Stream of consciousness on ideas about Marketable skills / Niche areas in research / Critical Thinking in Research

 

#This idea came to me as I was dropping off kids at the daycare (I think by the time I sat down to write, some of my good ideas vanished from my memory)

 

#Of course, it’s good to revise your own work before you publish, but that requires time which I don’t have as a busy mom. When I have time and opportunity, I might revise this, maybe into a better article or podcast or book or something. But for now, there is value in the genuineness of one’s flow of thoughts – uninterrupted

 

Of course science is not exactly like a business, but some concepts from the business world apply. After all, first of all, there is money involved. So, concepts guiding people’s actions and decisions from a financial point of view do apply. Furthermore, concepts of working in industry and working as an entrepreneur also apply to working in astronomy research. Well, there are instruments built, programs to carry out, goals to meet, competitive pursuit of discoveries and recognition (for some, many?). 

 

I have noticed that one way people become established scientists is by settling in one area of research where they contributed a lot – their niche area, and it is valuable to the community (good product 😀 ). Looking around at successful postdocs, I perhaps did not have a PhD project which equipped me with experience in any of the state-of-the-art observing instruments, such as IFUs, nor in hardcore coding experience. My papers based on basic spectroscopy and photometry skills have good science, but the techniques are simple. Nevertheless, it is a good basis, and I aim now to think in which area I can contribute to the science research community which is valuable to the community, and also valuable to science! and sits peacefully in my heart and mind and soul. 

 

To my mind come journeys of establishing oneself as an expert of several professors which I noticed. I noticed a track record of pursuing a certain open question and trying to boldly resolve it, although they had cohorts of postdocs and PhD students on the way. It does not matter.

 

I am very excited about this. I am trying to think, given what I know, and taking the opportunity to expand and learn about astronomy at large, I am trying to think where I could contribute to and start carving out a niche. Which science questions? I am inspired by the paths of several scientists whose journey seem like a trajectory towards that niche, and I caught glimpses of their growth here and there, finally seeing them bloom into a successful scientist established in that research area where they were working. 

 

A science question. A big science question. Attempt to solutions.

And some skills would need to be acquired and honed in, I mean some technical skills.

And this question should be relevant to the astronomical community and to science and be in peace with my spirit.

 

Why?

 

Well, because while being a scientist is rewarding, it is also my career. I have to make money doing this. I don’t have funding to do science unpaid, so the research has to be funded.

I know that in the past scientists used to be in some European countries rich individuals who had no issues with funding and could pursue their interests.

That’s not the case for me at the moment.

So to make a career, I have to be able to have some funding to carry out the research, so that I can support my life/family.

 

Otherwise, I would have to get another job for finances, and won’t have really any time for meaningful science – it would really be a hobby then, not a career.

Hence, the business concepts apply here (entrepreneurial thinking, industry concepts, financial concepts).

 

One such concept is that of critical thinking.

 

If you do not have critical thinking, how can you think independently?

 

How can you have creative solutions?

These last thoughts came to me as I was washing dishes, by the way 😀

 

Critical thinking gives you wings to stretch your imagination and thoughts, to use your background and experiences, to see into the future, to make assessment of a good decision, a good direction, to find creative solutions to problems, and in science to see beyond the box, to gain freedom to reach outside the box in your mind and discover, make new knowledge, imagine new theories, identify problems, identify gaps in knowledge, and start brainstorming various solutions and design experiments or tests to start pursuing lines of inquiry.

 

Critical thinking also gives you the stamina and strength to know your own value and not be abashed by someone’s mean comments (from my own experience “You are stupid”, “This student is not science / PhD / computational sciences / STEM / research material”, “Nobody is gonna work with you”, “You are not at that level as another student”, “You should get another PhD before even thinking to be doing this line of research in astrophysics”, etc etc). And the environment in academia, including in astronomy research communities can be brutal, way below the professional or respectful levels of communication. I don’t think it’s news to anyone.

 

And the same person maybe nice to their friends, but not nice to another person, so there is that axis as well.

 

I have seen during my Master’s degree at a prestigious research university seminar, a professor yelling / screaming at the top of their lungs, interrupting a speaker, who was a postdoc from another prestigious university. I was stupefied because I naively thought that all scientists are respectful grown people. But there are definitely bullies, and people who take advantage of their power / position. Also, there are situations, like actually in any other job, such as nepotism, favoritism, political/ financial /power drivers behind relationships/decisions/communication which affect people’s career. Also, people might be no doubt very good experts in some science niche, but as they focused on that one area, there other areas of development (emotional, communication, teaching, overall awareness of humanity, etc) might not have been developed and they might be really lacking in education and in awareness about things. It should not always be used as an excuse, but it’s just the fact. Some people are well-rounded, but others are not, and never put attention to self-develop in maturity, and lacked natural wisdom in certain aspects of relating to others or functioning in a society, but because of their talent and contributions to publications are perhaps tolerated or even celebrated. I don’t judge or say one way is okay or not, I am just dishing out truths here. 

As I have extensive work experience outside of academia, I see stark contrast in the way people handle from simple to hard situations, and in the industry usually people are more professional and respectful, whereas in academia at least in my experience I encounter more areas to improve. That’s why also there is a often a gap/division between administration in an institute and the professor/research body. And the admin have to have a thicker skin to tolerate and work around the often childish / ‘toddler’-like behaviour from research personnel, and that I experienced on my own skin. Yelling, not following procedures, taking their emotions on their colleagues (student assistants, secretaries) happens. Although, I believe it is a goal of each institute to improve the well-being, but still problematic situations especially in academia do happen.

 

I have experienced as a student assistant  a tirade from a professor for asking a signature as part of my job on a form, which was also their responsibility. Instead of just signing, they went on to yell at me and stump around (a grown individual, >50 years), stating that who am I to ask them for a signature, they who also have a military service background. That came out of nowhere, and I really liked that professor in their class, but clearly they had some issues and at that time did not hesitate to take it out on me, a mere student assistant, – I don’t make the rules, nor am the appropriate person to complain to about anything like that. I remember that my manager saw what happened and our conversation revealed her experience that this was not the first time – such immature and unprofessional behaviour.

 

I guess I really don’t like yelling and cursing at people, but at conferences, even international conferences, I have noticed that happen, even across the room people yelling over the speaker— That’s also a bit disrespectful to the audience, in general, because other people also wish to ask questions and there is a queue, it’s rude to cut the line, so to speak. 

 

Going back to the postdoc who was periodically cut off during his presentation, I remember thinking – Gosh, I would cry and run out of the room, but that postdoc went on and brushed off the remarks in calm tone with replies such as “things can always be improved, of course”. I learned from them a bit.

 

On the other hand, sometimes the professors can also be super protective of their own students or other early career mentees, which can be at times a bit too much. During my PhD, I noticed that it can impede a student/ early career scientist’s progress towards independence. I guess there should be some balance of guidance and letting the person take their own steps, even if they make mistakes, otherwise how can they ever learn to stand their own ground or think for themselves. Even at prestigious institutes.

 

For example, in a recent seminar, a PhD student presented their research and all three or four questions that were asked to the student (the presenter), instead of the student, while the student was hesitating maybe a moment to answer, the supervisor turned back to the audience and gave an answer.. So I was left un-satisfied, because I did not know what the presenter was thinking themselves. 

In another instance, I noticed how carefully some professors choreograph the postdoc opportunity for their PhD student, which is okay but not to the degree that the student is shrouded and never has a choice (like an arranged marriage in a way). It’s good for a student to spread the wings a little bit, even if there is a struggle.

I guess I have been fortunate with both my Master’s and PhD supervisors, I was allowed to make my own decisions for the most part and not forced to go here or there, and that did not mean that I always made the correct choices, but it is a very rewarding feeling, you know, when you ‘catch your own fish’, so-to-speak. (Of course, some people might not have independence as a value as much as I do, I don’t know, right now, this is a free thought process).

 

I am grateful to my dad who re-inforced the concept of thinking critically in life (along with being independent) and also to the American education (which often is criticized in the world for lack of success in math/geography acquisition in general masses), because in the USA, I learned to think and they had courses and in general an air / an environment to develop one’s own critical thinking and individual voice.

 

I have noticed that sometimes individuals repeat over and over the same concepts / opinions / determinations about the world, and I believe it would be a good thing to challenge the “accepted” thought more and think outside of it for yourself a bit. Of course, it might be more comfortable to be in the flow of the mainstream, but I believe it is also valuable to sometimes stirr your thoughts up a bit and think and imagine and create outside your norm. (I guess having a family with international background, innately I can appreciate several cultures at the same time without thinking that one is superior to another, for example. And I am aware of the good contributions from other cultures, so I can’t sing along in tunes that this cheese is the best or this bread is the best, because I have tasted the bread from other places and it was also pretty good 😀 . Similarly, having studied humanities and sciences, I have noticed how some artists say they touch God with their art, or poets or scientists, thinking that their field is the key field to reach the realm of gods, but of course I have appreciation for all fields – humanities and poetry and painting and science, and I believe that’s why it is better for the humanity if space exploration is not restricted only to engineers and scientists but to people with other backgrounds as well, to bring a harmonious approach to this undertaking which affects all mankind. I digress here… On the other side, it is good to travel, because traveling sometimes can bring more openness to one’s mind.) I guess that’s why it is good to do research work in various groups or seminars/discussions with other research institutes because you will be exposed to different angles / points of view – I find it always very interesting. 

 

I did not sugar coat any of the truth here, maybe in another article I will.

 

So yes, I don’t have a postdoc yet. But I do have a PhD. I am excited to be walking this journey of building a career in astronomy research. And one goal I have now is a long-term goal of not only pursuing projects here and there, but also critically thinking and coming up with / identifying areas where to invest to to build momentum and expertise and tackle big science gap of knowledge and establish myself in that area. And that independent process has no limits, just my own limits. Maybe I will even identify areas where I am deficient as a researcher and improve there. We all have room to improve. I call this also career development goals. It’s good for me to identify my own career development goals. 

 

Reading more science in peace…

Networking…

Mentorship opportunities…

Supervision…

 

Am I becoming my own coach?

 

My mind is thinking, gears are working in there..

 

But I stop to get back to the other work.

(I also want to be grateful to all the astronomers and researchers who have publicly written blogs and other content about doing science and their own journeys. E.g. astrobetter, astrobites, individual blogs – I find a renewed appreciation for your words and for the courage to share them)

P.S. I remember when I launched my piano tutoring business in the USA, shortly some of my family members started offering the same services. Now, as I started creating content more actively, I see other astronomers creating content on the same topics that I do, and even using the same phrases or photo angles etc… . I would hope that people give me credit if they take an idea from my creations, my hope is in God to protect my work …  I guess I had the warning from my first Astronomy teacher about taking ideas and not giving credit already, so it is no surprise. But it hurts a bit. I guess the positive part is that my content and creations are inspirational and have impact 😀