We recently configured a new building and have had many discussions about layout of office and lab space. We all (in psychology) chose labs that are independent (and with separate entrances) from the offices. Some faculty requested offices across from labs (that's what I have) whereas others wanted them down the hall from each other. I really like having my lab be a separate space from my office because my TA or lab assistants can work in lab (and have a key to the lab) without it interfering with anything I do in my office.
The separate office/entrances layout allows the rooms to be used for different purposes at the same time. So you don't necessarily want students walking through the lab (where your lab assistants are working or meeting) to get to your office (where you are working). In addition, you might not want to be able to hear the lab assistants working/meeting when you're working in your office (or the reverse: lab assistants hearing what's going on in your office). A related concern is that lab assistants might be working with confidential data that is lying around. If visitors to your office walk through the lab you would have to put away (lock up) data every day (which seems a little impractical). Marie **************************************************** Marie Helweg-Larsen, Ph.D. Department Chair and Associate Professor of Psychology Dickinson College, P.O. Box 1773 Carlisle, PA 17013 Office: (717) 245-1562, Fax: (717) 245-1971 http://alpha.dickinson.edu/departments/psych/helwegm **************************************************** -----Original Message----- From: Don Allen [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, September 05, 2007 7:25 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: Re: [tips] Proposed office/lab configuration Hi Jim- We have essentially the same layout that you describe & it works pretty well. I don't see any red flags. -Don. Don Allen Dept. of Psychology Langara College 100 W. 49th Ave. Vancouver, B.C. Canada V5Y 2Z6 Phone: 604-323-5871 ----- Original Message ----- From: Jim Clark <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Wednesday, September 5, 2007 3:16 pm Subject: [tips] Proposed office/lab configuration To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS)" <[email protected]> > Hi > > We're developing some more office/lab space and some people are > promoting integrated offices/labs. Essentially the entrance from the > hall would be into an open lab space and there would be a second door > into an inner office. Not everyone agrees this is a good > configuration. I'm curious whether researchers would find this > attractive, unattractive, or would be indifferent to this arrangement. > Take care > Jim > > James M. Clark > Professor of Psychology > 204-786-9757 > 204-774-4134 Fax > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > --- > --- ---
