Centre for Health InnovationCulture
It is important to Dr. Heidi-Lynn Ploeg that the culture of the Bone and Joint Biomechanics Lab is supportive and inclusive. Dr. Ploeg is dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in the classroom and in her research lab. Together we perform at our best.
Learn more about the Group Lab Activities that foster a positive team culture.
Training of Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP)
Dr. Ploeg's trainees establish an individualized HQP training plan with the following key components. The HQP training plans reflect the Bone and Joint Biomechanics Lab culture.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Providing a welcoming environment for women and underrepresented students is Dr. Ploeg's priority. The experience of working in teams with members of diverse backgrounds fosters fertile research and learning environments. Through immersion trainees experience the value and reward of a diverse and inclusive environment.
Professional Skills
For research and training, trainees interact with Dr. Ploeg, lab members, collaborators, industry sponsors and collaborators, clinicians, patients, and visiting groups. Each of these interactions contribute to gaining experience with and learning the professional skills trainees need in their careers.
Leadership and Management Skills
Trainees support and mentor each other. Undergraduate students have their own research projects, but their objectives are closely related to those of their mentoring graduate student. Likewise, PhD students play an important role mentoring new graduate students.
Trainees in Dr. Ploeg's lab are also encouraged to gain leadership and management experience through community outreach programs, or events with professional organizations.
Development Opportunities
As a result of Dr. Ploeg's experience working in the orthopaedic industry in Switzerland, many trainees complete a part of their research off campus, either at another academic institution or in industry. Dr. Ploeg encourages and helps her trainees in applying for grants to fund their off-campus experiences.
Training Environment
Q-BJB Lab trainees learn skills in both experimental and simulations methods. Although the balance varies, it is Dr. Ploeg's expectation that all research students gain some experience in the lab and on the computer.
Lab skills that are unique to the BJB Lab are those for conducting ex vivo bone culture experiments; and testing the bone-implant system. Simulation skills trainees in Dr. Ploeg's lab learn are medical image-based finite element analyses of bone and bone-implant systems.
Communication and Scientific Writing
Dr. Ploeg expects Master's students to write at least 1 paper and present at 1 conference. For PhD's, the expectation is that they will write at least 2 journal papers and have several conference presentations. Dr. Ploeg expects undergraduate students to contribute to the papers of their mentoring graduate students as coauthors and present at campus seminars.
Dr. Ploeg helps trainees learn how to disseminate their research with: weekly journal club with colleagues; practice presenting in graduated steps to lab members and collaborators, campus events, and conferences; encourage help from the Writing Centre and library; writing "retreats"; and, students plan a writing schedule, and in return Dr. Ploeg gives them regular, rapid edits on their writing.