How does the working environment at Janelia Farm differ from academia?
The Janelia Farm environment fosters scientific interaction and promotes collaboration. Because scientists at Janelia Farm do not have teaching, grant-writing, and administrative duties, they have more time for informal interactions with their colleagues. The labs have an “open plan” to allow research groups to intermingle. In addition, there are nearby spaces for informal meetings, as well as numerous small meeting rooms. To promote productive “collisions,” we have central meeting places, and people at Janelia Farm have many opportunities to meet one another. These include the dining room and a pub, as well as periodic social events in the evenings and on weekends (open to friends and families). More formal occasions are also scheduled, such as weekly internal seminars.
