If I were a graduate student again: Like what you do, do what you like, and maintain good communication with professors

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If I were a graduate student again Like what
you do, do what you like, and maintain good
communication with professors

• Chung S. Yang (???)
• Department of Chemical Biology and
• Center for Cancer Prevention Research
• Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy
• Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
• http//pharmacy.rutgers.edu

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Chung Shu Yang (???)

• B.S. National Taiwan University, Agric Chem 1962
• M.S. Cornell University, Nutrition 1965
• Ph.D. Cornell University, Biochem Mol Biol 1967
• Postdoctoral, Scripps Yale University 1967-1971
• Assistant Professor Professor, New Jersey
  Medical School 1971-1987
• Distinguished Professor, Rutgers University 1988-

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Positive Psychology The Science of Happiness by
Tal Ben-Shahar

1. Permission to be Human
2. Finding Happiness (meaningful, enjoyable)
3. Building Good Relationships
4. Focusing on the Positive (Gratitude)
5. Managing Stress (relax to recover, simplify)
6. Exercise and Meditation

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Questions

• Do you like your research project?
• Do you understand your project?
• Is there a better approach?
• Do you like the experiments that you do?
• Can you design better experiments?
• Do you obtain accurate results?
• Why not? How to improve?
• 4. What if the results are unexpected?

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Importance of Experimental Skills

• If the results of your experiments are
  reproducible (and accurate), every unexpected
  result is a new discovery.
• If your results are not reproducible, every
  unexpected result is another bad experiment.
• You need to pay more attention to your
  experiments to improve your lab skills.
• Be mindful, focus on one thing at a time.

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Why did the experiment not work?

• Think about the reasons before repeating.
• What is the basis of the assay?
• Did you follow the protocol?
• What is the variability of your assay?
• Did you use the wrong reagents?
• What is an alternative approach?

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Develop a Meaningful Research Project
Like your Research Project
Innovative Impactful Feasible
Understanding Lab skills New Ideas
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The lure of the distant and the difficult is
deceptive. The great opportunity is where you
are. - John Burroughs Do not wait for ideal
circumstances, nor for the best opportunities
they will never come. - Janet Erskine Stuart
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Good Communication Between Students and
Professors

• Trust and trustworthy (honest, on time, keep
  promises)
• First to understand and then to be understood
• Mutual help, on the same side
• Mutual respect, synergies
• Open communication in meetings, and by writing
• Be patient, make specific plans to improve

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Positive Psychology The Science of Happiness by
Tal Ben-Shahar

1. Permission to be Human
2. Finding Happiness (meaningful, enjoyable)
3. Building Good Relationships
4. Focusing on the Positive (Gratitude)
5. Managing Stress (relax to recover, simplify)
6. Exercise and Meditation

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If I were a graduate student again

• Like what I do, do what I like and have fun
• Maintain good communication with professors
• Be curious, interested in other peoples research
  projects and ask questions - ideas, opportunities
• Read more about new scientific development
• Enjoy the learning process, even if the
  experiments do not work out
• Be optimistic as long as you do your
• best, there is always a way

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The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People By
Stephen R. Covey

1. Be Proactive
2. Begin with the End in Mind
3. Put First Things First
4. Think Win/Win
5. Seek First to Understand and then to be
   Understood
6. Synergies
7. Renewal

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Principle-Centered Leadership By Stephen R. Covey

1. Continually Learning
2. Service Oriented
3. Radiate Positive Energy
4. Believe in Other People
5. Lead a Balanced Life
6. See Life as an Adventure
7. Synergistic
8. Exercise for Self-Renewal

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Power of Words

• Joyful Words Celebrate Life
• Gentle Words Teach Kindness in Our Schools
• Affirming Words Inspire Others and Ourselves
• Supportive Words Boost Morale and Results at Work
• Encouraging Words Enhance Performance and Fun in
  Research
• Loving Words Build and Heal Relationships
• Gracious Words Show Respect and Gratitude
• Affectionate Words Build Strong Families
• Funny Words Make Us Laugh

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Luck is when a person is ready for the
opportunity when it comes - Seneca Diligence
is the mother of good luck - Benjamin Franklin