Packing them in

[The Prof]

I was wondering what people thought about lab heads who invite more people to inhabit the lab than is space to accommodate them comfortably. My group is full - full being defined as I have X number of benches and 2X number of people (except for the theoretical computational guy who doesn't do wet work). But I've just had an application from a truly wonderful postdoc who I think would enrich the lab considerably. I'm not expecting anyone to leave for at least 9 months, is it unfair on everyone else to hire her?

(It may sound odd that I ask this but my colleague had a similar problem and now has an overcrowded lab and there is a lot of resentment simmering over there...)

[challenge]

ehh... I guess it depends. My initial thought is "oh noes". My second thought is "it depends on who is going to share benches" [i.e. older people not as much as younger lab people]. My third thought is "it depends on if I am in a writing phase and don't need my bench as much" and how many are sharing with everyone and what people are doing in the lab.

But to be fair, I was having a slightly hard time sharing my bench as a post doc with a summer student who was sharing my pipettes and all.... it worked but mainly due to the fact that I did my stuff in the early morning and late afternoon/evening and not during the "regular day hours" since then summer student could work at my bench. I might be a bit egoistic?

And it would also help (at least for me) to know the time frame and get warned prior to the fact. In this though, I guess most people are different? (And I am grumpy and wanting a bench all to myself...) Then of course, if it is "bench space" as in also having another space assigned to you "i.e. office/cubicle area" I think it would be easier to accomodate sharing one and still being able to plan your things out at your area...

(I realise that I come across as a egoistic person but I will say this, in my new job I don't have my own bench space... and it works ok too. I do have my own cubicle space though, so I can plan and interpret data all by myself even if I hae to share bench space with all the others in the lab. It just requires a bit more of communication and being nice to people.)

[Beatrice]

Prof, we're three to a bench and somehow manage to survive, so I reckon you can squeeze in a few more. I've got literally two square feet and hey it's crowded, but you know we all survive and it's quite jolly.

[challenge]

heh, I realized after reading Bea's post that it might not be clear what I mean with bench... I'm not talking about having a whole bench alone just a part with say 1 m of bench space from left to right that is "mine", and my own pipettes... I've always shared hoods and plate pouring places and tissue culture space, but that 1 meter l-r and 60cm give or take in depth with a shelf on top.... that's always been a lovely thing to have.

maybe I've just been spoilt?