Lab Member Roles

Each lab member has a unique role, and we all bring our skills to the table. Here’s who does what in iHuman Lab:

PI (Principal Investigator)

The PI is the brain behind the lab—the one who keeps everything running:

  • Fundraising Genius: Secures funding to keep the lab alive and thriving.
  • Research Coach: Meets with you regularly (usually once a week) to discuss your projects and guide your academic journey.
  • Career Booster: Helps you with professional development by connecting you with other researchers, writing recommendation letters, and promoting your work at conferences.
  • Human First: Cares about you as a person, not just a researcher.

Project Owner

The Project Owner is the visionary—the one who ensures the project is moving in the right direction and achieving results:

  • The Visionary: Keeps the project’s big picture in mind and sets the research goals.
  • The Prioritizer: Constantly adjusts the research priorities and long-term goals, including publication plans.
  • The Decision-Maker: Makes final calls on project requirements, whether to publish, and whether to keep pushing forward with development.
  • The Guardian of Interests: Considers funding bodies and the scientific community’s needs in every decision.
  • The Leader: Guides the team but might still roll up their sleeves and contribute as a team member.

Team Member

Team Members are the engine that powers the project. They do the hands-on work and collaborate closely:

  • Cross-functional All-Stars: Write code, collect data, test software, proofread papers—whatever the project needs!
  • Self-Managing: Organize and manage themselves, without needing a boss to tell them what to do.
  • Collaborative: Work intensely with others in the team (think: constant communication, shared problem-solving).
  • Commitment: Ideally, they focus on one project at a time and stay with the lab for the long haul.
  • Leadership: Even as contributors, Team Members have a leadership role in driving their area of the project.

Project Coordinator

The Project Coordinator is the glue that keeps everything together, making sure the team is staying on track and that the research process is smooth:

  • Impediment-Buster: Helps remove any roadblocks that could slow down the team.
  • Environment Creator: Ensures the team has the space and freedom to self-organize and thrive.
  • Data Guru: Tracks progress and adjusts forecasts (you’ll see weekly updates in Microsoft Teams).
  • Team Shield: Protects the team from distractions, so they can stay focused.
  • Timeline Enforcer: Keeps an eye on deadlines and ensures the project stays on track.
  • No Authority: The Project Coordinator has no formal management power over the team—they’re more like a helpful guide. (For now, that’s usually the Lab Coordinator or Hemanth).

Collaborator

Collaborators are the specialists who offer occasional help but aren’t fully embedded in the project:

  • The Helper: May provide data, equipment, consulting, feedback, minor analyses, or administrative support (like scheduling).
  • The Backstage Player: They aren’t involved in day-to-day project decisions and generally don’t attend regular meetings.
  • Paper Recognition: If their contribution is significant enough, they may be mentioned in acknowledgments, but usually not as co-authors.

Collaborators are a big help when needed, but they stay in the background unless they’re ready to step up into a bigger role.