Interested in joining?

1. Send an email to Uriel Menalled at: menalled@vt.edu

2. Include in your email why you are interested in joining the lab

3. Please attach your CV

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Lab Philosophy

 

What I expect from you: 

Be a good collaborator. You are a critical and respected member of the research team. I want to hear your unique perspectives.  Just be sure to discuss any ideas with me before making changes to an established protocol. 

 

Be eager to learn.  You may not want—or have the capacity—to carve out your own research project, but I still expect you to set goals for what you want to get out of this experience.  Please communicate these goals to me—I can’t help you achieve your expectations unless I know your short-term goals and long-term aspirations.   

 

Be a strong self-advocate. You will be expected to work with increasing independence throughout your program. However, an important part of being an independent researcher is knowing when to ask for help—whether it's extra assistance with a sampling event, guidance on a statistical analysis, or other forms of support. Please let me know how I can best assist you in meeting your needs and expectations.

 

Be prompt and prepared. I do my best to support a healthy work-life balance, but sometimes tasks need to be finished at specific times.  This is especially true in the summer, when we are dealing with live plants and need to coordinate experiments across multiple peoples’ schedules.

 

Be honest and transparent.  I am happy to adapt my mentoring style throughout the course of our time together.  To help me adapt, please let me know what is working well as well as what I can do better.  Most importantly, speak up if you make a mistake. 

 

Be flexible. Science is about venturing into the unknown and, like all adventures, it can often have some unexpected challenges.  As much as possible, try to embrace flexibility and creativity.

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Be respectful. I encourage people from all backgrounds and of all identities to join my research team.  Please be respectful that everyone comes from different backgrounds and has different perspectives—these differences are critical to building a productive and inclusive research community. 

  

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What you should expect from me: 

Respect. I want to work with all people—that is one of the fundamental reasons I have pursued a job in education. To work effectively in diverse teams, I will strive to create an environment where everyone feels welcome. This begins with respecting you, independently of our academic endeavors.

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Open-mindedness. I want to learn from you. I will take your opinions seriously and work with you to do science together.

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Availability.  To complement your independence, we will set up regular meetings to discuss your progress, questions, and findings.  These meetings will help me tailor my mentorship to you.

 

Professional development. I try my best to present you with opportunities that will help you reach your career goals. Whether it is presenting at conferences, teaching, or doing on-farm research, I will not gate-keep opportunities.

 

A personal and professional advocate. My goal is not to convert you to my disciple, but to help you build the skill set and confidence you will need to be successful as you pursue your own path to success. 

 

A long-term commitment.  From helping you apply to future jobs to brainstorming how you can pursue a career that best meets your desired balance of personal and professional goals, I am eager to support you in your future endeavors.