Labwork to Leadership: A Concise Guide to Thriving in the Science Job You Weren't Trained For

A roadmap for running a lab—and developing the leadership skills you didn’t know you needed.

As a graduate student and postdoctoral researcher, chemist Jen Heemstra learned how to collect data, write papers, and give talks to other scientists. But when, just a few years into her first job as a principal investigator, conflict broke out in the lab, she realized there was one skill she hadn’t learned: leadership.

Labwork to Leadership is the book that every PI needs. Drawing on her decades of experience—including plenty of trial and error—as well as research from psychology and business management, Heemstra nimbly guides readers through the essentials of scientific leadership. From fostering an inclusive lab environment to setting effective goals and learning to give and receive feedback graciously, she uncovers the curriculum successful PIs must follow to motivate lab members, communicate key values, and inspire confidence.

With candor and humility, Labwork to Leadership demystifies the critical leadership skills that too many universities fail to teach. And it shows how teaching scientists to lead can boost productivity, spur innovation, and, above all, help research teams rediscover the joy of science.