• Question: what do you do in your free time in a lab for example.

    Asked by bank520hued on 6 Mar 2025.
    • Photo: Elin Smith

      Elin Smith answered on 6 Mar 2025:

      I don’t really have ‘free time’ in the lab, if I am in the lab it is because I have an experiment to do or I am preparing for my next experiment – lab work is very hands on and busy!
      A lot of my experiments run over 12-24 hours so I have a big gap of ‘free time’ then. If I don’t have other work to do or meetings to attend I will grab a coffee and chat to my friends and colleagues. Sometimes in these ‘free-time’ periods I will be in chats on here talking to students about science, and other times I will go for a walk or a run before I need to come back and finish my lab work.

    • Photo: Emma Weir

      Emma Weir answered on 10 Mar 2025:

      When I’m not doing experiments in the lab or growing cells I do a lot of admin like emails, making sure my calendar is up to date with all the talks I want to go to, analyse data and things like that. Free time is also when I plan my next experiments and make sure I’m on track

      Like Elin we love a coffee break in my lab, so often go for a coffee and a quick walk as a refresh.

      We also have a lot of visitors like students and other scientists so it can be fun to show them around too

    • Photo: Gillian Hunter

      Gillian Hunter answered on 20 Mar 2025:

      If I have free time when I’m doing experiments, I would normally check my email to answer questions from my students, read research papers and prepare my teaching for the next day, for example.

Comments

  • Photo: sandrarobertson

    sandrarobertson commented on :

    If I’m not actively running an experiment or if an experiment has a long mix time or wait time, the first thing would be to catch up on paperwork. To be able to write up the details of the experiment accurately I need to record details of the machine used, and details of the chemicals used and the sequence of additions I made. Sometimes this is filling in boxes on a controlled document which states what details are required. In my role as a STEM ambassador for my employer, the fun side of my job, I am given half a day a week to work on building relationships with local schools and take part in local community events such as science festivals or careers talks. On a Thursday we have a walking club, where we are allowed an extra 30 minute break to get some exercise in the fresh air.

  • Photo: rachaelcroft

    rachaelcroft commented on :

    If I have some free time in the lab then I spend this time to restock any equipment that may have been used up in the last experiments or empty all the bins so everything is fresh and ready to go for the next time it’s needed. We have specials bins that you can only put certain things in like blood, and they have to get emptied so the rubbish isn’t left in the lab. I also make sure there is enough rubber gloves in all sizes and stock up the chemical shelf. Sometimes I will order in things that we have ran out of.

  • Photo: Mimi

    Mimi commented on :

    During my free time, I catch up on reading scientific journals and articles in my field.