Join the lab

We are always seeking motivated and enthusiastic people to join the team! Please reach out to Anahita by email (ude.hcimu.dem@athemana) if you would like to inquire about potential opportunities in the lab. Please include a CV as well as a brief overview of your background and research interests. We do not currently have any open positions for full-time or part time salaried research assistants. If you would like to apply to work with us for academic credit or work-study (at the University of Michigan), please get in touch. If you are a member of an underrepresented group in research, and interested in joining the lab, we can help you get funded with an NIH Diversity Supplement. 

Anahita is affiliated with the Neuroscience Graduate Program (NGP) and the Department of Biomedical Engineering. We welcome graduate students who would like to do a rotation in our lab.

Lab ethos and expectations from lab members:

I aim to make the AP Neuro research lab a safe and supportive environment that facilitates a healthy working environment that lab members are hopefully happy to be part of. I care deeply about the success and mentorship of my lab members and maintaining a culture of collaboration, respect, ambition, and inclusivity in the lab.

This page details expectations for all lab members and is based on ideas from this essay.

  1. Safety and wellness: It is important that all members feel safe and well in the lab, both physically and mentally, and I take responsibility for the well-being of lab members. If you are not doing well (physically or mentally) and need help, please let Anahita know and please know that confidentiality will be maintained.
  2. Conduct in the lab and making mistakes: Everybody makes mistakes, and it is fine if something goes wrong. It is important is that you keep records of errors and let Anahita (or your immediate lab mentor) know. Additionally, it is fine if you don’t know how to do something. However, it is crucial that you ask for help rather than try and change things if you are unsure. A simple slack message to clarify things can help avoid a lot of errors in the future. It is also important to be a good team player. This means treating one another with kindness, respecting boundaries (personal and professional), and helping one another. You are also expected to be respectful of people in the shared working area.
  3. Work schedules: I expect lab members to work hard but also prioritize other things in life (it is harder to bounce back from burnout). As long as you get your work done, I am not fussed about the precise work hours or working location of lab members. However, you are expected to be on time for meetings as well as be 10-15 mins early for any research participants you are testing.
  4. Communicating deadlines: You are responsible to make sure that important deadlines for your individual projects are met. For undergraduate students, if you have thesis/poster/class deadlines, you must communicate this in advance and often to your immediate mentor (that could be either Anahita or your postdoctoral mentor). Reminders for things like recommendation letters/ official forms/ any other documents are highly encouraged. Sometimes things do come down to the wire and I will do my best to help get things done.
  5. Lab meeting etiquette: We have regular lab meetings, including data presentations, paper presentations or presentations on experiment design. You are encouraged to give feedback and be an active participant. If things are unclear, don’t be afraid to ask questions. However, please make sure you are respectful of the presenter.
  6. One-on-one meetings and general communication: The lab uses Slack for communication. You are expected to check your Slack and email at least once a day during work days. If you are going to be away, please let Anahita know and indicate your time off on the lab calendar. Anahita meets individually with lab members typically once a week. UROP students will meet with their postdoctoral mentors once a week and are encouraged to reach out to Anahita if anything is needed. You are encouraged to come prepared with a list of things that need to be discussed. However, if you run into errors/issues that are urgent or limiting you from completing your goals for the week, please don’t wait till the next weekly meeting to ask for help. You are not expected to respond to email/slack over the weekend unless there is a tight deadline.
  7. Professional development: Every lab member is not expected to have the same career goals or professional trajectory. However, based on your individual goals, you will receive mentorship and guidance on how to plan out short- and long-term goals. I understand that being in the lab of a junior PI comes with some drawbacks for applying for fellowships and funding; however, I will ensure that in such situations, we establish collaborations with more established researchers whose research interests align with your project if needed. Additionally, you will receive support in planning out a timeline for your career goals, whether that is acquiring grant funding, applications to grad school or applying for different industry positions.
  8. Ownership of projects and mentoring style: My approach to mentoring involves starting every lab member off with enough guidance and support till they feel comfortable in the lab and with their project. However, lab members are expected to take ownership of their projects/part of projects once they have the basics down. Lab members are expected to conceptually understand and contribute to the project. Independence and initiative is encouraged, while understanding that the desired level of autonomy will vary among lab members. In fostering independence, I aim for the lab to operate collaboratively, rather than having a hierarchical structure.