Many lab instructors, informally

TAS

Think of the graduate students who often lead undergraduate science or engineering courses while pursuing their own degrees. Short for their role, you might hear this on campus.

This clue plays on the informal shorthand for "teaching assistants," who often help run college labs. "Many lab instructors" hints at their role, while "informally" signals the answer is an abbreviation—here, "TAs" (pronounced "tees"). The plural "TAs" is clued as "TAS" to fit the crossword’s letter count, a common trick where the pronunciation stays the same but the spelling adjusts. It’s a straightforward abbreviation clue with a slight twist for the grid.