Tag: featured

When Trauma Changes Your Life and Research

Prof. Dan J. Mallinson: "It can be difficult to change a research trajectory. We, especially in pursuit of promotion and tenure, are expected to present ourselves as a nice neat package. “This is who I am and what I do.”

/ July 26, 2019

Iridescence in a World of Noir

Parin Shaik: "I sacrificed my hobbies and interests for the sole purpose of becoming the epitome of perfection. I became afraid that if I couldn't live up to their expectations, I would be nothing but a failure."

/ July 14, 2019

Getting Started in Academia

Cristina Savin: "In retrospect, I had very little idea what I was doing. After the first few rejections, I started doubting that I belonged in academia at all."

/ July 1, 2019

Undeterred: My Journey Continues

Lauren Neal: "Representation in science is of the utmost importance to me at this point in my life. I hope to contribute to changing the idea of what a scientist is supposed to look like or where they are supposed...

/ June 29, 2019

Learning to Know Myself

Carol Shoshkes Reiss: "A few years ago, when three sequential grant applications went down in flames, and funds were exhausted, I made the decision to close my lab. I do not regret the decision."

/ June 29, 2019

Lessons Learned Late-ish

David Poeppel: "I appeared in a number of plays and directed a few, as well. I toyed very seriously with the idea of pursuing this line of work, because I had great fun in that milieu and did not feel...

/ June 27, 2019

Open Heart Surgery: Let Me Tell Y’all A Quick Story

Dr. Jenn Jackson - I grew up in Oakland, CA with my single mom. My dad was in and out of my life. Mostly out. We struggled a lot. My family struggled and continues to struggle.

/ June 14, 2019

My Stolen Identity: I Was Told That Science Was Not Meant For Me

Pei Qin (Sabrina) Ng - My persistence in science enraged my biology teacher. Every lesson, she publicly shamed me in front of the class, proclaiming how bad I am at science, especially biology. She warned my classmates that they were...

/ June 14, 2019

Studying and Experiencing Mental Illness

I feel very grateful to have found this path. But it hasn’t been easy. Academia is incredibly stressful, and I am an anxiety-prone perfectionist who tends to over-work. - Mariam Aly

/ June 12, 2019

My life in butterflies: How a childhood hobby shaped my career

Citizen scientists — as biologist Caren Cooper writes in her book, Citizen Science — can be anyone, often not trained as a scientist, who collaborates with trained researchers in “collective scientific endeavors.” It can be a way for people to develop hobbies, learn new...

/ June 6, 2019

The Journey Continues: Finding My Questions in Science

If it had not been for my friends and the little voice inside telling me to focus on why I had started research in the first place and to keep going, I would have almost certainly given up. - Yasmine...

/ June 5, 2019

Marisa Carrasco: Official and Unofficial Stories

Dr. Carrasco is a Professor of Psychology and Neural Science at NYU. She grew up in Mexico City and earned her Licentiate in psychology, specializing in experimental psychology, from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). She writes: "Juggling research,...

/ May 4, 2019

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Around half of all Ph.D. students across fields don’t complete their program. I never thought I would be one of them.

/ March 19, 2019

I am a Neuroscientist in Training: Explore My Developing Neural Story

"My parents never finished college, so I know how privileged I am to study at a renowned institution like Harvard. Although I never saw becoming a scientist as a possibility, I now understand I have always had the curiosity, creativity,...

/ March 14, 2019

Ibn Al Haytham: The Father of Modern Optics

Though he wasn’t always successful and did not even start as a scientist by profession, his scientific legacy stands. Ibn al Haytham is one of many non-western scientists whose work has significantly contributed to building science as we know it...

/ February 18, 2019

#PhDart – How Does Evolution Give Rise to New Behaviors?

Caroline received her B.S. from Brown University in 2006. She began studying the molecular and cellular basis of behavior in the context of the developing frog brain while pursuing her M.S. at the University of Michigan. She earned her Ph.D....

/ January 30, 2019

#PhDart — Flower Development Matters

Being a plant lover since I was little, I have always been fascinated by the enormous diversity of floral architectures. Now in the Kramer lab at Harvard University, I began to explore this diversity by asking how Aquilegia species build their flowers....

/ January 29, 2019

But You Are A Girl!

Sophie Farr: "In a society where most famous celebrity women are known for makeup and fashion, most girls think they can’t get anywhere as a woman unless they want to do fashion or art. I want that to change."

/ January 8, 2019

PhD or Family? Does it have to be one or the other?

Aditi Deshpande is a scientist at Allena Pharmaceuticals in Newton, MA. She is a biochemist and a chemical engineer by training. Dr. Deshpande is motivated to transform emerging science into products suitable for commercial development and also bring first-in class...

/ August 24, 2018

From Juvenile Detention to Neuroscience

Raul Ramos shared his inspiring personal journey into science with high school students from Waltham High School as part of the series, The Brandeis MRSEC and WHS present: Science Pizza Talks. AAAS provided additional support for this event.

/ August 22, 2018

The Humbug Scientist

Camille McIntyre: No research, animal care, education, or science anything occupation seemed to want me. Internships didn’t want me, not even for free.  Retail stores didn’t seem to want me either. My period of unemployment made me question everything about...

/ April 1, 2018

Building My Research Lab in India

Dr. Dileep Vasudevan: What I have learned from my experience is that one needs to have immense amount of patience and perseverance to survive in academic research. The little moments of happiness that come in between times of failures should be...

/ March 24, 2018

A Journey in Science as a Dentist for Everyone

Dr. Nicholas Gordon: "As I look back over my journey in science, I realize that at each step of the way, I had friends and family who encouraged me as challenges arose."

/ March 18, 2018

How to Create a Supportive Space for Scientists to Share Stories of Struggles

To test out these hypotheses, Shaina Lu, a graduate student in Tony Zador’s lab, had an idea: why don’t we hold an “open mic night” for people to share stories of struggles and setbacks in a safe, supportive, and respectful...

/ March 2, 2018

A New Beginning: From Bench to Boardroom

When I began my PhD, I was quite certain that I would pursue a research career. But unlike most of my classmates, I was set on going into industry rather than academia.

/ February 4, 2018

Science is Sharing Cups of Tea

How does one learn to lead? One learns to lead organically by watching penguins, spending days together at sea, having critical conversations, and sharing cups of tea. Because, science, belief in ourselves and others, and caring should flow and be...

/ January 28, 2018

Perseverance to Passion

In my life, perseverance is growing up in the inner city of Flint, Michigan. Gangs, violence, and drugs were part of everyday life. I’ve seen someone being run down by a car, shot in the head, and been shot at...

/ November 25, 2017

Best of Both Worlds: A Two-Timer’s Story

To this very day, I will often get comments on being a fool leaving a well-paid full-time job for a career in research that may not guarantee me an academic position. However, I am still full of gusto entering the...

/ November 10, 2017