch and Professor Mosier lead the seminar.  The two main topics were “Lab Safety” and “Publishing Research Papers”.

Topic 1: Lab Safety

 

Iman’s presentation gave all of us a profound lesson in lab safety. Dr. Nacla Mine Eren and Raymond (Studie), Barron, Neal, ect... present opinions and helpful insights.

 

Lab Incident Report: Heat and Stir Plate left on Overnight.

-        There was a lab accident where a student left an experiment running overnight and as a result it ruined the equipment and the experiment

-        Preventions

o   Look up the MSDS for your chemicals

o   Find out if setting up experiment in the hood is needed

o   Ask about equipment and set up of equipment (communication)

o   Don’t leave your experiments unattended

-        Doors have been left open when no one is in the lab. Doors should be locked when you leave.

-        Even if outside of your area, keep an eye out for areas that may need attention.

-        It was suggested that you let others know what experiments being done

-        Complete a hazardous assessments:

o   How do you know if something is hot?

o   What might happen if pieces of glass wear breaks? If it breaks, is it placed in such away that it is safest?

-        It was suggested that someone review the set up prior to running the experiment. 

o   Inspections done by Dr. Ladisch, Dr. Mosier, Dr. Engelberth, Dr.
Ximenes, Dr. Kilaz, and LORRE safety members are a few examples.

-        Label areas with information about who is using equipment with a description of experiment being done.  May include contact information and date/time the area will be in use.

o   Write boards, writing on glass,…. somehow share this information

-        Need to work on consistent procedures so everyone knows the expectations

-        Benches need to be cleaned à we can’t afford to replace them.

-        The names on the doors have changed.  These need to be updated with the correctly identified person responsible so that others know whom to contact.

o   There should be two names on each door.  The first person is responsible (call them if needed), the second name is the backup contact person.

o   Old, black signs need to be removed as they are not accurate

o   Update and use the white signs

-        Final words: Stay safe

The best way to stay safe - don’t leave the heat and stir plate left on overnight. If a person is not attending the equipment, please turn it off so that we can avoid an accidental fire. If an experiment needs to be running overnight (constant agitation and constant temperature) we have other shaker equipment that is available, which is much safer.

 

Topic 2: Publishing our work and questions

 

-        The first review process, make sure your paper is error free (grammar…)

-        How do you organize your data?

o   This can vary and may not appear in the order that your experiment is done in. It needs to be organized so that it clearly conveys how the experiment was done.

o   Be very clear and detailed within the methods.  It helps to write a summary every week or so. This will help you compile information quickly and accurately.

o   Write the methods first.

-        When do you start the draft of your paper?

o   Get help from your advisor/major professor.

o   Do you have something to report?  What is your hook?

§  Once you have this, things start to come together

o   What have we learned new that we did not learn before?  You don’t have a paper without this.

o   Literature review helps identify the holes in the research so you can show how your paper is helping to contribute something new.

-        How do you determine author ship?

o   A person who is prepared to take credit and blame.

o   Has contributed to the work

o   Some journals will ask for a list of the contributions made by each author

-        What about patent disclosures?

o   To keep sponsors happy

o   It is a requirement

o   Keep public discussion/presentation from being delayed  (not private meetings)

o   Papers will be delayed if patent disclosures aren’t filed.

-        What should the cover letters include?

o   Dear so and so….

o   Title of paper

o   Coauthors

o   The hook (in two sentences)

o   Polite closer; thank you

-        What do editors look for first?

o   Who is submitting it? (coauthors helps) 

o   Be a reviewer, this helps

o   The university you are affiliated with can influences submission

-        Do journals ask you to provide reviewer?

o   This depend on the journal

o   They may ask you to provide a list of names which may or may not review your paper

 

 

Thank you,

LORRE Safety Committee