The Hammer Problem

The other day I was discussing a research problem with one of my RO1 colleagues.  At one point my research university counterpart pointed out that rather than killing myself trying to isolate my crossover experiment products, electrospray MS would give me the answer directly from the mixture.  It was clearly the right experiment for my system.  This left me thinking about why I had not seen the simple solution.  

Even though I do a decent job keeping up with the literature and I try to be aware of current techniques, after years of work with limited resources I had fallen prey to limiting my thinking to using the hammer I have.  I don't know when this happened and suspect that it was incremental.  I know I used to be embarrassed for my senior colleagues and their antiquated solutions to problems.  I suppose my junior colleagues may be embarrassed by me today.

I bring this up to make the case for strong seminar series which bring resource rich colleagues to campus and provide dialog between PUI faculty and your RO1 colleagues.  Too often visits with seminar speakers involve passing the time about textbooks used or the differences between our campus structures.  In the future if you come to my office expect to talk about my research problems.

Junior faculty have more modern experience but can be afraid of telling their senior colleagues that there is a more up-to-date solution.  We must keep in mind that the end goal is good science, so bring on your incites.  Being a useful colleague is better than being a deferential colleague.

Let me present my puzzles and my planned solutions.  Give me your good ideas if you have them.  If you have access to the instruments that will better address my puzzle, tell me how I can get access.  Old dogs can learn new tricks and will if the old tricks don't yield the kibble they used to.