Pay attention to the life that is you!
NISHTHA
Dear Budding Scientist,
Don’t mind my ‘absent minded professor’ behaviour, and just jump with me from one advice to another, and take what you wish. Be a witness to the magic of life forms around you, but also pay attention to the life that is YOU - your mind, body and soul.
Have you ever seen a chameleon in real life, changing colour? Or did you miss a moth sitting on your wooden door frame until it fluttered away? They merge with their surroundings to keep themselves safe and unseen! But humans are not meant for that. Be courageous. Be seen. Your ideas are not stupid or unrealistic; they need more effort and an innovative approach. Do not get bogged down by people’s (even senior scientists’) inability to see, let alone validate, your viewpoint. Find yourself a good mentor - there are more of them out there than you’d imagine - and do not stop until you do. Don’t settle for less.
Illustration by Ipshita
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Image by Rajnish Vishwakarma from Pexels
Research in biology would need only brains and a keen sense of observation, I thought, going all-in with these strengths of mine into a PhD, at the age of 28. But I was rudely shaken up by the physical demands of conducting research! Moving gas cylinders, carrying around liters of fluids in heavy glass bottles, bending over a microscope or wearing PPE for hours on end, having hands stable as a surgeon, traveling for resources, and of course the long, long working hours. I wish I was physically fit when I began, not just for carrying the physical load, but also the mental and emotional loads. After all, a healthy body houses a healthy mind and heart, right? Invest in your health, go out and play, your body is not an appendage to your mind - they are a team. Feed them both. Dance, play, swim, sometimes do nothing.
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What is more important - the rigour of scientific research, or imagination? You will find some well-meaning seniors telling you that rigour is all that is in research, and I agree. But if you’re told that there’s no time to play, that is not true. Haven’t you heard of scientists finding answers to their research questions in their dreams? Well, Kekule did solve the structure of benzene that way… so, give yourself time to imagine."
About Nishtha
Nishtha Bhargava is a life science researcher exploring ways to communicate science to the public. She left a permanent job in a public sector bank to pursue a doctorate in life science. Through the course of her PhD it became clear to her that she has a knack for making scientific concepts easy to understand, which she put to use in outreach activities on campus, and then, in writing. She supports equal rights, inclusivity, diversity and good mental health practices, believing that empathy-driven rigorous science has the power to change the world.
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