Opening our labs to each other in this way allowed us to expand and equalize our research ‘reach’ in ways we must not abandon in the post-COVID era. Our trainees had the opportunity to interact with PIs and peers that they may never have met in the pre-pandemic era. Through virtual lab meetings and journal clubs we connected better with colleagues around the world, reviewing a publication with a PI in Paris in the morning and convening with colleagues in Missoula, Montana in the afternoon. As our travel was arrested, we actually gained more freedom to engage with others globally. One exciting aspect of working remotely has been the capacity to invite colleagues into our virtual labs to share research and form new collaborations.
Thus, by blurring the lines between lab and living room, we may see innovative solutions for ongoing challenges that came more sharply into focus during the shutdown. Options for shared on-site childcare are being considered at multiple institutions. A colleague elsewhere created a Zoom story hour to give parents of young ‘lab kids’ a brief respite. At both of our institutions, leadership established a support fund to help defray the cost of financial hardship, including support for childcare. This understanding will be important as labs reopen while schools remain closed and childcare unavailable (or, for many trainees, unaffordable). It is easier to appreciate the necessity for children to figure into our work routines and plans when they have been, quite literally, in the picture. Our work culture may be permanently, and positively, changed by this experience, especially with regard to parenting. We found ourselves asking “what’s that behind you?”, waving to children who darted by, admiring cats perched on computer keyboards or listening to the strains of someone off-camera playing guitar.
Our virtual connections had us peering inside each other’s personal spaces and lives in a new way and created a surprising intimacy. These check-ins were important to keep up morale and to share the burden of worry and uncertainty. In the early weeks of the shutdown, our labs formalized daily virtual meetings to talk about the business of working from home and to connect on a more personal level.
In fact, there were many unexpected opportunities, especially in the ways we communicate with each other. It became clear as we navigated this unprecedented landscape that flexibility would be key.
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