Sneaking to Conduct Research

In the midst of a pandemic, I feel as if I have to sneak around like I’m an international spy in order to do my research.

The title summarizes my sentiments as a researcher at this time.  As a graduate student, I’m trying to keep my research on schedule so that I can graduate and move to the next level in a timely fashion.  To do so, this means working and irregular hours.  I have a hard time envisioning how one can conduct experiments 9-5.  Many times we are working 10 hour days and coming in on the weekends.  This type of schedule is the reality for most biomedical and basic science researchers.  Experiments in the lab do not operate on 8 hours per day schedule.  It would be if this were the case, but sometimes you need to make a time sacrifice to catch your growing bacteria in a Log phase before it plateaus, which means coming in over the weekend or staying late.  Many studies are timed, and data points, measurements, and analyses need to be done at precise time points.  So the next question is, how does one adhere to their research goals when they have been ordered not to leave the house unless necessary?  I’ll like to give you a glimpse of that life.

                As a graduate student, you may find yourself under the guidance of an advisor that will loosely define your role in the laboratory as “essential personnel.”  As a disclaimer, I’m not necessarily saying this is my advisor, but just go along with me on this ride for a second.  As “essential personnel,” you are expected to go along your daily activities in the lab for the sake of science…in the eyes of some advisors.  I’ve worked in research labs for the last 18 years, and I’ve never have experienced the precautions that we are currently taking amid COVID19.  I was in a research lab at my school when a mass shooting was occurring in the next building. (I attended Virginia Tech). So I understood the increased security needed following to gain access to my lab.  I’ve conducted research during the H1N1 outbreak and also during a recession.  But never have I been in the situation of having to sneak into my lab to do research.   

A typical day for me going into my lab now consists of:

1.  Making sure no other lab member is in the lab, so it turns into a “first-come, first access” situation.
2. Going to the police department to sign in and be escorted to my building
3. Rigging the doors so that I’m not locked out if for some reason I need to leave out

As of today, the police have been unable to let me in my building because they have the wrong keys.

Long story short, all my experiments will need to be started over because the lock-down has caused everything to die. 

What type of obstacles have you encountered in your graduate research since the implementation of social distancing and quarantine since COVID19 pandemic?