Schneider Lab Pizza Offenses (AKA Lab Feeding Program :-)

Each of the following infractions will cost you ¹/₆ th of a pizza.

If you accumulate a whole pizza (ie 6 pieces) you must feed the lab with one or more pizzas! :-) Note: any pizza must be at least half vegetarian.

Offenses include but are not limited to:

Leaving the door to the lab unlocked when you go home or away for more than a few minutes AND when nobody else is there. This includes leaving for lunch or dinner. (Note: this is a THREE SLICE offense.)

Not cleaning the balance when you are done weighing, so that the next person has to worry about what nasty chemical is there.

Leaving ANY crud inside a centrifuge.

Not putting a strain into the strain collection.

Not recording experiments completely in your notebook. You must have a date (including year written as 4 digits) on every page in your notebooks!

Taking lab notebooks home.

Writing notes for an experiment on scrap paper and then later copying the notes "neatly" to your notebook. On the critical day you will make a transcription error and miss your chance at the Nobel Prize. Neatness is important but never copy your notes by hand.

Generally leaving messes uncleaned! Example: leaving acrylamide on any bench tops, drawer fronts and drawer handles.

Borrowing equipment without asking first or borrowing without leaving a note that you did if the owner is not there.

Leaving stuff (garbage or equipment) in the sink for more than 24 hours.

Mishandling gel boxes. Rinse gel boxes with tap water and then with distilled water so that they don't have buffer and spots all over them. Otherwise, the buffer will eventually corrode the platinum wire.

Putting wet equipment (e.g. gel boxes) in drawers.

Not putting tools or equipment back

Incorrect storage conditions of laboratory chemicals. For example, IPTG must be stored at -20^o in the dessicator.

Not reporting the need for supplies or enzyme BEFORE we run out!

Using the last of something (eg paper towels) without replacing it from the supply promptly.

Failure to use sterile pipettes tips and eppendorfs in ALL experiments.

Not turning off equipment. Examples: lights, shakers, logging out of computers.
In particular, if you are using a common computer, you must either

• LOG OFF WHEN YOU ARE DONE
  or
• INDICATE WITH A PHYSICAL NOTE THAT THE COMPUTER IS STILL RUNNING A CRUNCH

Letting the burn box look like Mount Vesuvius. Please push the waste INTO the box and replace the box when full.

Leaving scalpel blades uncovered when not in use. Not disposing of or capping syringes immediately.

All glassware put in the hall bins must be submerged so that it can soak. Except for plastic graduated cylinders, it must not float.

Tracking mud and dirt onto the floor. Wipe and vacuum it up!

Throwing out recyclable paper, cardboard, bottles or cans.

When programming, not commenting every constant, type, variable and procedure.

Missing the word 'the' or 'a' when writing a paper or sending email.

When giving a lab meeting, baring unforseen circumstances (eg previous speaker is late), every minute you start after the designated time is one pizza point. Think of being late as being discurteous to everybody else.

Schneider Lab
origin: 1999 April 15
updated: 2005 May 13