The departure of a university lab’s principal investigator (PI) can cause disruption across the entire facility and impact environmental, health, and safety (EHS) operations. Proper planning ahead of the PI’s exit, however, ensures a smooth handoff of tasks and continuity through this transitional period.
This isn’t to say a PI departure isn’t a major occurrence, even with proper planning. When PIs leave their positions, lab staff at universities or private research institutions often feel lost. These transitional periods are usually stressful, complex, and confusing. The many roles that PIs play in managing their university labs and research projects means that without them, many EHS and other operational tasks feel incomplete—or even impossible.
EHS staffers can take steps to ensure that the transition is as smooth and safe as possible, and that operations remain compliant. It’s all a matter of the lab’s preparation ahead of the departure. I have spent years working with labs of all types, and have experienced many lab transitional periods; here, I will offer some useful tips to ease this transition based on this broad and deep experience.
