A first-year PhD student asks—

How do I tell my rotation PI I don't want to join their lab?

This is an important communication to have with a PI you have rotated with. It often feels uncomfortable, but don't be afraid—the key is to brief. Sometimes people feel bad saying "no," so they feel like they need to provide lots of justification. But saying "no" is ok and in fact necessary, and PIs are used to it! There are a few things you want to convey in your message:

1. Thank them for the opportunity they gave you.
2. Mention something you got out of the experience.
3. Let them know your decision. You don't have to let them know which lab you did decide to join, but they'll probably find out anyway.
4. You can say you are letting them know as soon as you can.
5. Indicate if/how you would like to interact with them in the future. Even if you don't join their lab, a PI you rotated with might be a great fit for your quals or thesis committee in the future. Or maybe their work is related to what you will be doing and you'd like to join lab meetings every once in a while. Now is a great time to consider those other roles and indicate your interest in continuing your professional relationship with them. If you don't want to do that, that's ok too! Simply end your message without mentioning something specific.

We recommend doing most of your rotations before committing to which labs you want to join (or not join), so even if you're feeling sure right now, you don't need to send this message until later in the year. For now, you can just include items 1 and 2 and confirm a timeline for checking in again.

Also—you can tell them in an email or in conversation, whichever feels easier to you and most reasonable given how you communicated with them during your rotation.

-Ray Care, Program Director, Career Development Team for Researchers