We're in the kitchen today because I
We're in the kitchen today because I

watch a lot of food videos and cooking tutorials and kitchen
watch a lot of food videos and cooking tutorials and kitchen

documentaries.
documentaries.

And I've started to realize that the process of making a dish
And I've started to realize that the process of making a dish

reminds me a lot of the experimental process.
reminds me a lot of the experimental process.

And the kitchen reminds me a lot of the lab.
And the kitchen reminds me a lot of the lab.

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And I don't just watch these shows.
And I don't just watch these shows.

I also really enjoy cooking and baking myself.
I also really enjoy cooking and baking myself.

And so I've started to notice a lot of parallels
And so I've started to notice a lot of parallels

between my moments in the lab and my moments in the kitchen,
between my moments in the lab and my moments in the kitchen,

and how curiosity plays a role in both.
and how curiosity plays a role in both.

So today, in collaboration with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt,
So today, in collaboration with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt,

Germany's #alwayscurious initiative,
Germany's #alwayscurious initiative,

we're going to talk about some of the parallels
we're going to talk about some of the parallels

that I see between the lab and the kitchen.
that I see between the lab and the kitchen.

Now each endeavor in the lab or the kitchen,
Now each endeavor in the lab or the kitchen,

it begins with a recipe or a protocol.
it begins with a recipe or a protocol.

You don't just start wildly throwing ingredients together
You don't just start wildly throwing ingredients together

in the kitchen.
in the kitchen.

You find a recipe, and you see what's
You find a recipe, and you see what's

worked for people before.
worked for people before.

And then you try and make that.
And then you try and make that.

It's the same thing in the lab.
It's the same thing in the lab.

You don't just start wildly trying experiments.
You don't just start wildly trying experiments.

You go and you find a protocol.
You go and you find a protocol.

You see what's worked for people before.
You see what's worked for people before.

And then you try it.
And then you try it.

Now in both cases, you're likely going
Now in both cases, you're likely going

to have to try a few times before you get something right.
to have to try a few times before you get something right.

I don't think people typically step into the kitchen and make
I don't think people typically step into the kitchen and make

a perfect soufflé on their first try.
a perfect soufflé on their first try.

And it's the same thing in the lab.
And it's the same thing in the lab.

You often don't get a new experiment
You often don't get a new experiment

to work out perfectly on the first try.
to work out perfectly on the first try.

So you try it, and then you adapt it to your situation,
So you try it, and then you adapt it to your situation,

and then you try it again.
and then you try it again.

And it's the same thing in the kitchen.
And it's the same thing in the kitchen.

If you make a dish, and it's too salty, you'll note that.
If you make a dish, and it's too salty, you'll note that.

You'll adapt it to have less salt,
You'll adapt it to have less salt,

and then you'll try it again.
and then you'll try it again.

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Now this flexibility and determination
Now this flexibility and determination

in the face of burnt dinners and failed experiments
in the face of burnt dinners and failed experiments

is, I think, critical to the experiences of both.
is, I think, critical to the experiences of both.

I think that if you're not failing in either place,
I think that if you're not failing in either place,

you're likely not trying anything
you're likely not trying anything

new or innovative or curious.
new or innovative or curious.

Sure, you can probably make perfect box mac and cheese
Sure, you can probably make perfect box mac and cheese

over and over again.
over and over again.

And there's nothing wrong with that.
And there's nothing wrong with that.

But are you really trying anything new or innovative
But are you really trying anything new or innovative

or curious if you don't see what happens if you
or curious if you don't see what happens if you

add vegetables or hot sauce?
add vegetables or hot sauce?

And it's the same thing in the lab.
And it's the same thing in the lab.

If you keep doing the same experiment over and over again,
If you keep doing the same experiment over and over again,

and keep getting the same result,
and keep getting the same result,

then you're probably not going to discover anything new.
then you're probably not going to discover anything new.

So you have to keep an open mind and try new things.
So you have to keep an open mind and try new things.

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And sometimes this works out really well.
And sometimes this works out really well.

One time in the lab, I was trying
One time in the lab, I was trying

to see what would happen if I amplified a gene in a new way.
to see what would happen if I amplified a gene in a new way.

And it was great.
And it was great.

It turned into a new assay that I
It turned into a new assay that I

could use to test how well my future experiments were
could use to test how well my future experiments were

working.
working.

But sometimes it doesn't work out so well.
But sometimes it doesn't work out so well.

College-aged curiosity about what
College-aged curiosity about what

a wasabi flavored buttercream would taste like
a wasabi flavored buttercream would taste like

led to some inedible cupcakes.
led to some inedible cupcakes.

Now that process of adaptation after successes and failures
Now that process of adaptation after successes and failures

in the lab often takes the form of notes.
in the lab often takes the form of notes.

In the lab, this is a formal lab notebook.
In the lab, this is a formal lab notebook.

And I wish I was that organized in the kitchen.
And I wish I was that organized in the kitchen.

But most of my adaptations sort of
But most of my adaptations sort of

take the form of these sort of sad and stained Post-it notes
take the form of these sort of sad and stained Post-it notes

from use over many years.
from use over many years.

But that doesn't mean that everybody
But that doesn't mean that everybody

is disorganized in the kitchen.
is disorganized in the kitchen.

I think of the well-organized, carefully curated
I think of the well-organized, carefully curated

and put together recipe cards of our grandmothers.
and put together recipe cards of our grandmothers.

Curiosity is great, but I think that taking advantage of it
Curiosity is great, but I think that taking advantage of it

by documenting it is where you really
by documenting it is where you really

start to build that foundation for future experiments.
start to build that foundation for future experiments.

Now beyond the more meta ideas about my kitchen and my lab
Now beyond the more meta ideas about my kitchen and my lab

lives, there are a lot of really physical similarities
lives, there are a lot of really physical similarities

between the two as well.
between the two as well.

I mix things.
I mix things.

I heat things.
I heat things.

I wait.
I wait.

I mix again.
I mix again.

I monitor things at certain temperatures.
I monitor things at certain temperatures.

And sometimes I really do think that just a different flick
And sometimes I really do think that just a different flick

of the wrist or careful touch can make the difference
of the wrist or careful touch can make the difference

in the final product.
in the final product.

Both places also involve specialized equipment
Both places also involve specialized equipment

for certain jobs, from handheld tools to large machines.
for certain jobs, from handheld tools to large machines.

And all of them are important for the final product.
And all of them are important for the final product.

And sometimes those machines can be
And sometimes those machines can be

used to offload some of our work as well.
used to offload some of our work as well.

There are a pipetting robots in the lab
There are a pipetting robots in the lab

that can really precisely load plates.
that can really precisely load plates.

And my mixer back there will mix bread dough for me
And my mixer back there will mix bread dough for me

as I walk away and go do other things.
as I walk away and go do other things.

And so this makes me think about the future of working
And so this makes me think about the future of working

in both of these places.
in both of these places.

And I'm an optimist about it.
And I'm an optimist about it.

I'm not worried that robots are going to make
I'm not worried that robots are going to make

me obsolete in either place.
me obsolete in either place.

But I actually do hope that robots and machines
But I actually do hope that robots and machines

might be able to help me work in both places in the future.
might be able to help me work in both places in the future.

I've joked in a prior video about a pipetting robot taking
I've joked in a prior video about a pipetting robot taking

over my job in the lab.
over my job in the lab.

But really, if I'd had something like that,
But really, if I'd had something like that,

it would have done the more repetitive tasks for me.
it would have done the more repetitive tasks for me.

And so that I could have gone off and done more
And so that I could have gone off and done more

reading and writing and thinking creatively about actually
reading and writing and thinking creatively about actually

doing the science.
doing the science.

It would have been a big help.
It would have been a big help.

It's the same thing with the mixer back there.
It's the same thing with the mixer back there.

Just because it can help to offload some of that work,
Just because it can help to offload some of that work,

I can step away from something and focus on something more
I can step away from something and focus on something more

creative, like video making.
creative, like video making.

But what about you?
But what about you?

What do you think the future of work
What do you think the future of work

is going to look like in your field?
is going to look like in your field?

You can go to the link in the description box
You can go to the link in the description box

down below to share your vision of the future of work,
down below to share your vision of the future of work,

as a part of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany's
as a part of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany's

#alwayscurious initiative.
#alwayscurious initiative.

So thank you so much to them for sponsoring this video.
So thank you so much to them for sponsoring this video.

I hope you sort of liked my thoughts
I hope you sort of liked my thoughts

about the parallels between the lab and the kitchen.
about the parallels between the lab and the kitchen.

Go forth, do science, and be cozy this winter
Go forth, do science, and be cozy this winter

with some baked goods.
with some baked goods.

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That's not half bad.
That's not half bad.