“Science is done by feeling good and getting ideas.” Didier Queloz, on being a scientist. This lab holds to that value.
We study biases and noise in human judgment and decision-making, so we watch for them in our own field too. Academia has a long history of excluding researchers, and it still does, openly or quietly, because of gender, race, socioeconomic background, sexual orientation, disability, religion, and other factors.
We do not accept hurtful behavior, especially based on gender, race, sexuality, or disability. That includes quiet harassment, taking credit for other people’s ideas, internal competition for attention, and any other habit that makes the lab unpleasant. If something bothers you, or you have an idea or a wish, tell Yinan directly, at any time. Nothing bad will happen to you for speaking up. The university also has a complaints office under the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) and an awareness website with more contacts.
We talk to each other as equals. Everyone gets listened to. We try to be honest, open, quick to reply, and kind.
We speak and write English in the lab. Some paperwork is in German. The university’s Language Centre has German courses, and we are happy to help you find one.
We talk about authorship early, when someone starts on a project or joins one that is already running, and we come back to it as the project develops. We try to settle open questions as early as possible, so that everyone knows their role and there is less room for unhealthy competition over credit. If you disagree about credit, including shared first authorship or the order of names, please discuss with Yinan openly and immediately.
Substantial contributions can earn authorship, for example building a new analysis pipeline or model, providing data or figures (published or not), or leading data collection that shapes the manuscript. Final decisions follow the journal’s rules and the university’s guidelines for good scientific practice. At the end of each paper, we describe what each author contributed, using the CRediT roles.
Yinan tries his best to help you when you need it, and to be clear and realistic about what the lab expects. Working hours are flexible within the university’s rules. You and the lab agree on the working schedule, depending on our experiments and other needs. You do not have to sit at your desk all day. Some people work best early, some late at night, and your own rhythm will be respected. Nobody needs to hide when or how they work, and nobody has to stay long to show commitment. Please keep time for rest, hobbies, and a life outside the lab. We get good ideas when we feel good.
Yinan aims to pass on the advice and support that his own mentors (Stephen, Valentin, Kostis, Chris, Bruno, Christoph, Tobi and many others) generously gave him in the past.