In 2010 after I returned to Egypt from Oxford, I was given a portion of a large laboratory which was supervised by a more senior professor. At that time, I started to encourage students to spend time in the lab (between their classes) helping me, 1\4
while at the same time learning about vertebrate fossils. One day, the main supervisor ejected these students, stating that the lab was for postgraduate work only – and that undergraduate students were not welcome. 2\4
The students came to me, frustrated, saying that they would like to continue their work in my lab. My solution was to initiate a contest: At the end of the semester, I would award a prize to any student who, while in pursuit of expanding their own minds, 3\4
was forced to leave the lab by that senior professor. It turned out to be both a creative and effective solution where I was able to navigate the obstructive senior professor in favor of the students’ learning. 4\4 #SallamLab #MUVP #Egypt