[labnetwork] how-to retain knowledge

[Schroeder, Jeremy L]

Matthieu,

I don't have the answer, but I can briefly comment on the first question (i.e. retaining knowledge from fab members).

We have discussed this issue at Purdue's Birck Nanotechnology Center and we thought about developing an online knowledge database. However, the key is getting members to actually write down their know-how since people are often not interested in doing additional work that does not clearly benefit them. Not only that, even if members write down their information, it has to be written in a clearly understood format and someone else should check the information to ensure that it is accurate.

In order to get this to work, I think you need a staff member partly devoted to the project. The staff member can ask students for specific information and then create standard-format documents from this information.

Jeremy

-----Original Message-----
From: labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu [mailto:labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu] On Behalf Of Matthieu Nannini, Dr.
Sent: Monday, August 23, 2010 10:08 AM
To: labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu
Subject: [labnetwork] how-to retain knowledge

Dear lab network members,

i'm the manager of the McGill Microfab in Montréal QC and I have a few questions to al of you:

I've been asking myself this question for a long time and wondering how do others do.
- how do you retain knowledge from fab members ? process, know-how etc, so members don't have to reinvent the wheel every time.
- where do you draw the line between a researcher doing research and a researcher doing r&d for his/her newly spun off company using students
- how do you deal with patented processes owned by PIs ?

Thanks a lot

Matthieu

-----------------------------------
Matthieu Nannini
McGill Nanotools Microfab
Manager
t: 514 398 3310
c: 514 758 3311
f: 514 398 8434
http://miam.physics.mcgill.ca/microfab
------------------------------------


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