Richard Lab

more coming soon

Tom Richard

Penn State webpages: [1]

Department of Ag. and Biological Engineering

225 Agricultural Engineering Building

Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802-1909

phone: (814) 865-3722

fax: (814) 863-1031

email: trichard@psu.edu

Penn State iGEM team: http://openwetware.org/wiki/IGEM:PennState

Richard Lab group

Post Doc

• Hala Chaoui email

Projects: Design and conduct experiments to (1) calibrate flux chamber for use with a photoacoustic sensor to meaaure greenhouse gas emissions; (2) evaluate greenhouse gas emissions from animal waste storage, and test the effect of biofilter types on theses emissions.

Future project: Test the feasibility of scaling down biodigesters.

Reviews: Biolfiters; biodigester exhaust gases remediation techniques, modeling of greenhouse gas emissions from animal facilities.

Graduate Students

• Deepti Tanjore

• Farzaneh Razaei

• Marlyse Williams

• Qin Chen

• Scott Shore

Undergraduate Students

• Allie

• Eric

• Natalie

Internal: Managing the Lab

Lab shopping list: lab members, feel free to edit

1. Rack for labelling tape
2. hole punch
3. A notebook and dividers
4. spatulas, scoops, brushes, hose, weighing boats/paper,parafin paper
5. ice maker
6. lab chairs
7. petri plates
8. cloning stuff

Every lab member needs to... (edit)

1. add their projects, email, and (optional) link to their website
2. update lab notebook
3. update the list of materials with what they buy, or know of in the lab.
4. add their contributions to the methodologies and instruments sections
5. add their contribution to the literature reviews
6. verify their #individual responsibilities
7. add anything else they think should be on this website

In-lab training

To keep the lab running smoothly we need two "inhouse training program", developed by all of us through this site, and implemeted by the lab manager. The first will focus on general lab use, the second on the use of specific instruments.

• Training in general lab use

1. know what maintenance work is expected from each of us within our individual lab area
2. how to use the folders (labels, etc)
3. where the garbage cans go, what goes in them (recycling)
4. the "unknown table", how it works

• Lab Safety

1. Hazardous material: know the "Satellite accumulation area", put material in secondary container and non-leaking primary container, put your name, date, and expected pickupdate on special red label. The Lab manager updates the "Satellite accumulation area" logbook and calls Hazmat for pick up. In the accumulation area separate Halogen from non-Halogen waste.
2. when labelling, enter full names, no abreviations, for fire safety issues.
3. know location of emergency shower, of first aid kit. Lab manager flushes the eyewash once a week.
4. know the Material Safety Data Sheet of the chemical you're using
5. know the MSDS resources: U of Vermont MSDS database, PSUs' EHS, NFDA diamond.
6. know the fume hood procedure: verify that the hood is working, the presence of the sash recommended position (yellow sticker), the role of the sash (an explosion and splash guard, and it must be low to allow good air suction). Do not leave any chemicals in hood, or reactive reagents during an experiment.
7. know how to store chemicals: separate highly toxic ones, do not store other than cleaning supplies under the sink, do not store reactive chemicals close to each other (acids and bases). keep acids away from flamables, except for glacila acetic acid.
8. disposing of chemicals, do not drain nitric or hydrofloric acid. Acids and bases can be neutralized (by dilution and drained. Dilution procedure: add acid to water and not the reverse (A to W), and flush the drain before and after.
9. know of fire extinguisher location (use them only if custom trained).
10. when purchasing chemicals look for possible safe alternatives, avoid mercury.
11. pressurized cylinders: remove regulators from them when not using.
12. extension cords, use appliance grade only.
13. have proof of EHS safety training
14. take the EHS safety training refresher every year
15. know the lab safety logbook. It contains the weekly review of the Satellite collection area, the annula review of all chemicals, and the training sheets of all lab members.

• lab website duties (this site is a logbook for the lab as well)

1. know what portion of the materials list we are individually responsible for updating
2. know how to use this website and edit it, use website editing etiquette
3. website subfile titles: Do not use generic names, this is a community of lab websites; "Methods" means methods of everyone on wetware!!!!! "Richard:methods" mean our methods!
4. know how to participate the the angel news group for the lab
5. online source of form to be posted / used in Lab: [2]

• Lab manager responsibilities

1. post accumulation area sign and weekly log
2. update lab notebook: (weekly review of the Satellite collection area, the annula review of all chemicals, and the training sheets of all lab members).
3. implement the lab rules

• Training in the use of instruments

1. go through a rotation to briefly learn everybody else's methodology / instruments

• other ideas? Feel free to add them here...

Individual responsibilities

Lab members, their responsibilities and expertise.

Lab Member	Work Area	Materials Area for which lab member is responsible	Instruments lab member has used	PSU safety training?	Richard Lab training?	Other
Hala	.	.	.	.	.	.
Deepti	.	.	.	.	.	.
Farzaneh	.	.	.	.	.	.
Marlyse	.	.	.	.	.	.
Scott	.	.	.	.	.	.
Allie	.	.	.	.	.	.
Erick	.	.	.	.	.	.
Natalie	.	.	.	.	.	.

Notices

Lab meeting: Friday August 25th at 9 AM, in the lab.