Being a "Scientist"

Finally, some respite after about is it, eight (?) weeks of the quarter, since next week's the Thanksgiving break. Though, frankly, most of us see it as "catch-up" week, to at least be back on par with what is being taught in lectures, and to get some of our research work progressing slightly faster than a snail. We all shudder to think what it'll be like to cope with Winter and Spring terms with no breaks during term, and with only one week straddling between the two. I suppose, that might mean more instant noodle meals?

Anyway, sorry to this "Anonymous" who commented a long while ago on my previous post. I've been wanting to write earlier, but you know how things get procrastinated. Not that it takes awfully long to write something, just that I'm quite inclined to write only when I feel like it. Heh.

I put the quotation marks on the word scientist, because sometimes I don't think I'm qualified to be called one... yet, at least. But maybe I can write a bit about the getting there process. Ha ha.

I suppose I don't know enough to write and give a decent account, and everything will be skewed according to what I've experienced, and what I've seen people go through. Well, being a scientist is a bit of an endurance test, more of a marathon than a sprint, I'll say. You do really need quite a lot of determination and motivation. I've spoken to several people in graduate school here at Stanford (not just scientists), and we have lull days where we wonder why we're here and what we're doing, especially if you just had a hard day at work where you spent most of the time trying to get data, realising later (always only later!) that you either a) forgot to turn on the machine, b) pipetted out the wrong chemical, c) fed in the wrong conditions, d) used a malfunctioning machine or e) (TRAGIC) all of the above. Even the non-benchwork scientists who thrive on computers and pen/pencil and paper suffer too. Afterall, you just need one missing minus sign, or to write * instead of ^ in your computer code to get all the wrong data. Try debugging a fifteen page simulation code, and you'll know what I mean.

Of course there are good days, when things go well, and you finally realise that your research actually has some applications and benefits to mankind. Ha ha, it's definitely not as directly fulfilling as being say a doctor or lawyer or social worker is, but there are perks too. I suppose, if you have an insatiable appetite for knowledge, you have half the battle won, because at least that'll keep you motivated for a while. At least, I like the academic setting of graduate school, and just being overwhelmed by the wealth of information available to tap here gets me excited. (Usually, at least I hope!)

Scientists do other things too, and if you have been reading carefully through all my previous posts, I'm quite keen in education, so I'll say we teach too. Academics do, at least, but if you went into industry, you can get away with no teaching (at least formally). I've only had a brief stint as a teaching assistant in National University of Singapore (NUS), and it was amazing. I suppose it was in part due to the fact that I've not actually studied in a Singapore university, so I thought it was especially special just to get in touch with the local teaching environment. I got to meet really intelligent students, inquisitive ones (and of course lazy ones too), and they have taught me more than I had taught them, I'm sure. But this is one of those things which is quite evidently fulfilling, if you ask me. And it sure takes away the sense of mundanity in research work sometimes.

But I must admit that if you're looking for a job to make big bucks, then you'll want to look somewhere else. Everyone likes to say you must have the passion, but as I said previously, you'll want to access all your options, because with every job, you'll like some things and hate others. Let's just hope you choose something you which has more of the former than the latter. I suppose if you're someone who's up for thrills and excitement, then research can be a bit dull (though this is too much of a generalisation. It depends heavily on your area of research, and of course you). But if you consider acquiring knowledge, meeting very intelligent people, being able to influence the lives of students, working on cutting-edge science which ultimately (hopefully at least) will be of benefit to mankind, and living on just bread and water (kidding!) interesting, then maybe you're cut to be a scientist!

Dear anonymous also asked about the process to be a scientist, and I'm not sure there is a fixed route. The most common, and perhaps most efficient route is to take a science/medical undergraduate course, and then go into graduate school (or as the Brits would call, post-graduate studies), to get yet more exposure to science. It never ends though, this learning process. I know lots of people who went to work first (usually in some industry) after undergrad, just to suss out what they really want to do, before heading to graduate school. I must say, you can be a brilliant researcher with just a bachelors or a masters, but if you're anything like me, and learn better in a structured and guided manner, then you'll want to get more experience via graduate school. Oh, and if after graduate school, you decide you don't want to be a scientist (a lot of people do!), you can still easily find a job elsewhere - anyone will want you (or so we graduate students hope...).

Ah, there was one more question "Is Physics nice?". Of course, of course, it's great! Ha ha, I still love it, only sometimes it seems so broad in undergrad that it's making my PhD topic decision a really tough one (yeah, excuses!). Physicists can go anywhere, I always say, and it's quite true. We've got biophysics, material science, astronomy, a bit of chemistry, particle physics... In fact, some physicists have joint appointments in the philosophy department (don't know, but why is it called metaPHYSICS, ever wondered?), so we really are quite a diverse bunch. (I'm sure though, I can say the same for other faculties, but let me indulge here, okay?)

Alright, that's a really long post! But I hope it'll provide some sort of an insight. And hey, you scientists out there, I know some of you read this! Pop by and say hi, and just give your take on what it is to be a scientist!