I believe in the value of independent research as a way of self-expression and in trial-and-error as a valuable way to learn and grow. Mentoring in my lab involves three formal components: daily interactions with a graduate student or postdoc that is directly involved with the research, weekly meetings with me, and weekly lab meetings where various lab members present their work and where the student will present their research at the end of the summer. Informal mentoring includes discussions of data as it arises, troubleshooting of experiments with me and with the mentor, and interactions with all lab members.