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We have a new temporary coworker in our lab (it is academia, but not academia-specific question). There are about 12 people working here.

I would like to ask for a lab-wide introduction of this student, with their name and role. I feel that email to the whole group would be very useful for everyone, something like:

Hi y'all, we have a new temp. Her name is Alice Joe and she will be helping Mark Jane with pipetting for the next N months.

What is the professional way to ask somebody else in the group to send this intro email? I think it's not part of the culture, but I have worked here for 3 months and people are very friendly.

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    Yes, that's fine. You could even introduce the temp in person. It doesn't really matter either way. Either of those options is professional.
    – Stephan Branczyk
    Commented Jan 8, 2020 at 20:05
  • @StephanBranczyk i think email is better because - personally - my memory for names lasts like 5 seconds
    – aaaaa says reinstate Monica
    Commented Jan 8, 2020 at 20:22
  • You could do both
    – HorusKol
    Commented Jan 8, 2020 at 20:31
  • @aaaaasaysreinstateMonica Are you asking how to send the email yourself — as the lone answer assumes — or how to get someone else to do it (presumably someone who knows who the new person is?)
    – Ernest Friedman-Hill
    Commented Jan 9, 2020 at 0:17
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    @ErnestFriedman-Hill your second assumption is correct, i will edit it into the Q
    – aaaaa says reinstate Monica
    Commented Jan 9, 2020 at 0:50

2 Answers 2

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What is the professional way to do it?

I think it's fine to send an email to the team as you mentioned (personally, I would use more formal phrasing, and avoid using things like "y'all").

Alternatively, if possible, when everybody is gathered in the lab you could introduce the new member in person to the team as whole (or to the ones present), in case you feel an in-person introduction would be better.

But if not, an email should suffice.

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  • Agree about the "y'all" - it may be the new and inclusive "guys", but I'd never start a workplace email with either - say "Hi all" or "Hi everyone"
    – HorusKol
    Commented Jan 8, 2020 at 20:34
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You can simply ask whoever you think is most likely to know about the new person:

Ms. A, I noticed we have a new person working in the lab, but they haven’t been introduced around. Could you do it? Or maybe you could send out an email letting everyone know who they are, who they’re working with, etc.

Now, all that said: most academic labs and workplaces have periodic “group meetings” where this sort of thing is handled. If your lab doesn’t do this, perhaps you should suggest that it’s time to start them!

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