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A roadmap for running a lab―and developing the leadership skills you didn’t know you needed.
As a graduate student and postdoctoral researcher, chemist Jen Heemstra learned how to collect data, write papers, and give talks to other scientists. But when, just a few years into her first job as a principal investigator, conflict broke out in the lab, she realized there was one skill she hadn’t learned: leadership.
Labwork to Leadership is the book that every PI needs. Drawing on her decades of experience―including plenty of trial and error―as well as research from psychology and business management, Heemstra nimbly guides readers through the essentials of scientific leadership. From fostering an inclusive lab environment to setting effective goals and learning to give and receive feedback graciously, she uncovers the curriculum successful PIs must follow to motivate lab members, communicate key values, and inspire confidence.
With candor and humility, Labwork to Leadership demystifies the critical leadership skills that too many universities fail to teach. And it shows how teaching scientists to lead can boost productivity, spur innovation, and, above all, help research teams rediscover the joy of science.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Being good at bench-work can give a scientist a chance at a tenure-track faculty appointment, but what is she to do once she has actually won the position and now must lead a research group? In Labwork to Leadership , chemist Jen Heemstra provides tips for how to develop the leadership skills needed to actually do the job…Fills a hole in the career training literature for scientists and researchers, joining other recent career resources and guides for improving academic writing and science communication.” ― Jonathan Wai , Science
“While many scientists may not think of themselves as leaders, Heemstra has developed a framework that allows any scientist―whether they’re a department chair, head of a lab or graduate student―to lead themselves and others through conflict and uncertainty.” ― Kathryn Palmer , Inside Higher Ed
“Readers working in leadership, academia, or both will find much of value…Heemstra’s leadership advice applies to lab leaders and anyone in academia entering a leadership position.” ― Amber Gray , Library Journal
“A truly invaluable guide for scientists and academics in any field looking to achieve professional goals with more joy and less wasted stress. Jen Heemstra provides a robust and comprehensive set of simple (not easy!) habits and skills, drawing from her own impressive experience and time-tested findings in psychology and management. I wish I could have read it thirty years ago when I was starting out in academia!” ― Amy C. Edmondson, author of Right Kind of Wrong
“Heemstra’s very practical advice about leadership, grounded firmly in her years of experience in the laboratory, is presented with a combination of confidence and vulnerability that makes the lessons she offers both compelling and approachable. This book is indispensable reading for any scientists newly leading a research group―as well as for people who have been leading them for a long time. This is one of the best books on leadership I’ve ever read.” ― Adam Falk, President, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
“Honest, accurate, humble, and grounded. Beautifully interweaving deep insights with colorful stories, Labwork to Leadership offers candid advice from an invested mentor.” ― Jay Bradner, Chief Scientific Officer, Amgen
“There’s a crying need for leaders to move from the laboratory to positions of responsibility, and Jen Heemstra is just the person to tell us how to do it. Among the many great tools in this book are those that help scientists leverage their unique strengths to inspire their teams. With so many outdated ideas circulating about what constitutes a leader, Labwork to Leadership has come along just in time.” ― Holden Thorp, Editor-in-Chief, Science family of journals
“This incredible book is written by someone who walks the talk and has learned how to be an effective leader through careful reflection and openness to learning from challenges. Drawing from both personal experience and leading scholarship, Jen Heemstra offers motivational advice for academic leaders in the sciences and beyond. This welcome addition to the literature on leadership is ideal for those seeking practical strategies to lead themselves and others in fast-paced and intense times.” ― Kia Lilly Caldwell, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Diversity, Washington University in St. Louis
“Jen Heemstra’s thoughtful and engaging book is not just about academic leadership; it also has the potential to make a real difference in shaping a better academic culture. I will be recommending it as a must-read for all new faculty.” ― Luis Cifuentes, Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School, New Mexico State University
About the Author
Jen Heemstra is the Charles Allen Thomas Professor of Chemistry at Washington University in St. Louis. An avid science communicator and mentor, she has received numerous awards for her teaching, research, and leadership, including the Cottrell Scholar Award and the National Science Foundation CAREER Award. Heemstra is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
When I decided to pursue a career in academic research, I thought I was signing up for a science job. What I didn’t realize is that I was actually getting a leadership job and that success would rely on my ability to recruit, empower, and inspire a group of research students and staff. And that required a set of leadership skills I hadn’t learned yet.
Just as I was starting to thrive as a leader and my research group was hitting our stride, my tenure vote came along, and it didn’t go how I expected. I was devastated. But, that failure gave life to my career goal of creating a healthier academic culture for future generations of researchers.
I’ve since come to appreciate that positive change doesn’t happen by accident. Rather, it is the result of a clear vision built on consistent values and animated into tangible actions. We will all make mistakes in our leadership but we can all do something each day to create a place where people are treated with dignity, kindness, and respect.
