[Mathregionals] Faculty and Graduate Student Research

[Eisworth, Todd]

Hi all,

Forwarding this at Brian McCarthy’s request.

Todd


From: McCarthy, Brian <mccarthy at ohio.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, March 11, 2020 10:10 AM
To: CAS Chairs and Directors <cas-dg-chairs-dirs at ohio.edu>
Cc: CAS Graduate Chairs & Assistants <cas-dg-grad-chairs-asst at ohio.edu>; Plassmann, Florenz <plassmann at ohio.edu>
Subject: Faculty and Graduate Student Research


Please disseminate the email below ASAP to all faculty and graduate students in your area as appropriate.

Thank you.

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We have begun to field questions from faculty, research staff, and graduate students with respect to the use of lab facilities and the continuation of research in the midst of the quickly evolving COVID-19 situation. The intent of this email is to provide some immediate guidance in that regard.

As of Wednesday morning, March 11th, all university buildings, research facilities, and labs are still open.

If you are a graduate student working in a research lab, you should make contact with your research advisor to determine how work in your research lab will continue in the near future.

If you are a faculty or staff member with a research lab, you should coordinate with other members of your research team to come up with a plan for the next few weeks and make all of your graduate students aware of your expectations. NOTE: expectations of undergraduate researchers or work study students should be tempered with respect to whatever the university policy is at the time (more info should be forthcoming, but currently undergraduates are not expected to be on campus).

If you are a graduate student and you are still on campus and are not showing signs of infection, then you can work in your research lab (if you need to), unless your research advisor instructs you otherwise.  If you are a TA or GA working with a class, then your supervisor for that assignment or your graduate chair will contact you and let you know your obligations for grading or providing instruction.  Those plans are evolving quickly and all we can say at this time is that you may be asked to continue to perform some of your responsibilities remotely.

The college recommends the following for graduate students and faculty needing to work in a laboratory:

  *   First and foremost, if you show signs of infection, follow the university advice and do not come to campus or your lab.
  *   If you can make progress on your research from either your home or your local residence and you are not urgently needed in your research lab, then working remotely is your best choice.
  *   If you are a grad student that needs to be in your lab to make adequate progress on either your RA-contracted or thesis/dissertation research, then you can work in your laboratory.
  *   You should avoid starting new experiments that would require your continued, regular presence--it’s quite possible that we may need to close labs in the future.  Current experiments that aren’t urgent and that can be put on hold mechanically or by freezing (for example) should probably be put on hold until the situation is resolved.
  *   All research should be conducted in as low-density a manner as possible. As recommended by the CDC, maintain at least 6 feet of separation between you and others working in your lab.  If your research requires closer proximity than that, you should talk to your lab head to see if procedures can be altered to meet that recommendation.
This is a quickly-evolving situation and the guidance from the university will likely change several times before the situation is over. If you receive recommendations from the university that contradict this update, then you should follow those updated recommendations instead.  As always, please observe all CDC recommendations:

  *   Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.
  *   Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
  *   Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  *   Stay home and do not travel or go to work or school when you are sick.
  *   Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and then throw the tissue in the trash. Then wash your hands with soap and water.
  *   Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
  *   Maintain a safe social distance of at least six feet.


Brian C. McCarthy, Ph.D.
Senior Assoc Dean and Prof of Forest Ecology
College of Arts & Sciences
Wilson Hall Admin, Room 200
1 Ohio University
Athens, OH  45701-2979  USA
T: 740-593-1615
M: 740-707-9017
E: mccarthy at ohio.edu<mailto:mccarthy at ohio.edu>

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