Edit Rx Blog!

Many people ask me about what they should do if they have worked with a graduate student (Grad Student A) on research, after the graduate student leaves. If the graduate student has been working on research in a collaborative manner and states an intent to continue trying to publish the results of that research after leaving, then courtesy dictates that you should let them.

However, if your graduate student (Grad Student B) leaves research without a vested interest in continuing it, then you should absolutely take the initiative to write it up and publish it. As the graduate student to review the article and offer second authorship, but don't leave it to the disinterested graduate student to complete the work. It's in nobody's interest for the data to sit and rust.

The same is true of Graduate Student A: If, after a year has passed, you have had no news or word that anything is happening with the data, feel free to write it up, offer second authorship, and have them take a look at it. But don't let it just sit, when you have worked on it too.