U.S. Particle Accelerator School
U.S. Particle Accelerator School
America's National School of Accelerator Science and Technology

Management of Scientific Laboratories course

Sponsoring University:

MIT

Course:

Management of Scientific Laboratories

Instructors:

Christian Roche, Claude Geles and Gilles Lindecker, CERN

This course will introduce the principles of management of scientific laboratories, covering long-term strategy to day-to-day management. Subjects to be studied include: (1) Overall policy-making. Topics addressed here are, strategic planning, strategic-resources management, relations with policy-makers (government, industry), public relations, and international relations. (2) Laboratory management. This part covers the various aspects of organization and structures, basic principles of corporate finance and personnel management, policy making for capital investment and construction of facilities, supply chain, transfer of technology, quality assurance, organizing the operation of facilities from commissioning to dismantling. (3) Project management and management by project: management functions in a project environment, including cost estimating, scheduling, resource planning, technical planning, purchasing, organizational structure and staffing. (4) Day-to-day operations. The main administrative functions are analyzed: logistics including space and store management; personnel actions, staff compensation, hiring & firing; maintenance & operation; accounting & attribution of costs; and security. Throughout the course, we will consider the differences between small and large laboratories and between existing and newly created laboratories. We will discuss the methods and ideas for the management of not-for-profit organizations. For each topic undertaken, basic concepts, theories or methods will be developed and applied to typical cases. Case-studies will be assigned. The major purposes of the course are: to provide future managers of scientific laboratories at all levels with basic methods and techniques of modern management and to help build more effective communication between scientific and managerial cultures.