Throwback to our “The Lab Turns 1” Potluck
Last weekend, Andreas Kohler and I invited current and former lab members for a small potluck/birthday party to celebrate our labs’ first anniversary.
We enjoyed great food, happy times, and the time just flew by. I love hosting events like this, where our team members can come together just to have a great time. These gatherings do so much for fostering happy and healthy group dynamics and creating a positive lab environment.
It’s surreal that the lab is already one year old. The time has flown by, and while I’m thrilled with the journey, it hasn’t been without its challenges. Some parts were way harder than I had ever thought, while others were very manageable – but nothing was easy.
I’m proud of the many things that have worked out as planned. We successfully built up the lab, welcomed our first students in March, and got our main methods up and running. However, some tasks were definitely harder and slower than I expected. Starting a group comes with a myriad of tasks, making it difficult to balance my time effectively. Securing funding to get the lab running was a significant achievement, but not all grant applications were successful. The lab is functioning well, but we still face challenges.
Reflecting on my own expectations and immediate goals often makes me nervous, especially when considering to-do lists and things I could or should have done differently. Relaxing after a day of doing my best, yet not completing everything I planned, is challenging. I tend to focus on the negatives, which is something I’m actively working on.
As a group leader, I strive to be a role model and demonstrate how science can thrive with kindness in academia. Despite setbacks and hurdles, academic kindness remains a central aim for me.
On this Sunday, I was simply happy to see our team members working together, performing well, and I am excited to continue our scientific journey with them. I also look forward to welcoming new members who bring fresh perspectives.
#LabLife #AcademicKindness #TeamBuilding #ScienceCommunity #ResearchJourney #LabAnniversary #PositiveVibes #Collaboration #ScientificResearch #LeadershipInScience
Associate Research Scientist @ Columbia University | Chair-Networking committee @ Columbia University PostDoc Society | co-Director Community&Events @ Nucleate | Stem Cell Researcher
4moThis was a wonderful life science networking event Peter Sheehan. The atmosphere was fantastic, with great crowd and beautifully crafted green space for comfortable networking. Thank you to STAT locals and Elevate Research Properties teams for organizing/hosting such a great event.