What do you do if you need guidance and support from your boss in R&D?

Assessing R&D needs effectively with your boss's support is key. First, outline your goals - what problems are you trying to solve, or what opportunities are you chasing? Then, research existing solutions and competitor landscapes. This shows initiative and helps frame the discussion. Finally, present your findings to your boss. Highlight knowledge gaps and areas where new R&D efforts could bring a significant advantage.

Looking at the whole set of preparations listed, and all I can say is this: If your supervisor is so remote from you that you are considering scheduling a meeting and creating a presentation just to get guidance in a R&D environment, you might want a consider finding a new boss or environment to work in. You should be able to approach your supervisor without any more agenda than simple greetings - and a project related issue should never be a problem. They might be busy, and they may ask you to wait,but they should be open to a walk in discussion without any fanfare being necessary.

When prepping data for R&D discussions with your boss, focus on clarity and relevance. In my experience, with creep simulations, for instance, I simplified complex material properties into clear graphs showing how the material deforms over time under stress. This allowed my boss to grasp the issue quickly. Tie the data to the specific problem you are facing and suggest solutions. This focused approach will get your boss on board and provide the support you need.

Be as quantitative as you can, because science works in numbers and data! "My cells aren't growing right." → "My growth rate is X". "None of my petri plates have colonies" → "I plated X, Y, & Z dilutions of cells for W days in V conditions." Sometimes it's just a benign method mistake, sometimes there's a hidden scientific reason it failed. But don't waste time & resources going back to collect data on failed things before scheduling your meeting, just bring all that you have in a well organized format. Your supervisor will be thinking, "Is it you, or is it the science?" so help them understand *exactly* what you did by being quantitative. They can't read your memories looking for details and they need those details to troubleshoot.

Scheduling a meeting with your R&D boss for guidance is smart! Be proactive.?Briefly email?them your desired topic (e.g., "Need guidance on creep simulation project") and suggest a few specific times in your calendar that work for you. Mention any relevant data you will present to keep the meeting focused. This preparedness shows initiative and respect for their busy schedule, making them more likely to approve your request.

Don't be shy about requesting recurring meetings. Daily or every-other-daily check-ins to help organize your tasks or to go over new data while you're troubleshooting something together can be more productive than waiting in uncertainty and wasting time. These can even be just 5–10 minutes at any recurring point in the day.

If you're responsible for a lot of individual samples or experiments, each with their own behaviors/idiosyncrasies, you might need to jog your boss's memory on them *each* time you meet. Instead of just saying "Sample1234" and launching into details, adding, "This is the one that was growing weirdly when I tried X," or, "As you remember, this is the one we tried doing Y on because of that other result". A good supervisor will stop and ask, and a good team member will explain so they don't need to. But you definitely don't want your boss nodding along distracted by trying to remember instead of listening to your new info. Don't feel bad if they forget, they've got lots to keep track of. Keep the conversation as effortless as possible.