One goal of managing a research team is to produce high-quality research that can lead to publications in top-tier journals.
Challenge
The Hank Lab is one of the only labs in the world collecting children's cycling research with virtual simulation, in part because it is novel, and in part because, generally speaking, it is challenging to collect child research (as compared to adult research). There is a narrow window in the summers, when families are most able to participate and many things can go wrong, so experimenters must be highly trained to get the most out of each recruit.
Deliverables
- As lab manager, I developed a comprehensive onboard program to recruit participants, run experiments, work with families and objectively collect data.
- Research assistant training included hands-on shadowing and observations, a training and troubleshooting manual, and routine written/oral testing.
- Trained and supervised 16 undergraduate research assistants, many whom later went on to acquire advanced degrees in psychology, computer science, health & human physiology, and human factors engineering.
- Operated a cross-disciplinary research team that collected over 2000 laboratory child and adult participants during my tenure, resulting in dozens of publications.