Researcher onboarding checklist

Hi and welcome to Hoplab! Here’s a list of things to think about if you are just starting out. It links to different Wiki pages so every step should speak for itself. If it doesn’t, do not hesitate to contact Klara to help you set up.

You can follow the checklist step by step below or download a personal copy.

Administrative and access setup

Task	Information	Done
Activate your KU Leuven account	Find more information here	☐
Get a key to your new office	Find more information here	☐
Order laptop and required peripherals	Find more information here	☐
Get access to all communication channels	See the overview here	☐
Get access to relevant physical spaces	e.g., the MRI scanner room	☐
Get added to the lab’s meeting schedule	Ask Klara to add you to the planning	☐
Appear as a member on the Hoplab website	Find inspiration from your colleagues here	☐
Read getting started section on Wiki	Here’s a quick link	☐
Receive and register HSE orientation	Inform Zsuzsa and Ying about your start-up	☐

Research data management

Task	Information	Done
Get acquainted with the current RDM guidelines	Please check these regularly for updates	☐
Get acquainted with our offboarding expectations	To do it right from the start :)	☐
Read guidelines regarding documentation	To make your data FAIR	☐
Get acquainted with the BIDS standard	Hoplab example for fMRI datasets	☐
Get access to your Sharepoint site (day-to-day work)	Ask Klara to request one with dICT	☐
Get access to ManGO (active research data)	Ask Klara to create a new folder for you	☐
Get access to FriGO (data archive)	(This is currently still in pilot phase, tbc)	☐
Read our guidelines regarding data sharing	Useful links: Hoplab OSF, RDR manual	☐

Ethics and data protection

Task	Information	Done
Get ethical approval (if needed)	Don't forget to update our ethics tracker	☐
Fulfill e-learning GDPR and privacy in research	Link to e-learning	☐
Obtain your GCP certificate (if applicable)	Link to e-learning	☐
Make sure you know how to handle confidential info	ICFs, contact info, pseudonymization keys, etc.	☐
Get to know our participant database (healthy adults)	Contact Silke or Klara if you need participants	☐

Tools and research workflows

Task	Information	Done
Activate your Matlab license (if applicable)	Find more information here	☐
Read about good coding practices	See also the Hoplab Github	☐
How to get started: behavioral study	Find guidance here	☐
How to get started: EEG study	Find guidance here	☐
How to get started: fMRI study	Find guidance here	☐

Science outreach

Task	Information	Done
Learn how to register academic outreach	Add the Methusalem label (how?)	☐
Learn how to register non-academic outreach	Add them all here	☐
Check out our science communication channels	NeuroSPACE LinkedIn and Bluesky	☐

Practical lab culture

Task	Information	Done
Get to know relevant meeting structures	On the levels of Hoplab, B&C and NeuroSPACE	☐
Get information on retreat and internal events	PPP, social lab activities, scicomm events	☐
Be added to WhatsApp group for social stuff	Ask any colleague to add you! 😊	☐