How are we going to re-think laboratory science in the peri/post-covid era. Are there lessons learned, and will we have the nimbleness and courage to learn them? First in a series of tweetorials, focused on technology and work-from-home.

1. Do we all need to be at lab, at all times? No. Can scientists, PIs, trainees, or technicians, be productive outside lab? Absolutely. But it is far, far from simple. Leaving specific covid/personal aspects aside (economic, family/parental responsibilities) some thoughts..

2. Do people have the space, set-up AND technology to work from home? Does everyone in the lab have a laptop, and who pays for that? Are we budgeting enough technology on our grants and institutional budgets? Monitors, webcams, what else will enhance productivity.

3. Do labs have a culture of work from home where 1) it is encouraged, or even tolerated 2) people are accountable for the time spent working at home and 3) do we respect personal/family time as different from work from home time

4. Do we have the right tasks for different lab members to do at home? Example, are less advanced trainees and technicians proficient in data analysis, simple computational tasks->can they help with these aspects and synergize with advanced trainees to advance science faster?

5. Can we sustain a long-term model where people are in lab to do hands-required studies & F2F meetings, but have flexibility otherwise? What are the cultural, technical, and personal things holding us back? Are PIs a major barrier and are trainees ready for flexibility (yes!)

6. Are there efficiencies WRT allocation of lab space, which can be very precious (NY/SF/Boston), if we allow work flexibility? Lessons learned from tech companies which are applicable to academic labs? Can we allocate less space per lab, or share touch-down spaces (wet or dry)

7. What types of interactions are working well, or even better, with Zoom (etc), and which do NOT? I think lab meetings with formal presentations, lectures, or small collaborative discussions work well, but larger team discussions and brainstorming sessions less so.

8. We are going to try zoom joint lab meetings (2 labs/time) with labs elsewhere in the US and see how it goes. Hopeful and will report back!

9. Do people have their offices and labs set up so people can zoom with other people in other places (or socially distanced in the lab)?

10. Zoom fatigue is a real thing. Do we all need limits in hours per day, scheduled breaks between zoom meetings, interspersed time for writing, thinking, or even some exercise…

11. What other ideas and lessons learned do you have so far? Share them?