Han Lab Responding to COVID-19: Work Remotely, Be Active, and Stick to Schedule
The Han Lab fully complies to UCSB policies to entirely cease its on-campus research activities, yet is managing to maximize productivity on remote projects.
By Khanh Nguyen
As the COVID-19 pandemic reaches a serious level of infection in many parts of the country, UC Santa Barbara has mandated that all on-campus research activities be entirely ceased. The Han Lab has complied to this new policy fully and promptly, with imperative exceptions to operate only on critical magnet maintenance.
In response to research being restricted to remote and indoor, members of the Han Lab are making extraordinary efforts to cope with this situation. Besides following the prevalent advice and precautions (stay in place, maintain space, and cover face), Han Lab researchers have come up with creative ways to keep themselves in the loop.
Work Remotely: Despite the cessation of all on-campus research, Han Lab is being as operational as possible. With the time in hands, data is being processed and writing tasks are advancing at a pace faster than ever before. Last-year PhD students now have more time to develop and polish their dissertation, while post-docs and other senior graduate students spend their days brainstorming ideas and making sense of their large datasets. Pre-candidacy PhD students focus strongly on literature research and candidacy preparation.
Be Active: The Han Lab understands that constantly staying indoor and in front of computer screens results in imminent negative health impacts. Everyone is strongly encouraged to come up with exercise routine, with social distancing certainly maintained. Result photos from their workout sessions are posted on their Slack channels for motivational purposes. It is crucial that everyone remain healthy.
Stick to Schedule: With the routine drastically changed in terms of both time and place, it can be challenging to remain productive without a pronounced schedule. Everyone is now encouraged to participate in a daily check-in Zoom meeting every morning to get the wheels rolling for the day. Group and sub-group meetings are highly organized and strictly kept. Personal routines are also adhered to.
Additionally, Han Lab members have managed to stay connected through social hours now moved online, with ideas and timing being developed. Yoga, pilates, jogging, and Pictionary are among the most common social key words.
Despite the difficult time, all members of the Han Lab understand that their efforts will help save lives and shorten the time of this pandemic. They know the facts, and they are taking the lead.
For the latest information and developments on the outbreak in your country, the Han Lab recommends Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) websites.
