Good advice and much appreciated.
________________________________
From: ccardesa@dgroups.org <ccardesa@dgroups.org> on behalf of Ganyani Khosa <khosag@hotmail.com>
Sent: 02 April 2020 03:00 PM
To: ccardesa
Subject: [ccardesa] Tips for building a virtual lab community: Extract from Nature 26 March, 2020
Valuable tips here, thank you. Major challenge in Southern Africa is limited bandwidth and exorbitant cost of the same.
Ganyani Khosa
From: ccardesa@dgroups.org <ccardesa@dgroups.org> On Behalf Of bpodisi@ccardesa.org
Sent: Saturday, March 28, 2020 07:27
To: ccardesa <ccardesa@dgroups.org>
Subject: [ccardesa] Tips for building a virtual lab community: Extract from Nature 26 March, 2020
Dear Colleagues,
As we explore ways of working from home, I found this article from Nature Science magazine helpful with practical suggestions based on life experiences of researchers.
I came across the following tools that others are using to continue working remotely from home:
1. Use of the messaging tool WhatsApp for group chats,
2. Have a Google Group, or similar group platform, so you can blast e-mails and share resources with your team quickly and effectively. We also have a Google Sheet with people’s contact information, their emergency contact person and our contingency plans
3. Have a system for people to back up their data and analyses from their home computers, such as Dropbox or Google Drive. Back-up, back-up, back-up.
4. Conduct virtual meetings using the videoconferencing platform such as Zoom, Skype or Webex
5. Using the online messaging tool Slack; around the clock to stay interactive and connected.
6. Use project-planning apps, such as Trello or TeamGantt, to lay out tasks strategically, with expected dates and milestones.
7. Tracking institutional-level milestones using Evernote and Confluence project-management software
For the full article visit the following link which also offers some practical tips on building a virtual lab community:
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00935-3?utm_source=Nature+Bri...
Tips for building a virtual lab community
Provide assurance. Students, postdoctoral fellows and technicians need to hear that you are, first, unambiguously putting their health and the health of our communities first; and, second, working hard to mitigate any impact of the pandemic on their careers.
Adjust expectations. Change how you gauge productivity, and give yourself and your team a break. Set reasonable daily goals or to-do lists to check off; mix up tasks of reading, writing and data analysis; and take breaks for lunch, socializing and exercise just as you normally would.
Check in. Check in by video call or phone with your colleagues, and especially those who live alone, may be new to an area or from another country, or live far from their family. Provide a virtual sign-up sheet or group list where people can indicate when they need assistance from the group, such as groceries, pet-sitting or in the event that they become ill.
Cover costs. Offer to cover any reasonable expenses for new laptops, trackpads, hard drives, software or other equipment that lab members need to work efficiently from home. Check whether grants and fellowships can cover computer-related expenses.Provide structure. Don’t micromanage, but provide your team with milestones so that they can feel productive each week.
Keep it light. For early-morning video meetings, encourage members to wear their pyjamas and sport their ‘bed head’. Or host a ‘bring a pet to lab meeting’ day.
Socialize, virtually. Set up virtual lunch-break ‘rooms’ in small groups of two to four to chat science (or not) while eating together. Arrange virtual happy hours or pub nights using programs such as Zoom or Webex so that large numbers of people can join during a two- to three-hour window.
Exercise. If advisable in your area, have team members pair up (while still social-distancing!) for exercise and fresh-air outings such as running, cycling, hiking or pet walking.
Contact IT. See if your institute offers professional accounts for Zoom, Webex, Skype Business or other virtual meeting platforms.
Learn. People can use free, online tutorials to pick up new skills of coding in R or Python, mastering Adobe Illustrator or brushing up on bioinformatics.
Collaborate. Now is a good time to call busy experts and ask them about your data or observations.
Thanks,
--
Baitsi K. Podisi(PhD)
Research & Advisory Services Thematic Coordinator,
Center for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA) Secretariat
Plot 4701 Station Exit Road
Private Bag 00357, Gaborone
Botswana.
Tel: +267 3914991/7
Email: bpodisi@ccardesa.org<mailto:ed@ccardesa.org>
[https://webmail.webfaction.com/?_task=mail&_action=get&_mbox=INBOX&_uid=...|[https://webmail.webfaction.com/?_task=mail&_action=get&_mbox=INBOX&_uid=...| [https://webmail.webfaction.com/?_task=mail&_action=get&_mbox=INBOX&_uid=... <http://www.facebook.com/ccardesa> | [https://webmail.webfaction.com/?_task=mail&_action=get&_mbox=INBOX&_uid=... <http://www.twitter.com/ccardesaa>
For sharing and accessing regional agricultural information, visit the CCARDESA Southern African Agricultural Information and Knowledge System (SAAIKS) http://www.ccardesa.org/saaiks-knowledge-hub
+267 3914997 Ext 211
Fax +267 316 7211
Thank you for being a member of the CCARDESA online Community. For more information on CCARDESA visit our website: wwww.ccardesa.org or Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ccardesa<http://www.facebook.com/ccardesa> and Twitter:@ccardesaa.
For sharing and accessing agricultural knowledge in the SADC region, visit the Southern African Agricultural Information and Knowledge Management System: http://saaiks.net
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________________________________
From: ccardesa@dgroups.org <ccardesa@dgroups.org> on behalf of Ganyani Khosa <khosag@hotmail.com>
Sent: 02 April 2020 03:00 PM
To: ccardesa
Subject: [ccardesa] Tips for building a virtual lab community: Extract from Nature 26 March, 2020
Valuable tips here, thank you. Major challenge in Southern Africa is limited bandwidth and exorbitant cost of the same.
Ganyani Khosa
From: ccardesa@dgroups.org <ccardesa@dgroups.org> On Behalf Of bpodisi@ccardesa.org
Sent: Saturday, March 28, 2020 07:27
To: ccardesa <ccardesa@dgroups.org>
Subject: [ccardesa] Tips for building a virtual lab community: Extract from Nature 26 March, 2020
Dear Colleagues,
As we explore ways of working from home, I found this article from Nature Science magazine helpful with practical suggestions based on life experiences of researchers.
I came across the following tools that others are using to continue working remotely from home:
1. Use of the messaging tool WhatsApp for group chats,
2. Have a Google Group, or similar group platform, so you can blast e-mails and share resources with your team quickly and effectively. We also have a Google Sheet with people’s contact information, their emergency contact person and our contingency plans
3. Have a system for people to back up their data and analyses from their home computers, such as Dropbox or Google Drive. Back-up, back-up, back-up.
4. Conduct virtual meetings using the videoconferencing platform such as Zoom, Skype or Webex
5. Using the online messaging tool Slack; around the clock to stay interactive and connected.
6. Use project-planning apps, such as Trello or TeamGantt, to lay out tasks strategically, with expected dates and milestones.
7. Tracking institutional-level milestones using Evernote and Confluence project-management software
For the full article visit the following link which also offers some practical tips on building a virtual lab community:
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00935-3?utm_source=Nature+Bri...
Tips for building a virtual lab community
Provide assurance. Students, postdoctoral fellows and technicians need to hear that you are, first, unambiguously putting their health and the health of our communities first; and, second, working hard to mitigate any impact of the pandemic on their careers.
Adjust expectations. Change how you gauge productivity, and give yourself and your team a break. Set reasonable daily goals or to-do lists to check off; mix up tasks of reading, writing and data analysis; and take breaks for lunch, socializing and exercise just as you normally would.
Check in. Check in by video call or phone with your colleagues, and especially those who live alone, may be new to an area or from another country, or live far from their family. Provide a virtual sign-up sheet or group list where people can indicate when they need assistance from the group, such as groceries, pet-sitting or in the event that they become ill.
Cover costs. Offer to cover any reasonable expenses for new laptops, trackpads, hard drives, software or other equipment that lab members need to work efficiently from home. Check whether grants and fellowships can cover computer-related expenses.Provide structure. Don’t micromanage, but provide your team with milestones so that they can feel productive each week.
Keep it light. For early-morning video meetings, encourage members to wear their pyjamas and sport their ‘bed head’. Or host a ‘bring a pet to lab meeting’ day.
Socialize, virtually. Set up virtual lunch-break ‘rooms’ in small groups of two to four to chat science (or not) while eating together. Arrange virtual happy hours or pub nights using programs such as Zoom or Webex so that large numbers of people can join during a two- to three-hour window.
Exercise. If advisable in your area, have team members pair up (while still social-distancing!) for exercise and fresh-air outings such as running, cycling, hiking or pet walking.
Contact IT. See if your institute offers professional accounts for Zoom, Webex, Skype Business or other virtual meeting platforms.
Learn. People can use free, online tutorials to pick up new skills of coding in R or Python, mastering Adobe Illustrator or brushing up on bioinformatics.
Collaborate. Now is a good time to call busy experts and ask them about your data or observations.
Thanks,
--
Baitsi K. Podisi(PhD)
Research & Advisory Services Thematic Coordinator,
Center for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA) Secretariat
Plot 4701 Station Exit Road
Private Bag 00357, Gaborone
Botswana.
Tel: +267 3914991/7
Email: bpodisi@ccardesa.org<mailto:ed@ccardesa.org>
[https://webmail.webfaction.com/?_task=mail&_action=get&_mbox=INBOX&_uid=...|[https://webmail.webfaction.com/?_task=mail&_action=get&_mbox=INBOX&_uid=...| [https://webmail.webfaction.com/?_task=mail&_action=get&_mbox=INBOX&_uid=... <http://www.facebook.com/ccardesa> | [https://webmail.webfaction.com/?_task=mail&_action=get&_mbox=INBOX&_uid=... <http://www.twitter.com/ccardesaa>
For sharing and accessing regional agricultural information, visit the CCARDESA Southern African Agricultural Information and Knowledge System (SAAIKS) http://www.ccardesa.org/saaiks-knowledge-hub
+267 3914997 Ext 211
Fax +267 316 7211
Thank you for being a member of the CCARDESA online Community. For more information on CCARDESA visit our website: wwww.ccardesa.org or Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ccardesa<http://www.facebook.com/ccardesa> and Twitter:@ccardesaa.
For sharing and accessing agricultural knowledge in the SADC region, visit the Southern African Agricultural Information and Knowledge Management System: http://saaiks.net
----------------------------------------------------------------
You are receiving this message because you are a member of the community ccardesa<https://dgroups.org/groups/fara-rails/sadc-rails/ccardesa>.
View this contribution on the web site<https://dgroups.org/_/709nkkyq>
A reply to this message will be sent to all members of ccardesa.
Reply to sender<mailto:bpodisi@ccardesa.org> | Unsubscribe<mailto:leave.ccardesa@dgroups.org>
Thank you for being a member of the CCARDESA online Community. For more information on CCARDESA visit our website: wwww.ccardesa.org or Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ccardesa and Twitter:@ccardesaa.
For sharing and accessing agricultural knowledge in the SADC region, visit the Southern African Agricultural Information and Knowledge Management System: http://saaiks.net
----------------------------------------------------------------
You are receiving this message because you are a member of the community ccardesa<https://dgroups.org/groups/fara-rails/sadc-rails/ccardesa>.
View this contribution on the web site<https://dgroups.org/_/wajb9zm9>
A reply to this message will be sent to all members of ccardesa.
Reply to sender<mailto:khosag@hotmail.com> | Unsubscribe<mailto:leave.ccardesa@dgroups.org>
The information contained in this e-mail is confidential and may be subject to legal privilege and/or the subject of copyright. If you are not the intended recipient, you must not use, copy, distribute or disclose the e-mail or any part of its contents or take any action in reliance on it. If you have received this e-mail in error, please e-mail the sender by replying to this message. The Government of the Republic of Namibia shall not be held liable for any damages so caused to the unintended recipient and any unauthorized distribution by the unintended recipient. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender, except where the sender expressly, and with authority, states them to be the views of Government of the Republic of Namibia. Although this email has been checked for viruses and other defects, no responsibility can be accepted for any loss or damage arising from its receipt or use.
