GoKawiilLaboratory meetings are part and parcel of the research experience. Regularly meeting with your colleagues can foster collaborations, build a sense of community and help with problem-solving.
Every group does things in its own way, but meetings usually involve presentations from one or more team members, discussions of relevant papers and updates from the institution.
Lab meetings don’t always have to be so formulaic, however. We collected 22 tips from researchers about traditions or recurring agenda items that can liven things up.
Do some improv
“We do an improv-style lab meeting in which everyone prepares a few slides from their work and another lab member has to present those slides without having seen them before. It always brings lots of laughs and reveals who the more evil colleagues are (those who bring the hardest slides to present). More importantly, it plugs lab members into each other’s projects and lets people learn how to speak without extensive preparation.” — Holly Jones, restoration ecologist at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois
Have a simple ritual
“In our weekly lab meetings, we start with a ‘flashlight’ round, during which each person briefly shares something from the past week or the week ahead, whether scientific, professional or personal. It gives everyone a voice, helps the group to follow each other’s progress and enables people to share challenges, celebrate small wins or thank colleagues for their support. Over time, this has made our meetings more inclusive, empathetic and connected.” — Johanna Joyce, tumour immunologist at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland
Take it outside
“Sometimes, each term, we move our meeting outdoors to a local park, lakeside or hiking trail. We discuss research progress, career plans and personal goals while walking or sitting in nature. Being outside lightens the mood, encourages quieter members to speak up and creates space to talk openly about work–life balance, future paths and family life.” — Ruijie Yang, chemical engineer at the University of Calgary, Canada
Offer offline options
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