The code for the copy machine in the BIOE office is 99990. To operate the copier, enter the code. See the Handbook of Procedures for a detailed description on how to send copies to a PDF in email. The copier is to be used for research purposes only.
Coursework
Due to the multidisciplinary nature of our laboratory, you are free to pick any of the three tracks within the department. Recommended courses include:
BIOE 383 Instrumentation (only if you are completing Track III)
BIOE 584 Lasers in Bioengineering
ELEC 463 Lasers and Photonics
ELEC 465 Physical Electronics Practicum (hands on optics experience)
ELEC 560 Integrated and Fiber Optics
ELEC 568 Laser Spectroscopy
ELEC 603 Nano-optics
Beginning January 1 of your first year, you are employed full-time to work on a specific funded research project. Please make sure that you do not schedule a course load so heavy that it interferes with your commitment to full-time research. In general, this means most students should restrict their coursework to three classes at a time. However, highly motivated first year students are able to take more than three courses while simultaneously working full-time on their research projects. I strongly recommend talking to graduate students who have already taken courses to learn about the work levels required for different courses and to develop a balanced schedule which allows completion of both coursework and research requirements.
Fax
The fax machine is to be used for research purposes only. Incoming faxes should be directed to (713) 348-5877.
Make a long distance fax in the BioE office dial: 9 + 1 + area code and number
Make an international fax in the BioE office dial: 9 + 0 + 11 + country code + number
Funding
A large portion of my job as PI is to obtain the necessary funding to keep the lab running. The typical cost to a grant to pay for a graduate student’s stipend and tuition for a 4-5 year PhD is $150,000-$200,000 (or per year, $20K stipend + $8K tuition + $10K overhead). Graduate students are encouraged to apply for any outside fellowships for which they are eligible and will be nominated for IGERT or NIH traineeships if they meet the requirements for this program. If you are successful in obtaining outside fellowships (for instance, Whitaker, NSF, HHMI, etc.), your fellowship stipend will be supplemented by additional laboratory funds to the amount allowed by Rice. Financial support for five years is guaranteed *provided* satisfactory progress (in my opinion) is made towards a PhD. Many students should be able to complete their PhD degree within four years.
Human subjects
Because work in our laboratory involves human subjects, all graduate students must complete Rice’s online human subject training during their first week in the laboratory (prior to receiving first paycheck).
Lab duties
All lab members will be assigned roles required for the laboratory to function. Students are free to switch roles with other group members if both members agree. I need to be informed of any such changes immediately.
(Jiantang Sun) - responsible for ensuring all lab members have completed necessary safety courses and are working in the lab according to Rice established safety procedures; responsible for keeping a copy of our lab protocol notebooks; responsible for checking once per week that there are no unlabeled or undated containers in the lab; reorders any required lab safety items; also lab clean up coordinator
(Marlena) - first contact for new lab members; explains the process for getting keys, lab policies, and ordering procedures (all entry and exit procedures for lab members)
(Ying) - contact person for Rice IT services; all requests for IP addresses, additions to our group, adding computers to our network, etc. go through the Computer Liaison; responsible for ensuring that all computers are running virus=checking software at all times; borrows CDs for Rice owned software (for instance, MATLAB) from Rice Engineering IT as required; manages computers/softwares/printers.
(Nastassja and Lissett) - contact person(s) for web lab
(Vengadesan) - contact person for Optics lab and fluorologs
(Ben and Siva) - maintains and updates lab website
(Nastassja)
(Marlena)
In addition to the duties listed above, each lab member will be responsible for one or more pieces of major equipment in the laboratory.
Maintenance should be equally shared among ALL users of a piece of equipment. It is the person in charge's job to coordinate maintenance/cleaning/etc but not to do it all themselves.
