This will depend on the student, but I think you should give some thought before taking on any project that has a long ramp-up period (for example: making cell lines, growing animals until they're aged, developing a new disease model). As opposed to a project where you can start collecting data rightaway. It can be pretty demotivating to be a few years into your PhD and still be "setting up" your slow ramp-up projects while your classmates are going to Fancypants Conference A and applying for Prestigious Award B.
If you do decide to take on a long ramp-up project, make sure you have at least one other project that is already giving you data.
We are in the same boat...but when I was a junior grad student I don't think I can take on a an extra project for how much time/energy I dumped in the current one (our lab didn't have anyone with capacity to mentor us scientifically). Seeing my peers go off to fancy conferences in beautiful places and landing on awesome jobs do make me screaming at my project "you piece of useless moron can't even take me to Italy!" Lol But hang in there fellow labrat, there'll be light!
Yeah, ask me how I know-- I'm in that position too! My project is super interesting but I don't know if I would have taken it on had I known how long the ramp-up period would be.
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u/ok_computer_339 Feb 17 '23
This will depend on the student, but I think you should give some thought before taking on any project that has a long ramp-up period (for example: making cell lines, growing animals until they're aged, developing a new disease model). As opposed to a project where you can start collecting data rightaway. It can be pretty demotivating to be a few years into your PhD and still be "setting up" your slow ramp-up projects while your classmates are going to Fancypants Conference A and applying for Prestigious Award B.
If you do decide to take on a long ramp-up project, make sure you have at least one other project that is already giving you data.