All of our time is precious. We must all be respectful of this fact, especially when it comes to meetings. It is my job to keep meetings on track and informative. If you feel that's not the case, please let me know. At some point, we will outgrow our meeting structure. When that happens, speak up and let's brainstorm how to refresh things.
Overview
During the initial stages of the Rosen Group, we may slightly deviate from the plans described here as we decide what works best for a small but growing group.
We have a few different types of meetings:
1-on-1 meetings between you and me (frequency: weekly, at least initially).
Group meeting (weekly; 1 hr).
Practice "formal" talks (as-needed).
1-on-1 Meetings
Purpose
Discuss your research progress with me
Identify potential roadblocks and brainstorm potential solutions
Map out the short and long-term trajectory for your project
General check-in
Frequency
A good default is a weekly meeting scheduled for 1 hr (but with the expectation that the full block of time may not be necessary). For senior members of the group, every other week may be more appropriate depending on the individual. We can also schedule ad-hoc meetings as-needed in addition to or in place of the scheduled 1:1 meeting.
Details
The topic and agenda of the meeting will be mostly driven by you, so you should come to the meeting prepared with what you may wish to discuss. If you're not sure what to discuss, then that's a great question to ask in and of itself! While most meetings will be based on recent research updates, discussions about professional development, fellowship applications, your career plans, and long-term goals are always welcome. I am here for you!
One important thing to note is that this is not meant to be a meeting where you feel stressed trying to prepare an hour's worth of results to share. Bring what you have, but don't cram. The hour time-block is so that we have sufficient time to brainstorm and debug things together.
Group Meeting
Purpose
Take a pulse on the state of the group
Discuss your research progress with the group
Solicit feedback from a larger audience
Put together slides you'll likely re-use later
Frequency
Group meetings take place weekly for 1 hour, excluding university holidays. We strictly adhere to the 1 hour limit out of respect for one another's time and because our attention spans are all limited.
Details: Part I
Time estimate: ~5 min, unless a critical issue is raised.
The first part of group meeting is a brief verbal discussion of any important group logistics or concerns. This is purposefully left open-ended but is not focused on your specific research project. No preparation necessary.
Details: Part II
Time estimate: ~30 min, including discussion.
Plan for ~20 mins of content without discussion. It is not meant to be an exhaustive research update. Please do not try to cover every small detail here.
The second part of group meeting is a brief research discussion led by one group member, generally via PowerPoint. This is the only part of the meeting that involves notable preparation beforehand.
In most cases, this should be a low-stress environment where you can expect ample back-and-forth discussion. If you have an exciting research update to share, that's great! However, don't feel stressed if you don't have something polished to share. This also a nice opportunity to solicit feedback if you're stuck or confused about a particular aspect of your research, so use the time how you see fit.
If research is going slower than usual but is otherwise going smoothly, you can do a software demo with the group, highlight several recent papers relevant to your field, or whatever else you may think is of broad value and interest.
Part III
Time estimate: remaining time (~15 min).
The third part is an informal, round-table discussion. For everyone aside from the main speaker, there will be a very brief verbal update about what you're working on this week. If it is easy to explain, briefly mention any ongoing questions or challenges that you or the group as a whole is facing. Follow-up subgroup or 1:1 meetings may be scheduled to address topics of particular importance.
Practice Talks
Purpose
Hone your presentation skills
Prepare for a specific event/interview/conference
Frequency
Scheduled on an as-needed basis.
Details
A couple of times a year, you should expect to give a more "formal" group meeting presentation where you give an uninterrupted, seminar-style practice talk on your research to the group, intended for a broad chemical engineering audience.
This goal of this group meeting presentation is to practice and get feedback that you can use to improve your presenting skills. This is one of the most important but challenging parts of being a researcher, and you can expect that this will be a learning process for everyone. If you are giving a seminar at a conference, the "formal" group meeting presentation is a great way to get feedback on it from the group.
You may choose to give a formal group meeting presentation whenever you would like. For instance, if you have completed a research project and want to share the "full story" or are going to give a talk at a conference, you should give a formal update to the group. You should expect to do so a few times a year.