Dr. Jeff Karp

Everyone in the lab has the same expertise. What I've noticed is that if we minimize the overlap, that we can really leverage the power of thinking differently. And that's sparks of creativity just start flying. In the lab, we have chemists, we have material scientists, we have biologists, immunologists, but we've also had a gastrointestinal surgeon, a cardiac surgeon.

Everyone in the lab has the same expertise. What I've noticed is that if we minimize the overlap, that we can really leverage the power of thinking differently. And that's sparks of creativity just start flying. In the lab, we have chemists, we have material scientists, we have biologists, immunologists, but we've also had a gastrointestinal surgeon, a cardiac surgeon.

We've had a dentist in the lab. It's constantly changing. And I think when you start interacting with people who think differently, who have different skills, we've had people from 30 different countries in the lab. And when you're from a different country, you have a different education system. So you You think differently, you have different wiring, you have different experiences.

We've had a dentist in the lab. It's constantly changing. And I think when you start interacting with people who think differently, who have different skills, we've had people from 30 different countries in the lab. And when you're from a different country, you have a different education system. So you You think differently, you have different wiring, you have different experiences.

We've had a dentist in the lab. It's constantly changing. And I think when you start interacting with people who think differently, who have different skills, we've had people from 30 different countries in the lab. And when you're from a different country, you have a different education system. So you You think differently, you have different wiring, you have different experiences.

And to me, that's how you start to generate the sparks of creativity. And something else that I experimented with in my lab, which actually was like transformational, was I set up, and I hadn't seen this before, but I just was like, I need to somehow figure out how to get things more creative and people to connect. And so I thought, okay, presentation competitions. So I came up with this idea.

And to me, that's how you start to generate the sparks of creativity. And something else that I experimented with in my lab, which actually was like transformational, was I set up, and I hadn't seen this before, but I just was like, I need to somehow figure out how to get things more creative and people to connect. And so I thought, okay, presentation competitions. So I came up with this idea.

And to me, that's how you start to generate the sparks of creativity. And something else that I experimented with in my lab, which actually was like transformational, was I set up, and I hadn't seen this before, but I just was like, I need to somehow figure out how to get things more creative and people to connect. And so I thought, okay, presentation competitions. So I came up with this idea.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes. And then there's some guideposts. So you can't present on your research. You have to present on something that is one of your passions or one of your interests.

Yes. And then there's some guideposts. So you can't present on your research. You have to present on something that is one of your passions or one of your interests.

Yes. And then there's some guideposts. So you can't present on your research. You have to present on something that is one of your passions or one of your interests.

Or something you're curious about. I love that. And the goal is to take risks. This is a safe environment where no one's going to be shamed. And everyone's in the same boat from like a high school student to a PhD student to a postdoc to young faculty. And everybody presents for three minutes.

Or something you're curious about. I love that. And the goal is to take risks. This is a safe environment where no one's going to be shamed. And everyone's in the same boat from like a high school student to a PhD student to a postdoc to young faculty. And everybody presents for three minutes.

Or something you're curious about. I love that. And the goal is to take risks. This is a safe environment where no one's going to be shamed. And everyone's in the same boat from like a high school student to a PhD student to a postdoc to young faculty. And everybody presents for three minutes.

And then afterwards, the questions are focused on constructively, what could you do to improve your talk? What did you really like about the talk? And then at the end, I give prizes for people. Everyone votes. I don't vote. And who gave the best presentation? Who took the most risk? And who gave the best constructive feedback? And we've had people in the lab couldn't have expected this.

And then afterwards, the questions are focused on constructively, what could you do to improve your talk? What did you really like about the talk? And then at the end, I give prizes for people. Everyone votes. I don't vote. And who gave the best presentation? Who took the most risk? And who gave the best constructive feedback? And we've had people in the lab couldn't have expected this.

And then afterwards, the questions are focused on constructively, what could you do to improve your talk? What did you really like about the talk? And then at the end, I give prizes for people. Everyone votes. I don't vote. And who gave the best presentation? Who took the most risk? And who gave the best constructive feedback? And we've had people in the lab couldn't have expected this.