LAB VLOG: experiments, changing of plans and a week in the life of a PhD student!

TL;DR

The content follows a researcher's busy week in the lab, including writing papers, drying extracts, demonstrating in undergraduate labs, and optimizing conditions for chromatography.

Transcript

hello my youtube friends and welcome back to my channel it's been a while since i've done a lab vlog because there's been a lot of things going on i guess so last week was my first week back in the lab after the california conference which as you will have seen from the vlogs i was very very excited to be in california and i really really enjoyed t... Read More

Key Insights

• 🤞 The researcher had a productive trip to the California conference and hopes to attend again in two years.
• 🥼 They are juggling multiple tasks, including writing papers, drying extracts, and demonstrating in undergraduate labs.
• 💦 Sample solubility issues and a shortage of solvents have posed challenges in the lab work.
• ☄️ The researcher is willing to come in on Saturday to complete the column chromatography and meet their goals.
• 💦 Balancing work in academia or industry remains uncertain for the researcher's future.
• 👣 Time is passing quickly for the researcher, making it challenging to keep track of when certain tasks were completed.
• 💦 The researcher emphasizes the importance of avoiding unnecessary weekend work and prioritizing work-life balance.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the researcher currently working on in the lab?

The researcher is finalizing the writing of a study paper and drying extract samples collected during an open trip for analysis.

Q: What is the researcher's role in the undergraduate labs?

The researcher is helping out in the undergraduate labs, ensuring students' safety and helping them understand the lab procedures.

Q: What challenges did the researcher face during their lab work?

The researcher encountered challenges with sample solubility, requiring the addition of silica to dry load the sample for chromatography. They also faced a shortage of solvents and had to reschedule their chromatography plans.

Q: Why is the researcher planning to come in on Saturday?

The researcher wants to get the column chromatography done and has made the decision to work on Saturday to avoid future stress. However, they mention that working on weekends is not typically recommended.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The researcher is finalizing the writing of a study paper and drying extract samples for analysis.

• They are also balancing their lab work with demonstrating in undergraduate labs to help students.

• The week is filled with various tasks, including optimizing conditions for chromatography and preparing samples for analysis.