Tag: Careers in SciComm

Career Stories

Career Stories: Chapter 25

Academia Plus

In this chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the story of Kasturi Mahadik, who is passionate about science communication and is an active volunteer for several science communication-related activities and organizations. She is currently affiliated to the Center for Predictive Human Model Systems. In this candid chat, she talks in length about her career journey, her love for science communication and the valuable lessons she has learnt so far. 

Could you provide an insight into the day-to-day responsibilities and duties of the positions that you have held within the Center for Predictive Human Model Systems?

Sure. I can perhaps start with my former position ie. Senior Research Associate-

I hold a Ph.D. in human health and diseases and later went on to work with stem cell biology during my postdoc. These experiences were integral to my position as a senior research associate, as in this capacity, my primary responsibility involved communicating with scientists and industrialists about advanced 21st-century models, such as organoids and organ-on-chips, which closely emulate human biology. My role was to investigate the limited adoption of these models and identify any challenges associated with their implementation.

On a day-to-day basis, I would engage in scheduled meetings with senior staff, including scientists and industrialists, to discuss the project and gather valuable insights and opinions. Effectively communicating the required information to run the project was also a significant aspect of my responsibilities. Additionally, I would synthesize the information from these discussions into visual representations, such as figures and informed articles. Though my work did not entail direct bench work, it was research-oriented in nature.

Currently, I hold the position of a Chief Manager–

In this position, I think I give my work a sense of more purpose and direction, as to where our organization wants to head. I oversee day-to-day activities that are happening at CPHMS. This means that I coordinate the day-to-day work with our lean time. It could be planning and promoting our events, could be about script writing for our Back to the Future series – which involves a virtual tour of labs and organizations all across India; or organizing our videos. It could also be about writing articles- we usually write popular science and academic articles about how this field is developing in India. And then we have some initiatives which need larger funding. So I also undertake the writing of grant proposals that we present to potential funders to obtain financial support.

I see that you have interned for a short period as a science communicator at NCBS, after your PhD. Did your interest in science communication develop during your PhD or was it after your PhD?

While pursuing my Ph.D., I found myself extensively engaged in various scientific writing tasks, including manuscripts, reviews, thesis comments, and grant proposals for my lab. This experience not only bolstered my confidence in writing about scientific concepts but also kindled an interest in exploring science communication as a potential avenue for my career. Additionally, I had a penchant for art, and I even designed a cover illustration for an academic manuscript that was successfully accepted in a journal.

Despite having completed successful projects during your science communication internship at NCBS, what motivated you to pursue a postdoctoral position?

As my Ph.D. journey approached its conclusion, I had already received a postdoc offer, but I wanted to explore the world of science communication before leaving India. This opportunity materialized when the NCBS internship was advertised, coinciding with the completion of my work in the lab. Despite the secure option of proceeding directly to a postdoc, I decided to take a leap and pursue the internship, as Bangalore, where NCBS is located, was a vibrant hub for science communication activities at that time. Though I was initially unsure about the breadth of opportunities in science communication, I am grateful that I proved myself wrong. The internship experience broadened my horizons and revealed that science communication could indeed be a fulfilling career path. Looking back, I am glad I took the opportunity to explore science communication during my internship. 

What are some effective strategies or approaches you use to communicate complex scientific concepts to a non-expert audience?

One of the key aspects of effective science communication is to avoid assuming that the audience lacks knowledge. Over time, I have come to realize that the audience is often quite intelligent, and our role as communicators is to present information in a manner that they can understand and empathize with. To achieve this, I make an effort to relate to the audience’s experiences and identify commonalities in our communication styles. By framing my talks in a relatable context, I can bridge the gap between scientific jargon and everyday experiences. By breaking down complex ideas into digestible pieces and using analogies or visual aids, I aim to make the concepts accessible and engaging to a wider audience. Keeping the language simple also plays a crucial role in ensuring that complex concepts are comprehensible to a broader audience.

What motivates you to actively engage in volunteering for science-related activities and organizations? How do you see these experiences contributing to your personal and professional growth?

Well, it has had a significant impact on both aspects. Being able to see how my work translates to various communities is truly impactful and what drives me to continue with science communication.

Personally, I am an introvert and don’t easily make friends or engage in conversations. However, communicating my work forces me to put myself out there and step out of my comfort zone. It’s a great exercise in talking to people and improving my communication skills.

Professionally, the work I do in science communication uplifts entire communities. Our aim is to make a difference not just to a specific project, like understanding the role of a specific gene in a disease, but at a broader level by bringing together the entire community. I take immense pride in this work. It’s unique that an organization focused on science communication, without conducting its own research, is able to unite scientists and support their growth. I believe this approach can have a significant impact in the future.

In Project Encephalon, as a mentor for The Mind Gala, why did you choose to communicate neuroscience to the uninitiated through writing relatable content?

The Mind Gala was initiated by Dr. Poonam Thakur, a faculty at IISER, Trivandrum, with the goal of raising the profile of neuroscience in India. There are no undergraduate programs for neuroscience in India and even at a postgraduate level, there are very few institutes that provide a course in neuroscience. This means that for most students, neuroscience would come only at Ph.D. level. Project Encephalon aims to bridge that gap and make neuroscience accessible to the masses. Personally, I believe in the importance of neuroscience and its potential to unravel the mysteries of the human brain.

I mentored 6 students in this program. When communicating neuroscience through Project Encephalon, our approach was to simplify complex concepts and make them accessible to a broader audience. We strive to break down intricate ideas into understandable pieces, ensuring that even individuals who may find neuroscience daunting can grasp the fundamental concepts. By presenting neuroscience in an approachable manner, we hope to foster interest and engagement in this fascinating field.

Could you explain a bit about your experience at The Pint of Science Festival in Paris?

The Pint of Science Festival is a remarkable global event that invites volunteers to conduct science talks in cafes over three evenings. The primary objective of the event is to bridge the gap between science and the public by conducting science talks in local cafes. Prior arrangements are made with the cafe managers, and nominally priced tickets are sold to individuals interested in attending the event. These talks are not spontaneous discussions in a cafe but are meticulously prepared to ensure a clear and engaging presentation of scientific concepts. The scientists also try to engage with the local public and present the scientific concepts in a way that is accessible and engaging. I had the privilege of being a part of this festival as a volunteer.

What is something you wish you knew earlier in your career-an advice that you would give your younger self?

I have reflected on this question, and I believe that regretting past decisions doesn’t serve us well. Looking back, there isn’t something specific that I would change or regret. However, if I were to offer advice to my younger self, it would be to emphasize the importance of reading. Often, we underestimate the value of reading and place too much emphasis on practical experience alone. There is a wealth of information available through reading, and it can provide valuable insights and a foundational understanding of various subjects. By immersing myself in reading, I would have been able to grasp the essence of different areas of interest and gain a deeper perspective. So, my advice to my younger self would be to read more, reread, and absorb as much knowledge as possible.
Anila Sudhir Author
Career Stories

Career Stories: Chapter 23

Academia Plus

In this chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the story of Sana Jalili, who is a microbiologist by training and an iGEM supporter. She is passionate about science communication and always on the lookout for avenues where she can engage with citizens through different platforms. In this candid chat she shares her experiences with frugal science, speaks in depth about her passions and her journey so far. 

Could you share some important milestones in your professional journey so far?

I am a person with a microbiology and academic background. My work has mainly been related to frugal science and synthetic biology. My first milestone was being accepted into the student cohort at the Frugal Science Course, at Stanford University under the guidance of Dr. Manu Prakash in 2020. The second was being part of the Friendzymes Team, and winning a  Gold in the iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) competition in 2021 (in the middle of a pandemic). The third is getting felicitated with Anil Sadgopal Award for Popularization of Science, and Contribution to Science Outreach by CUBE-TIFR (Collaboratively Understanding Biology Education) for scientific communication in 2022.

You have done a lot of work regarding frugal science. Could you explain what frugal science is all about and how did you get introduced to it?

In simple terms, frugal science is all about duplicating or reproducing the experiments from a scientific setup to a DIY (Do it Yourself) setup at home. I was introduced to this concept through the Frugal Science Course by Dr. Manu Prakash in 2020 during the pandemic. As we all know, during the COVID-19 lockdown, it was very difficult to even carry out even simple experiments because access to laboratories was restricted. It’s in these scenarios that frugal science becomes truly meaningful. My first Project was working on the Incubator which we showcased as a part of coursework. Then gradually, I was curious to work on similar projects related to frugal science by myself.

How did you actually conceptualize and built a home lab?

The process of building a DIY lab at home started in the middle of the pandemic (2020). The process was difficult but I could somehow pull it through. Me and my mom used to quarrel a lot as my mom really didn’t get the idea of me using normal kitchen equipment like a pressure cooker as an autoclave for sterilizing purposes in the kitchen a.k.a. my DIY lab. I would try to convince my mom that it is only because I want to make food for my bacteria! When I started making media (food in simple terms for bacteria or any living organisms in microbiology), the first and second trials did not work, and I had to redo it multiple times to get it done correctly. I also had to keep in mind the weather conditions around me, especially when considering incubation. I experimented a lot with things at home that could be used as glassware for my experiments- such as perfume bottles instead of the regular test tubes! The process had its own difficulties but I could somehow make it happen.

Making science accessible is a goal of frugal science. Have you seen any real life implications of it?

I have seen the implications of it after the frugal science course. I have seen students after the pandemic wonder if there is any possibility of duplicating some of the scientific experiments in a DIY setup at home because one doesn’t know when the next pandemic might hit us! This has brought about much curiosity within the students and researchers as well. I was grateful in 2021 when it got internationally recognized at Global BioSummit 5.0 proceedings in Open Innovation Track- ‘Innovating Microbiological Media by Frugal Solutions’ and it reached people who were/are curious about frugal methods for DIY microbiology labs.

You are also the promoter for iGEM Asia-Oceania region. What is your personal view on iGEM and why is it important to promote this?

In simpler terms, iGEM stands for International Genetically Engineered Machine and it’s the fusion of biology and engineering systems. It is very important to increase awareness about iGEM because the concept of synthetic biology itself is new in India and its neighboring countries. In iGEM, students can work on synthetic biology using various biological systems or organisms ranging from bacteria to mammalian cells. Students across the world are working on hybrids of biological systems to provide novel solutions to scientific issues. Since it is innovative &  novel, they can work on different aspects and showcase their projects globally. It also offers long-term support to projects as industrial  startups.

Friendzymes was a iGEM gold winning project – it was done during the pandemic and involved collaboration from students across the world. How was the collaboration like, what were the problems faced and what are your key takeaways from the project?

The birthplace of the iGEM friendzymes was the Frugal Science course that I was a part of, in the student cohort in 2020. After that course, our  Friendzymes members started to brainstorm ideas to go ahead in the iGEM competition. The ideas took a bigger shape after our Advisor’s talk (Kahlil) on Project management which was open to other iGEM teams as well to inculcate skills for  running an international team in the pandemic. Personally, one of the biggest challenges I faced was the inaccessibility of wet labs as COVID-19 cases were at a peak in Mumbai. Since I did not have access to a lab, I switched to a collaboration (which was silver medal criteria) of competition. Scheduling meetings, and working on Discord/Slack/Mails for communication was my major input as a student member. Apart from that, I came from a pure biology background. I was introduced to  GitHub  (and I am still learning) which was new to me then. Further, my biggest takeaway from the project is  mutual collaboration and socializing about scientific discoveries- ultimately that’s what Science Communication is all about!

Are there any memorable moments during the iGEM friendzymes experience?

It was an international team, and time management was essential.  I am grateful to my team members for respecting different time zones and working collectively. Personally, due to some of the emergencies, if I missed discord chats in a week, I needed to go through all messages and stay updated. I would like to thank my team members here, for being cooeprative. Another memorable incident was that- we had an offtopic discord channel, whenever I felt a little stressed, I would visit that page and enjoy all the jokes and memes that were shared. That provided me with a nice balance during the pandemic!

In iGEM there are a lot of industry collaborations with students for their projects. What do you think are the benefits of industry collaborations and what do you think about industry academia collaborations?

In iGEM after your project completion and presentation at Jamboree-which is an annual event that shows all the projects done by students across the world, you are given an option to continue with the project by collaborating with different industries. As a person with a scientific background, it is very important to know how the industry works because it is only then that you can make your discoveries and innovations accessible to the general public – and they can benefit from the science. Industry and academia are like two sides of a coin. A student being in academia might know theoretically what a bioreactor is but would not know the scale and size of it and how that particular instrument is being used to make products that are not visible in the day-to-day life. I feel that it is important to have students explore the industry so that they have a clarity of how the industry works and then they will have a better idea while making a choice between industry and academia. Students have a tendency to stay in academia and not explore the industry at all, hence completely leaving out the industry option for their careers.

Your career is based on communicating science, whether it being in academia or being in iGEM in which communicating science plays a huge role. What are the useful skills that you have picked up communicating science?

Public speaking was one of the key skills I learned during pandemic times (2020-21). After getting a lot of exposure in communicating science I got to learn how to effectively communicate science to students across different age groups. I learned to not use very technical terms or jargon while I am communicating science and to make it more friendly to listen. For example, if I had to explain what a microbe is to a 3rd/4th Std kid, I would start with ‘germs’ – a term that the student would really be familiar with and then continue to build up on that as microbes later. I also gained a lot of respect for the people in science communication because it’s a relatively new field and it involves public speaking, using simpler terms instead of scientific complex words.

What does a typical day in your life look like in between academia, frugal science projects and iGEM?

My day starts at 6 am. I reside in Mumbai and it is a two-hour commute to reach the institute, so I have to catch Mumbai local trains during peak hours. After reaching the institute, I work on experiments, handle microorganisms patiently and carefully, and then take lectures for students. After I’m done my research work and lectures, I come back home around 7 pm or later, again depending on Mumbai local  timings. Then, I indulge in planning for the experiments for the next day, plan my teaching activities, or anything else in hand. iGEM meetings usually take place after 8 or 9 p.m. IST. Regular updates on Slack, checking emails, going through research papers occur at the night time. Coming to the frugal science courses, I generally do it during the winter vacations or summer vacations when I have time.

What advice would you like to give students who want to explore frugal science?

Dr. Manu Prakash runs a frugal science course and one can access the course by visiting the website of Stanford University. Apart from that there are a lot of frugalists who have worked with Prof. Prakash so you can try to connect with them on social media platforms such as LinkedIn and Twitter.  I joined Twitter and I  got enrolled in Frugal Science course in 2020. I would recommend being active on Twitter – there are a lot of frugalists there and you can just let them know that you are interested in working with them. Next would be to join frugal science communities on Twitter. After joining the community myself, I have realized that there are a lot of people who want to build a DIY home lab – however, it is difficult to have a microbiology DIY lab as compared to a physics lab or a botany DIY lab, because it involves- cultivating microorganisms, making media for them, sterilizing equipment etc., so it is a very difficult task. By joining communities you can learn from the experiences of other frugalists. This was how I got to build my path in frugal science networking and collaborations help a lot.
Deepthi Joji Author
Career Stories

Career Stories: Chapter 19

Academia Plus

In this chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the story of Sunil Nagpal, who is a computational biologist with a strong passion for science communication, which he explores through his Science communication series called #MicrobiomeMondays on LinkedIn as well as Twitter. In this candid chat, he talks at length about his journey as a science communicator, why it is essential for scientists to indulge in communicating their data to the general society and shares his views about the role of data science and machine learning in aiding biology/microbiology research.

Could you take us through your professional journey so far?

My professional journey commenced quite early back in 2003, as I took on the responsibility of tutoring primary and secondary school students while I was in 8th grade. This experience, apart from providing a much needed financial support, was priceless, as it helped shape my skills and interest in social communication. I received my entire school education from Army School, Fazilka (my hometown), where emphasis was profound on the core values of discipline, patience and perseverance. A lot of credit goes to my mother, grandfather and other kind souls who ensured continuity and quality of my education.
 
Upon completing my undergraduate degree (B.Tech) in Biotechnology at LPU in Punjab, I qualified for GATE 2010 and 2011, that helped me secure a place in the Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi in the MS (Research) program. One of the many highlights of my time at IIT Delhi was the student-managed placement cell, responsible for inviting companies to the campus. I had volunteered to serve as the placement coordinator for my department, a decision I would confidently make again if given the chance to revisit those days.
 
A memorable milestone in my career occurred on December 12, 2012 (12/12/12), when I received a job offer from TCS Research’s Life Science R&D for the role of a Researcher. It has been a decade, and I now humbly hold the title of Senior Scientist and Principal Investigator at TCS R&D, focusing on the Microbiome and Data Science research areas. I am also pursuing industry sponsored doctoral research at CSIR IGIB, India.
 
The majority of my research endeavors have been computational in nature, encompassing extensive clinical, genomic and metagenomic data handling, machine learning, network biology, and natural language processing, among other fields. The primary objective of our research is to uncover the intricate role that the vast micro-cosmos, or microbiome, plays in regulating the health of humans and their environment. I am particularly drawn towards exploring the vast spectrum of microbial social communication, genome language modeling, and the tumor microbiome.
 
It may amuse you to know that during my time as a Biochemical Engineering student at IIT Delhi, my exposure to computational research was very limited. However, despite my relatively minimal experience in the field, I was fortunate enough to be hired for a core computational job. Reflecting on my journey as someone who has since interviewed numerous candidates across various domains, I can safely say that hiring decisions often hinge on the attitude and aptitude candidates bring to the table.
 
More often than not, a candidate’s agility and adaptability in acquiring new and uncharted skills is given a lot of importance. I hope this may bring home a realization and assurance that your educational background does not dictate the scope of your opportunities. With the right mindset and dedication to learning, there is no skill beyond your reach, and no limit to what you can achieve in your professional life. 

What piqued your interest in science communication?

Ever since I was a young tutor, I have had a tendency for communication. As a child, I was always captivated by tales, eagerly listening with my palm placed under my chin. During my school years, I was involved in theatre and founded ‘Biotheatre’ in college. To this day, my presentations concentrate on the underlying story that drives a theme and I find great contentment in the moments of telling those tales. My job fuels this interest even further. Every project that we undertake has a fascinating story to be unfolded and told.
 
How do microbes dictate the nature of pregnancy (term or preterm)?
 
How does fasting influence the complex interactions among the host microbiota?
 
How does the tumor- microenvironment influence the microbial ecology?
 
These are some of the projects that I have actually worked on and I can’t imagine explaining my research to anyone without emphasizing on the curiosity that drives these research problems and how we connected the dots to rightly place even one piece of a puzzle. Science communication has perhaps/likely been a natural development of my profession and overall enthusiasm for recounting tales.

Should scientists consider publicizing their study and its implications as a regular aspect of their job? What are your opinions on this question?

Instead of viewing scientific communication as publicity, I believe scientists should consider sharing their research and its implications as a vital form of expression and outreach. By openly discussing the journey, discoveries, struggles and successes behind their studies, one can not only contribute to society but also foster their own growth. Firstly, this process can help develop essential scientific communication skills, ensuring that even the most complex subjects can be understood by a wider or lay audience. Secondly, sharing research can facilitate connections with individuals who hold similar or opposing views, potentially leading to fruitful collaborations and advancements in the field. And third, positive public image emerging out of one’s eagerness to express their science quite often places scientists as approachable figures who are eager to engage with others and share their expertise.
 
I would therefore indeed opine that an active dissemination of research findings should be considered an integral aspect of a scientist’s role, for it promotes both personal development and societal progress.

What are the unanswered topics you’d want to see resolved in your field of Computational Biology (Microbiome Science)?

I am particularly passionate about exploring the different ways in which microorganisms communicate socially in their natural or artificial habitats. How do they sense the changes to their environment, and how do they interact with other members of their community when their environment has changed? Could this social network of microbes be manipulated in order to rectify an imbalance, create useful compounds, or produce molecules of interest? I’m fascinated by the social lives of these organisms and will continue to search for answers and insights.

How do you feel that data science and machine learning are going to assist/advance the life sciences (specifically microbiology) research?

If we look back, DS/ML have been assisting life science research for decades. Calibration curves for predicting the concentrations in unknown samples by comparing them to the values of known or standard samples is such a simple and beautiful example of data science and machine learning that every biologist has, quite unknowingly, for ages been practicing in their lab!
 
The evolution of computers and increasing storage and compute power have made it easier to process and manage data today, much of which in the past was managed manually or painstakingly in legacy Excel sheets. This, coupled with the advancement in technologies like Next-generation sequencing (NGS), generating petabyte scale of genomic and metagenomic data, have only made the influence of data science more profound on life science and particularly microbiological research.
 
Sharing my own experiences – we have employed Data Science and ML routines to:
 
1) Develop predictive models for cancer diagnosis using inherent microbial signatures
 
2) Predict the day of delivery of an unborn child using mother’s microbial profile
 
3) Develop agent based models for microbial social communication
 
4) Prepare massive databases of microbial functions to accelerate drug discovery 
 
5) Develop digital twins of human organs like gut and simulate microbial metabolism within said twins for nutritional recommendations, probiotic formulations and more
 
6) Employ explainable AI to enable predictive prognosis of various diseases including SARS-CoV-2 infection
 
7) Develop language models of genomic datasets using natural language processing 
 
So, while algorithms and data science methodologies have been around for a long time, it’s only recently that the means to use them at a large scale have become available. I therefore would not get surprised by further cross pollination of ideas from Data science to (Micro)Biology.
 
Ultimately, data science is just a tool – identifying a problem, finding the right solution, and making sure the machine is picking the right patterns requires domain expertise. 
How would you urge young/early-career scientists to pursue a career in scientific communication/journalism? What advice do you wish you had received when you first started out?
 
I have always been a firm believer of the cosmic realm. Given the immense size of the universe, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed while living on this small pale blue dot, i.e. Earth. Although it is perhaps difficult to explore and understand the entire cosmos during our individual lifetimes, we can still broaden our perspectives by connecting with different timelines. One way to do this is through communication, either scientific or otherwise. If science interests you, sharing your own knowledge or the knowledge that exists, with the public can increase your enthusiasm for the subject. For me, science communication is not a requirement of my job but something I do in my free time as a hobby. Most of my day is devoted to investigating the scientific concepts in genomics/metagenomics and analyzing the data pertaining to them. I consistently lean towards sharing my knowledge and often the excitement about my research. This probably enables me to easily share what I find interesting about microbiomes and related areas. I may not be the best person to advice anyone about a career in science communication, however from my personal experience, I find it highly gratifying. If you are someone who loves to interact with people, if you love to read, love to deliver public talks, if you find yourself with an insatiable appetite for knowledge, then without any doubt a career in science communication will be best suited to cater to each of the above interests, for you! 
 
About the advice that I wish I should have received when I started out – To be true, I started receiving advices only after I started SciComm and those were in fact quite relevant given the juncture at which I was in my scientific communication journey.
 
One of the most valuable and well placed advice that I continue to cherish is, “Do not get influenced by the magnitude of response to your outreach activities. You started it with an intrinsic motivation, ensure that you continue to do it, without being bothered by either a limited or an extraordinary response”. 
Raksha Sharma Author
Career Stories

Career Stories: Chapter 18

Academia Plus

In this chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the story of  Radhika Vaishnav, who has donned various hats in her stellar career so far- as an R&D consultant, a SciComm enthusiast (teaching and mentoring), a college faculty, and an executive editor for the International Journal of Molecular and Immuno Oncology. In this candid discussion, she talks about how she pursued teaching and mentoring during her academic journey, and shares her opinions about the relevance of science communication for a researcher at any level.

What directed you to pursue science communication after professorship tenures at different institutes, mentoring young scientists, and academic editing?

I followed the traditional path during my initial career days. I did my BSc in Zoology and MSc in Biochemistry from MSU, Vadodara in the 90s. Then, I went to the US, because at that time you required 4 years of UG in order to pursue your PhD. I began my PhD at Loyola University Chicago, took a break for personal reasons (marriage and moving around different US cities) and subsequently rejoined my PhD program at the University of Kentucky at Lexington, Kentucky. The first PhD stint ended in a Masters degree on Molecular biology in cancer. It also led to my very first publication in the same field.

Despite my initial traditional track, my career meandered a bit from the usual. I settled in Lexington for my doctorate and postdoctorate. After that, I moved to Louisville, Kentucky for a full-time faculty position at the University of Louisville. Then, I decided to move back to India. Although I did not continue my track as a full-time faculty, I realized I was missing scientific interaction and communication that was integral to an academic scientist’s role. So a year or two after moving back to Vadodara, India, I took to mentoring clinicians locally and nationally in data analysis, presentation and writing of research articles for publication in  journals.   

I started actively carrying out academic editing in the capacity of a freelancer. I had always enjoyed writing and communicating. In fact, after high school, in the early 90s, one of the options I had considered for a career was journalism. I loved Biology, though, and in those days, doing the sciences alongside humanities was not even given as an option in school or college in India. My father was a strong orator, writer and was a Hemato-oncologist who opened up my mind to the possibility of Molecular Biology and its’ immense future.

Two decades later, I have merged my love of language with my depth in life sciences as a scientific writer, editor and educator.

What influenced you to choose a specialized subject like molecular biology for your second master’s degree in the US; after obtaining your UG and PG degrees from India in interdisciplinary subjects?

Once I finished my UG and PG degrees from MSU, Vadodara, India; I decided I wanted to get into molecular biology. I got influenced by 3 dynamic teachers. The first one was in my UG, Prof. Nene who taught me Biochemistry. She was a dedicated teacher who spent her weekends teaching us biochemical pathways out in the college corridors in an unconventional manner.

I was also blessed to have inspiring teachers in my PG; who were limitless in their teaching capabilities. For example, there was Prof. Acharya who had a science book club where we read many books authored by great scientists such as Feynman, Richard Dawkins, etc. We also put together a library in our Biochemistry department on the basis of student contribution of buying a book every month. Over the course of my masters, me and my fellow classmates had built a science library together; which was an inspiring activity for all.

Prof. Harish Padh had formed a small group of people from Vadodara called the “Biotechnology Interest Group.” He would invite all of us college students to come and attend their seminars. Additionally, a few of us would have a “Business in Biotechnology” session where we would indulge in student-driven round table discussions about various topics in the business of biotechnology.

I had excellent teachers and professors who would think outside the box and help me dream about what I could achieve. This, along with my own parents being in the field of life sciences, directed me to consider a career in biotechnology or molecular biology.

Molecular biology in cancer was in its baby stages with knowledge being more theoretical than practical since the protocols were still being established. That was why I chose molecular biology and I was fortunate to get into a PhD program at the Loyola University of Chicago Cancer Center in 1998. I began my work under Dr L Miele wherein I was studying the role of NOTCH-1 in transformation of normal cells into malignant ones. Around that time, telomerase, RAS, and other oncogenes/tumor suppressors were just being understood. It was an exciting time, as it paved the way for future targeted therapies that we all see today. I put my Ph.D. on hold when I married and moved for a couple years to Portland where I worked as a research scientist at the Department of Molecular Medicine, Oregon Health and Sciences University. My husband and I took turns in supporting each other in our career ambitions.

How did these foundational degrees contribute to your teaching/mentorship experience?

I think having a foundational degree in life sciences helped me a lot because I have been able to identify with students at all levels and from all walks of life. Not having a specialized curriculum from the beginning gives you a lot of versatility to formulate a career in science communication or teaching. It helps to develop a very broad understanding because you are able to move into, communicate and understand any area in the biological sciences.  On this, you can steadily build and specialize if you choose to go into research.

You never know about the future, one door opens, another closes. It helps to have a variety of different experiences even if we do choose a research path. Hence, over the years please do keep a couple of other interests going on. Don’t just put all your apples in one basket because life is uncertain. Something interesting may come up and you may want to change your direction in the future. I have mentored many students and I am firm about being flexible and having a solid knowledge base. Knowledge is important but you also need a lot more than that to go through life.

Was it providence or an informed choice that brought you to pursue molecular neuroscience in neurodegeneration/injury for your PhD and Post-doctoral research?

After Portland, we moved to Lexington, Kentucky where my husband Dr. Anand Vaishnav and I both pursued our academic track. We stayed with a friend while interviewing there, and she introduced me to a scientist couple who eventually became my PhD guides i.e. Dr. Tom & Dr. Marilyn Getchell. Initially, I joined their lab as a research analyst and was responsible for overseeing all the students and managing all the research activities in the lab. Eventually, I decided to continue with my PhD which I had halted when I left Loyola. Since their work was in molecular degeneration and regeneration of the olfactory system, I chose a project in that field and finally started my PhD at Sanders Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky. It was an interesting environment where they were working on Alzheimer’s disease and aging to find early markers of the former. Autopsy or biopsy samples from humans and mouse models were utilized. Eventually, I got more interested in bioenergetics of neurons because of my keen interest in mitochondria associated with oxidative damage that can occur in the nervous system due to internal or external factors, causing degeneration of these cells.

My postdoctoral research was awarded an individual NIH fellowship on the topic of “Therapeutic Strategies for Neurodegeneration and Spinal Cord Injury” under Dr Edward Hall, Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center (SCOBIRC), University of Kentucky.

As per your previous interview from the Young Scientist Leader (YSL) program organized by Dr Felix Bast, you have participated in many certification programs and science outreach activities since your undergraduate years. How do you see such (perceived) extra-curricular activities being of help to aspiring researchers or PhD students?

I would not prefer to use the term ‘extracurricular activities’ here, because I believe once you are pursuing doctoral or postdoctoral research, you are no longer a traditional student. You are not attending classes only to take exams. You are actually more of an apprentice during this time. Any other skills that you wish to acquire, can also be pursued. It can be an individual or group activity. I have done numerous such activities throughout my education and career.

For example, while I was pursuing my postdoc, we (myself and Dr. Theresa Thomas) had built together a postdoctoral group called SCoBIRC Postdoc Group. This driving force for the formation of this group was a realization that there is teaching and mentoring all throughout one’s education, but by the time you are a postdoctoral fellow, sometimes you lose that structure of going to a PI and acquiring guidance. So here, in this group, we had regular meetings and we would take turns presenting, especially if someone had an upcoming job interview or any kind of conference presentation. We would be the peers/teammates/classmates who would listen to and critique each other. We made it a very collegial and constructive activity.

In the US, the doctoral and postdoctoral communities are very multicultural. We would also have occasional social activities like Potluck and multicultural programs. All these activities are not exactly ‘extracurricular’, but they enrich the already existing curriculum.

Science communication stems from being able to communicate what you do. It has to start with you being able to explain what you do. I had a professor at Loyola University, Dr. Katherine Knight who used to tell us that one should be able to explain their research in a limited time- 1 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or max. 30 minutes. Everything does not have to be a long-winding presentation or a 45-minute lecture. If someone asks you to explain your research in under 5 minutes to them, you should be able to pitch your research and grab the audience’s attention by making it interesting as well as wrapping it up within the time limit.

While I was a faculty at the University of Louisville, my department (Department of Physiology, with Joint appointment in Neurology and Neurosurgery) sponsored a certification program in entrepreneurship with Kauffman Foundation where we would meet experts and were encouraged to take an idea from its conception to visualization/startup. Here, we were told to sell our idea in either 11 mins or 1 min elevator pitches. Initially, we did the latter. We were critiqued and trained in the same manner all throughout the course.

Elevator pitches include meeting laymen/potential investors in an elevator and your response to their question of “Hey! What do you do?” Depending on what you say in the next minute, the other person will make a decision right there whether they want to listen to you or not. So, you can imagine putting together everything you want to say within this minute, is not a cakewalk. Starting up the Journal IJMIO, working with the team, expanding it and currently stewarding it into a legacy for clinician-scientists to communicate has been possible thanks to these lessons learnt.

During my PhD, I started teaching in a community college on the weekends over the topic of Physiology. I had learnt it in depth over the years because the broad subject of my PhD was the Physiology despite my research area being neuroscience. I continued over the years to teach Physiology along with other Life Science subjects at colleges including my current affiliation as Adjunct Faculty, Life Sciences, IvyTech Community College, Indianapolis, Indiana.

So these types of things are always happening in parallel. You are not just doing one thing. You are teaching, communicating, building something, trying to put together a startup company, failing at it, while you are doing doctoral or postdoctoral research or being a faculty member. Someone did ask me to join a new steering committee to try to put together a novel neuroscience course with a very new faculty. Despite all the challenges, I did that. I was the one who would hardly say no to any self-improvement opportunities within the field. This is why I would not call these activities ‘extracurricular’. Hobbies and artistic activities can be considered ‘extracurricular activities’. But activities like science communication, being able to prepare and deliver your research pitch are co-curricular, skill-building and life-changing activities, that can actually strengthen your career profile and who you are. In the future, one or all of these will make you unique as opposed to only gaining knowledge through education.

How did you get associated with IJMIO (International Journal of Molecular and Immuno Oncology)? Please introduce us to your journey there

I did not get introduced to IJMIO but rather, I was one of the founding members of the journal.

So, in 2016, I was attending a molecular oncology conference with my father, an oncologist, Dr. Divyesh Mehta, who was giving a talk and he introduced me to his friend Dr. Purvish Parikh who was there as a faculty member. I told him about how I wanted to do something different – to leave a legacy. He offered the role of honorary executive editor at the International Journal of Molecular and Immuno Oncology.  The journal was to be launched soon and he was putting together a small start-up team, which I joined.

Our goal at the journal is to encourage people who are from a clinical background, to come out of their comfort zone and actually write and communicate their work. Many people are still not communicating whatever they are observing in their clinics or their research. Hence, there is so much potential to do more. We also give encouragement to new authors and look forward to their work being published. The journal is the official journal of the Molecular Oncology Society under the current able leadership of editor Dr. Randeep Singh and a multispecialty team of oncologists on the editorial board.

It has been a very exciting activity for me because I am at the forefront of a field that is continuously undergoing a lot of change and development. So, I really chose to do this to keep myself on my toes as I am forced to read and learn constantly and stay active.

According to you, what improvements can be made in education, mentoring, and research environments in India to be on par with the USA?

Knowledge is not what is setting India apart from the US or any other country. You need to have an environment that supports or encourages fundamental research. Without the society getting interested or involved, the funding will cease.

In the US, funding comes largely from the NIH, NSF, and other similar agencies which are government-based or private foundations (Eg: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation). These funds come from the public i.e. taxpayer’s money or donations. Basically, you need to empower the people and you can only do that by giving them knowledge and making them feel comfortable about research. Now, in India, there are people who are willing to donate money to hospitals, NGOs for the underprivileged, religious activities, education, children, food drives, etc. But having an actual system where everyone pays taxes and a certain percent of taxes go into funding research automatically will encourage research job creation as well as encourage our research talent to stay within our country. This change has to come from the grassroot level. For that, the public has to be included in the entire story of scientific research. For that, you have to communicate science to them: what you are doing and why you are doing it. The COVID-19 pandemic did bring that change in communication.

Moreover, science is connected. It has no boundaries. I do not look at science as being limited by national borders. I do not know if it is an unpopular opinion or not, but honestly when you are a pure scientist, you think only about science. It does not matter where you live or work. But scientists are people who have families– children, parents. Hence, we want to stay in a certain place. Once you do that, you need to sustain yourself. However noble you may feel your profession is, you want to do research and solve problems, you do need to be able to support your family. If you cannot, you will leave science or research, for sure. You will find something else because obviously you are smart and hardworking enough to get into a masters or a PhD.

The only thing that is very sad is that we have already spent a significant part of our youth preparing ourselves to be a scientist. When it comes to supporting your family, if you need to either leave the country or change your profession, then something is just not quite right yet in India. I think that we need more awareness and that is where science communication begins to gain importance. 

How is this scenario changing in India, with years passing by?

Internet, globalization, and access to knowledge have been groundbreaking for research in India. Internet has been a great equalizer; so people from all over the world have access to the same knowledge. You have YouTube videos, and online PDFs of textbooks today which are very different from our days. Back then, we had to go to the library and find interesting articles from the paperback journals that were subscribed to. We were sometimes limited by the availability of resources in the library. Since all we had were paper-based journals, we had to make do with whatever was available. Those days at the beginning of my education were very different compared to now where we have everything thanks to the Internet.

The pandemic in the last 2-3 years changed many things. For example, because of the pandemic, everyone in India and around the world came to know about RT-PCR. This was impossible before the pandemic.

It is now possible for an Indian individual who has not undergone advanced education to know what a virus is, what immunity is, what PCR is, and that you need to get vaccines. Most importantly, today the Indian public knows that you need research to solve everyday problems, and it can save lives during an emergency. This is what is needed. I think we did an excellent job of communication during the pandemic. This is the spirit that needs to continue. We need to build up that energy in our own country where people love science and research and want to support it.

Please enlighten students (like myself) about notable research domains/ SciComm ventures to be explored.

Science policy is a critical area where SciComm is very valuable. Many opportunities are available globally for individuals who can act as a bridge between scientists and the community/government. Another notable field is working for large foundations. Companies such as pharmaceuticals and technology-based require content creation for education, marketing and awareness. Any of these roles would require strong communication skills.

Knowing multiple languages is a great advantage in science communication as scientific writers who can reach across languages are highly valuable. I would suggest following Wellcome Alliance, India Bioscience, United Nations, WHO, EMBO, AAAS and various international foundations which are devoted to scientific communication.

Follow your heart honestly in terms of what field to pursue. Ignore what other people say. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Add to the experience, build on it, and make yourself unique. Don’t settle or get disheartened in the case of bad mentors or professors. That’s a learning experience too. Everything adds to your experience. Take it in a positive way, cut your losses, and move on. When you have a positive mentor or a positive experience, take it in your stride. Get as much out of it as you can. However, do not be just a taker, be a giver as well. While you are learning, give back your knowledge to society by communicating. Take a few students under your wing and pass on any knowledge/skills that you have gained so far. It is extremely rewarding and essential for humankind and the future. We share what we know.

Experiences like the pandemic have taught us life is short and uncertain. All that knowledge is of no use if we have not shared it. My plea to everyone is that regardless of whatever field you choose- be it academia, any private profession, or a biotech company, please do not stop communicating in the form of teaching and mentoring. Prepare students for tomorrow at any level. There is no work that is too small for scientists. If you can take a few 5-year-olds and make them excited about something, that is absolutely fine as you are already doing a noble deed. You are already doing enough to show others that you are capable of bringing about a positive change. Getting educated is fine, but giving back is invaluable and absolutely priceless. I fervently request you all to do it.

You have been my mentor for many projects in the last two years. I have always admired your calm, composed but tenacious attitude to solving problems. Could you share with us a memorable mentorship/teaching experience that has changed your perspective, and contributed towards your own learning process? 

When you are on the track of getting a PhD/becoming a scientist, you do need people who are very calm, caring, as well as resilient in your life. They continue to steer you back into the right direction. In my case, I wanted to be a scientist and a professor.

In this path, there will be many roadblocks and hurdles: your papers getting rejected and designed experiments failing most of the times. During your doctoral degree journey, you feel like a failure numerous times. On the other hand, when you go home, your family must be wondering: what in the world do you do? Why do you spend so many hours in a lab? Many a time, you may not be able to answer such questions to their satisfaction.

Usually, it is such an esoteric topic that you are working upon: one small molecule inside one small organelle and some organism that nobody in your family has ever heard of. Then you are trying to explain it in a way that they understand by telling them that it is related to a certain disease. You also want to make your response interesting to them, so that they know you are not wasting your life on something that they do not actually understand. They are proud and happy of your achievements. However, they do not really know what you do. Even my family members can only give a very vague description of anything that I ever did. Very few people in your family and friends will pick up your papers and read them. This is the life you are leading. You are living in a bubble and everyone around you is doing something else in their lives. There is a big gap.

You have a continuous impostor syndrome going on during your doctorate. After months of framing and validating your thesis, you are faced with your PhD defense viva panel and the audience. As an ambivert, you wish to not sound boring during your thesis defense.

Hence, one of my memorable mentorship experiences was with my PhD mentor Dr. Thomas Getchell. We worked during evenings and weekends to improve my PhD presentation through inculcating various tips provided by him. His gestures of caring and taking time to improve my presentation helped me tremendously. One of his tips were that during a presentation, in order to sound knowledgeable, it need not be long but it must be interesting. The details should be kept out of the presentation or else you will have slides which are just full of words which no one wants to listen to. In this way, I started to learn many presentation skills in my final year of PhD. So my final PhD defense was the first time in my life where I could speak confidently in front of an audience. Honestly, I give all credit to him. I wish I had learnt all of this earlier.

Another tip that was given to me was that I should sit in the front in an audience during a lecture and always ask one question. Perhaps my PhD mentor understood my introverted behavior, which no one else did before. I was used to the untrue feedback from my peers of being under confident, unprepared, and unready during my MSc presentations. Instead, I would love to prepare the subject beforehand thoroughly and could always write flawlessly. But during my speech in front of an audience, I used a lot of linker words like “um”, “uh” during pauses. This persists till the present day.

I just wanted to say that the memorable moments are when someone is humane despite being a great professor/researcher. If one is able to be honest about having an impostor syndrome despite being a professor, and lead by example as to how they overcame that, that honesty works like magic. This strategy works for me even today. I always project this viewpoint to my students. I always remind myself to show them that I do not know everything but I am a human and have been through a lot of things which helped me learn and gain wisdom. By this virtue, I have something to teach them as well.
Madhura Kamat Author
Career Stories

Career Stories: Chapter 17

Academia Plus

In this chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the journey of Somdatta Karak who works as a science communicator and public outreach officer. Connecting with students and helping them grow professionally is her all time favorite job. In this candid chat she takes us through her professional journey and talks about her life as an educator and science communicator.

What inspired your transition from a Neuroscientist to a Science Communication and Public outreach officer? How have you managed to make the most of this transition, while overcoming the challenges that you faced?

My journey from neurosciences to science communication happened through first transitioning into the education sector.

As a neuroscientist, a lot of my work has been on understanding how fruitflies use their senses to collect information from the world around and remember them. I often think these have steered me into thinking how we humans collect and make sense of their information. And education sector felt like the most suitable playground for me to foray into these questions.

In addition, this sector also allows me to build content and platforms that are informed by our modern-day understanding of neurosciences. So, there are enough commonalities in the questions we ask in both the sectors- research as well as education.

What differs are the cultures in each of these sectors. Research can allow for a lot of solitary thinking. Your work is very objective. Education on the other hand is a much more people-oriented work. You cannot think of students who you are working with as mere subjects of your questions. They are humans, first who are leading real lives unlike the controlled conditions of subjects in a laboratory. I think it was very difficult for me to transition into the mode of working with and for humans, where I am not an experimenter anymore, but rather a part of their community. But the time spent with students, led me towards a deeper understanding of their lives and also helped me become a part of their lives. That led to a change in my mindset.

From there, transitioning into science communication was rather easy. As an educator, I had identified the many gaps between those who create new knowledge and develop new technologies, and the young people who are the supposed beneficiaries of these. My current work largely focuses on bridging these gaps, via different platforms.

What do you think makes science communication an interesting career option?

I like that as a science communicator, one can identify which topics they want to work on, which communities they would like to work with, what medium they want to employ. I like being in a space that offers fluidity for many people with diverse backgrounds, expertise and interests to come together and build tangible products and spaces. Science communication is a field in which people can build careers in many different ways, depending upon the specific  roles they want to take up, the demography they want to reach out to and so on.

What according to you, is the role of illustrations and artwork in science communication?

I think tt helps for any form of communication/learning to be multi-sensorial. In my work revolving around the young people, I have often collaborated with visual artists to make the content more visual-heavy and low on text. I have done that primarily because India’s literacy levels and reading abilities are very poor. So, while I like the words in my content to convey only the most important objective, the context-setting is done by the illustrations and art. The visuals make the content more inviting, and less intimidating. They allow for adding layers of information that I might not want to put out in words (which might make the content word-heavy and complex) but those looking closely at the visuals will find them anyway. Together, they make the content more wholesome.

What are the possible entrepreneurial opportunities in science that students can explore, apart from research and industry?

Training in science teaches you the art of asking the right  questions, finding answers to those questions and also  takes you to the depth of understanding the world, while familiarizing you with some of the most cutting-edge technologies.

This is unique because every science student should, in theory, be able to ask a question or identify an existing problem and think of addressing it in their own unique ways. There are many pressing problems in the equality of access towards knowledge, education, healthcare, and everything else that is needed for a better life and upward mobility. And each of them present opportunities for young students that can be explored and worked on further.

Coming back to the question, I think it is entrepreneurial if you can identify your own unique question that you wish to work on. Then you can work on it through being a researcher, or contributing towards it through an industry (which is basically a team of people working in the sector) – started by you or by someone else, or by being a policymaker, or an artist who brings forth matters that we otherwise don’t notice – the list can go on, and they are all equally important, useful as well as  doable.

But I must also mention the feasibility of any of these career paths that you identify for yourself. Pick something that interests you, but also something that  you have a formal training in. Training can come from your educational background, the community that you have grown up in, or fellowships and work experience. It is important to build the right network of people, to find the right opportunities and also money to pursue the work (of your interest).

What strategies could students employ to ‘rewire and make the brain more adaptable and flexible‘ in a competitive world and within the current educational system?

Here are a few things that students can keep in mind and try to implement-

  1. Pick an area of study that interests you. You might be fascinated by the technologies that the field is building or the depth of our understanding of the world around us that it is enabling. Get trained in it.
  2. During your training, find a question that is unanswered/unaddressed.
  3. Do not be overwhelmed by the enormity of the problem. Figure out how you can bridge at least one part of the problem tangibly. What exactly will you do differently that will address (even a part of) the problem?
  4. Network with people who are working towards the same direction. If possible, intern with them while you are studying or after it. It will give you a more real-world view of the problems.
Satya Santoshi Author
Career Stories

Career Stories: Chapter 14

Academia Plus

In this chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the journey of Mustafa Inamdar who has a postgraduate degree in biotechnology and is currently working as a science communicator at Decode age, a Longevity Research company, where he mainly drives the content for their social media pages, as well as their podcast. Additionally, he also runs his own podcast – Biotech Talks. 

In this interview, he speaks at length about his journey in science communication, his approach to creating content for his YouTube channel, and elaborates upon his important learnings.

Could you briefly take us through your journey so far, and what led you towards pursuing a career in science communication? According to you, what is the main purpose of science communication- are you primarily setting out to engage, inform or educate your audience?

During the 2020 pandemic, I was a Master’s student who was attending classes online from home and found them to be quite unsatisfactory. To make the most of the situation, I decided to start my own YouTube channel, where I would teach my classmates the course curriculum in a fun way, similar to some of the previously published content. After receiving great feedback from viewers, I came up with the idea of interviewing life scientists and researchers. I reached out to a good friend of mine who was a Ph.D. student at the National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) in Pune, India, and asked if she would be willing to talk about her research for my channel. She agreed and that’s how I got into science communication.

The main reason that I kept doing this was because I liked conversing with scientists and diving deeper and deeper into the subject. Since my school/college didn’t offer the best education, I wasn’t happy with the lectures. I was more content with the lectures accessible on YouTube like MIT open courseware. It was similar to the knowledge I was getting while speaking to researchers. That kept me going.

Moreover, I figured that the connections I was making through Biotech Talks would be beneficial in the future. And indeed, towards the end of my masters, I got four job offers without even applying for them. It’s also because of my channel that I managed to get a job at my current organisation.

I’m a firm believer in science, and being an atheist, nothing else matters to me. Sadly, I see that the younger generation is being heavily influenced by the content on the internet put up by political parties attempting to manipulate them. This is, I believe my primary purpose of Biotech Talks – we need to replace misleading media content with something more authentic.

Putting our podcasts about researchers can hopefully inspire others to join the science field. That is also one of the reasons I continue to work in science communication.

Do you have any personal guidelines in place, to ensure effective (and authentic) science communication? Also, what kinds of questions do you generally ask the interviewees?

I make sure to begin each project with thorough planning. To reach out to researchers for my podcast, I send cold emails which provide an overview of my YouTube channel as well as links to my previous podcasts. Once researchers have accepted my invitation, I perform a thorough background research to prepare relevant questions for the podcast. I send them a list of these questions and ask them for their inputs as well. They usually do have a few of their questions to add to the list. Additionally, if the interviewee agrees to conduct the interview at their office, I make sure I am punctual and avoid any delay from my end. 

Occasionally, whenever I interview at their own office, few researchers or scientists who are around, express an interest to be a part of my podcast.  Since I am unaware of the research and history of that scientist, this circumstance is unplanned. However, taking into consideration their desire and interest to support my channel, I immediately conduct interviews for them as well. Gradually, through my experience of conducting interviews (over 25, so far) I’ve grown accustomed to including unplanned elements and built my skills towards producing on-the-spot content for my podcasts upon request.

Some questions that I routinely ask scientists and researchers are: 

What kind of research are they doing?

What is the meaning of a Ph.D.?

Why are there more male scientists in Indian Academy and fewer female scientists?

What is scientific temper?

What is the importance of humor in research?

All these questions revolve around topics that I personally find very interesting and relevant.

How would you demonstrate to your audience that you are trustworthy with the information you provide?

When a scientist talks about their research, what they say is assumed to be the truth. I do not truncate it if the researcher has spoken for 40 minutes, I post the complete 40 minute talk. 

Recently, one of my videos went viral- I had taken some questions which I usually ask researchers and scientists and collated them into a video. About 10-15 scientists shared their views about what they believe a Ph.D. is, and it had an interesting flow. The video got over 2.6 lakh views and the comments were impressive; Prior to this video, my channel had 1k subscribers, and after this stint, the subscribers increased to 7k. In the comments, a lot of people said that the video had opened their eyes and they would now continue with their Ph.D.

I’m uncertain of my feelings on the matter because- a Ph.D. is indeed a hard path to take and if you have the opportunity to obtain it from a renowned institution then that’s wonderful. Yet, the fact that some students end up struggling to complete a Ph.D. from a university for 10-11 years is quite disheartening.

In the light of this scenario, I’m now planning to create a video titled “Why I Quit My Ph.D.” to provide a platform for those who have gone through this experience and want to share their stories.

How do you handle criticism- and balance people’s perception regarding your shared information (especially if they do not agree with it) against your conviction regarding that information?

Sometimes, if they are speaking the truth, then I have no option but to accept and ponder over it. The reality of research in India is like two sides of the same coin. I only portray the positive side of it through my interviews. The negative side is indeed there, however.

I had a great admiration for one of the scientists I interviewed, believing them to be exceptional researchers. When I visited one of their affiliated institutes, I had the chance to meet one of their students. To my surprise, they portrayed a completely different version of the scientist, which was inconsistent with how they presented themselves in my interview. This made me acknowledge that  it is impossible to know whether the professor is a good or bad mentor until one experiences it. Prior to joining a Ph.D. program, it is important to investigate the nature of one’s PhD guide/mentor.

Quite recently, I suggested to my peers that just like there is a Glassdoor app which allows individuals to look into the credibility of a business and provide anonymous reviews; it could be beneficial to have a platform where Ph.D. candidates can give an anonymous feedback regarding their PhD guides. This could be a very useful website.

I am attempting to bring awareness to the Indian Academia by asking relevant questions. During one of my interviews with student scientists, I urged them to not only talk about the pressures from their parents but also to comment upon the institutional aspects, such as the bad practices of PIs and inadequate regulations. As a result, I was given some meaningful, but heartbreaking answers.

I’m hoping to encourage others to recognize this problem. There are already a lot of PIs discussing this issue, but perhaps a bigger revolution is necessary.

What inspires you to keep continuing this journey of science communicator?

During my second year of college, I had this remarkable opportunity to visit the NCMR NCC research institute in Pune, India for my Avishkar project, where we had a chance to construct an affordable fluorescence microscope. I was honored to meet Dr. Praveen Rahi, a highly-regarded scientist, and a remarkable individual. Although he spent four hours talking to me, it felt as though only five to ten minutes had passed!

It was through such dynamic conversations with the scientists and researchers that my interest in science communication flourished, which I have been diligently pursuing ever since. Through this, I am able to learn the reasoning, methodology, and the perceived outcomes from the scientists I interview and hence dive a little deeper into their mindset. It has been an enjoyable, extraordinary, and instructive experience.

Through my work, I have been very fortunate to have encountered such exceptional scientists that I may not have had the chance to meet otherwise. It was truly inspiring to personally connect with them and gain insights into their work, which was the driving force behind my motivation.

It’s a shame that our educational system has the potential to sap out the enthusiasm and curiosity of students because of the approach towards teaching subjects such as biology. Conversing with scientists and experts can truly be a source of invigoration to pursue a career in a scientific field.
Raksha Sharma Author
Career Stories

Career Stories: Chapter 13

Academia Plus

In this chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the journey of Amogh Kulkarni who is currently a  postdoctoral researcher. He is also a theater artist, director, and creator & host of the show series ‘PhD- The Philosophical Drama‘.

In this interactive session, he takes us through his professional journey, while speaking at length about his personal process of establishing a ‘work-life balance’, and talks about his passion of bringing about the amalgamation of arts and science. 

Could you summarize your professional journey so far?

I was always inclined towards mathematics, social sciences, languages more than science per say. But, by the end of my schooling it was clear that it was better to move towards science because of the many different career prospects it had; and arts might not be the ideal ground where I can have a very good or stable career (which was the prevalent societal thought process at that time). Thus, I went on to pursue an education in basic sciences during my junior college, when I was also preparing for all the famous engineering entrances in India. I got through a few, but my overall inclination was towards organic chemistry at that time and it was not a very core part of the many engineering programmes. That made me look for options that would allow me to pursue organic chemistry predominantly. And I turned towards the Bachelor of Science (BSc) course at Fergusson College in Pune. During this time, I also applied for internships and programs that I could do along with my undergraduate studies.

It was during this time that I also got to know about IISER Pune which was relatively new at that time and just on a simple hunch, I applied for the integrated PhD program at IISER Pune. I had already been runner up in MIMAMSA which is a national level quiz of IISER Pune which in fact had introduced me to IISER. Eventually, I got selected into IISER and being a quite young institute, I was in the 2nd batch of that program. But the entire experience at IISER led me to look for what I wanted to pursue in research, by providing me with opportunities to find interesting labs, meeting people from different places around the world, and introducing me to young faculty with fresh and innovative ideas who wanted to establish their own careers as well. So that led to having a very enriching experience and it  made me look forward to postdoctoral studies. Now I’m here in Switzerland to pursue my  postdoctoral studies and it has been a wonderful journey so far.

Do you have any comments on the education or research ecosystem in India vs abroad when it comes to nurturing scientists?

To comment on the education system is difficult because I have only been into the research setup here outside India. I have never completed any formal education abroad. All my education is in the Indian setup.

However, on the research front there are many things that one can comment upon-

Funding– almost everyone in India knows that we have issues with funding in basic sciences, research, for example in terms of getting fellowships for students. It’s been a cry for years or decades that students/ research fellows don’t get their salary every month which is basic/minimal that one can expect which is shocking. This might not be the situation abroad.

Facilities – institutes like IISc, IISERs and IITs are very much advanced and can be compared to the international universities. We do have all facilities/instrumentations in some of these prestigious institutions.

Cultural difference– in terms of the mindset Indians like to work 6 days a week. Europeans work 5 days a week, and Americans 6-7 days a week (depending upon the location). So, the work hours and the work-life balance is quite different but that is their perspective on what feels necessary to take science forward.

How could you maintain your interest in arts while being in (science and) academia? Is there any process to ensure that you keep pursuing your hobbies while doing research?

I’m a firm believer that whatever you do in your life in terms of your job or education, you need to definitely have one hobby and it can be anything. For me it was theater arts since right from school, I have been doing theater in annual programs. I was and still consider myself lucky to meet people at different stages who were like minded who wanted to collaborate with me, because theater is not something you can do alone. Having a background in theatre and being from the city of Pune which is already a budding theater place, helped me hone my skills. I directed my 1st theatre skit at the age of 9 at school. So, it has been a part of my growing up years and has stayed with me.

IISER Pune in that sense was a budding place for all kinds of arts (music, dancing, acting, script writing etc.). And when you have such people around you, it motivates you as well.

In terms of finding time, when you really want to have that breathing space between your work, you make a concrete effort to find the time for your hobbies. That was the main driving factor behind continuing to pursue theater or any other art in that sense for me- to allow my mind to relax and to give it a bit of fresh air. Additionally, I like to take initiatives. Whenever I take initiatives, there are people who join and take it forward. That helped me hone my leadership qualities over the years and helped me streamline the work-life balance better.

Art and Science are often perceived as two very diverse and different fields. What is your perspective on this?

I always say this on various platforms, as well as to colleagues- science is an art in itself and all art has a concrete science behind it. They are very much interconnected. They cannot be separated from each other.

If you are a scientist, and if you have a scientific way of looking at things, you start looking at art in a very different way. Researchers with an interest in the arts look at it in a scientific way. You start looking at art from a research point of view. For example, when I am a director, I look at the psychology of the character from a very researcher perspective in order to understand their depth or while trying to put forth my point in my plays. It is also the same with music. I think people who play different instruments end up understanding the physics behind how the instrument works which is nothing but basic concepts from Class 12. Even if they may not learn it in the theoretical manner, they learn it from their gurus.

In a way, everything has a core scientific base with it and everything is interconnected. People who are good at science as well as arts will perform in a much more creative and articulated manner. The only difference is this- Art comes from within you, but science needs to be understood to perform it in the right way.

Can you describe your journey in creating the show “PhD – The Philosophical Drama”?

‘’PhD – The Philosophical Drama” was a theater skit that I presented at IISER Pune. It was a skit done for the annual function of the chemistry department. I had this idea of presenting the different aspects of a PhD to the graduate students (as a satire), since they will relate to it the most. Interestingly, there was no script written for it. It was developed on-the-go and the total time required from the first rehearsal to the final performance was 8 days! I realized that it could have been possible because everyone involved in the play were themselves PhD students and connected to the topic in their own way.

This experience stayed with me and made me realize that I like to talk about aspects other than research. Sadly, in Academia, work life balance is a mess. That part always stayed with me. And I knew from my experience that when mental wellbeing is not compromised, one gets the best of the work done by themselves and also from the juniors or employees. So, I took the initiative to approach a few colleagues during the Covid-19 lockdown and see if they would be willing to share their journey on our platform. We were a bit worried because not everybody wants to come up and speak- most academicians are shy people and hesitate to talk about their strengths, weaknesses, struggles etc. or any other aspect apart from their research. An average science student/researcher will hesitate to discuss non-science stuff, as it is easy to explain their work and project. This motivated me to start the show series of which the main motive was to dig deeper into the real-time situations of graduate students in Academia.

Thus, with the help of my friend Sukanya, we started the first season of PhD – The Philosophical Drama with our friends and it has been a successful run so far with three seasons already published online. 

I call it a “Drama” because the entire journey of PhD itself is a complete drama package, it has the highs, lows, antagonists, protagonists, success, failure especially for me- from the perspective of a theater artist. There is a complete personality transition before and after PhD, recognizing different versions of yourself with character growth and the climax is different from what we expect.

(Watch all the episodes here)

Could you share some tough times during your PhD journey and what did you learn from them?

It is always that we have the toughest times where we have to balance career and hobby, given first choice to career. One such incident happened during my prime years in IISER as a graduate student where you are really stressed and looking for data all the time which most people agree to as a primary job of PhD student. Despite stress, the heart wants what it wants. So during my PhD, I would keep 9 to 8 as my lab hours, followed by dinner time and then rehearsal. This happened for 4 months in a stretch with 1 or 2 days off from rehearsal but not the lab. I chose Sunday’s to be my optional off day for lab work for my own mental health. That phase was challenging for me. When I look back to that time, I feel a bit exhausted but also proud that I did it. I was also having a role in the same play which I was directing. I had huge dark circles at the end of 4months where my makeup artist struggled to cover them up as my character does not demand that. At this point, I realized that I pushed myself to the extreme extent.

Another incident was towards the end of my PhD where I was working with the script of the great Padmashri Sharad Joshi ji and with the greatest  production unit of IISER. It’s a big thing in itself that working with such a great script and trying to put it into a play. At the same time, I was writing my research paper which had 90% of my PhD work and also writing my thesis simultaneously. I was also taking a German language course in the evenings. I was also hit by personal issues as well. It was the worst phase to do everything. The production partner wasn’t competent enough. So I had to take up that responsibility as well for 2 months. It was a huge production unit with 80 people in the team performing shows outside IISER for the first time. I pulled one of my juniors with me for help and at the end of everything, he commented that he was surprised to see me managing all the stuff without failures like a literal mad person. It was then that I realized I took up so many jobs. If I had acknowledged everything beforehand, I wouldn’t have taken it on my plate.

It was my choice to do it. Nobody forced me to do so. It was sanity within me to help myself accomplish everything, go through that phase, push myself and succeed in my tasks. It was one of the powerful lessons that I learned in my life. If I were asked to do the same again, probably I may not take the risk but I would say that it helped to survive through the toughest phase of my research life.

Similar situations were faced by fellow artists who were also in their PhD struggles. But we knew that we had to do things with a dedicated time window for each task. This practice helped us to improve our efficiency.

What suggestions would you give prospective PhD students?

Don’t do PhD for a Dr. label. Do it if you really love the topic and are willing to face the struggle and hardship. My love for organic chemistry was the reason that I did a PhD. Just like some people pursue theater because all they see is the limelight, but don’t realize that most of the hard work is done by the people backstage. In the same way, understand the difficulties that you may encounter and decide accordingly if you are really interested in the research part or you just chose it as there was no other option or for getting the doctorate tag. Thankfully, I was not one of the latter two as I have not gone with labels to that extent ever with my choices. And I hope nobody ever does that because a PhD will change your life. It is the prime 5-6 years of your life from early 20s to sometimes 30s. It is a big commitment and investment that you are making. So, don’t do it without understanding what you are getting into. All my efforts are now trying to convey to people what they might see in a PhD. There won’t be any template on the journey of PhD to design it as a ‘course’, since every PhD is unique, but I will feel good if my experience can help at least a few prospective students make an informed decision.

What would be your suggestions for youngsters who hesitate to take a step forward in pursuing their specific interests through a fear of ‘lagging behind’ in the competitive world of academia?

Our choices/decisions affect everyone who is close to us- I was also someone who felt the gravity of this reality at one point in my life. It’s difficult to give a blanket suggestion as each person comes from a different background- someone may not be financially stable to pursue their interests and someone might be. But when one chooses a career which is not their first preference, they should pursue something other than their job to make them feel alive. One has to put in extra efforts for it and it should come from the heart. You might not succeed or accomplish great things on your first try, but that shouldn’t discourage you from trying again. Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy. I have been in such situations and learnt from it – there are failed scripts that have not come out, and it takes a lot of effort to shelf them. But you have to do it. No one takes care of your personal space and your mental health like you do. If you give that charge to someone else, they are also going to be in charge of your life. So just find time and take the effort to pursue your own interests amidst anything that you do.

What is your vision in life?

It kept on changing over the last few years and I think that’s the part of growing up. But, at the fundamental level I’m always going to be someone who will try to have the amalgamation of science and art. I don’t see myself as a person who does anything specifically. That’s going to be a collaboration of my scientific expertise and artistic abilities and if I can get platforms to do both of these together, then that would be great. One such would be science documentaries which are developing in a good way these days on OTT platforms that reach out to a wide range of audience, while providing with decent financial remuneration as well.
Satya Santoshi Author
Career Stories

Career Stories: Chapter 11

Academia Plus

In this chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the journey of Ankita Rathore  who is currently working as a Program Manager-Science Communication at Indiabioscience. In this candid chat, she details her transition from laboratory research to science communication research, shares some of her favourite blogs and also talks about all the meaningful lessons she has learned during her journey so far.

You pursued a Ph.D. at the CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research in New Delhi, India. What motivated you to do a Ph.D. in science and technology communication? Could you briefly talk about your experience so far?

After completing my bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences in 2014 from the University of Delhi- which provided me with a strong background in the subject- I chose to shift my focus to studying science and technology communication in India. During one of my semesters, I studied toxicology and was inspired by the quote from Paracelsus, the Father of Toxicology, which states that “Dose defines Toxicity”. I took this to heart and applied it to my life in general.

Subsequently, I decided to pursue a masters in Toxicology from Jamia Hamdard and was fortunate to be offered a position as a Research Officer (Toxicology) at the Central Insecticide Board-Regulatory Committee in Faridabad, which was a valuable first step in my professional career after graduating.

My inclination was always towards pursuing higher education, so I prepared for the NET exam and cleared it with AIR-48, which gave me the option to begin another adventure. I moved to Mohali, Punjab, to work as a junior research fellow (JRF) at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology, where I investigated nanotechnology-based treatment methods for a type of brain cancer, glioblastoma. During my time as a JRF, I enjoyed reviewing/writing literature, planning experiments, and participating in outreach events, more than the lab bench work itself.

My experience in studying/understanding the public perception of nanotechnology during my PhD was a turning point in my life.

It has been a rewarding journey from being a lab researcher to a science communication researcher. Scientists want to help people, but sometimes they forget that perception of the truth and who is perceiving it is equally critical. My motivation throughout the journey has been to contribute to the science communication landscape in India.

I always quote this from my favourite book (Man’s search for meaning), “He who has a why to live for, can bear almost any how.”

Can you describe your journey/experience as a freelance content writer, including the most rewarding elements of your job as a science communicator? How similar or different are these experiences, and how have you improved your skill set in each of these? Also, when you began your work as a science communicator, what problem did you hope to solve?

A non-linear career path has helped me find roles and work that are a better fit for me with regard to my specific interests and skills. Being a scientist has helped me understand the scientist’s perspective, and my career as a science communicator has taught me invaluable skills needed to communicate science effectively to the general public.

I explored several internships before becoming a full-time science communicator. During my first internship as a Science Communication intern at DBT-Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, I interviewed scientists and tried my hand at writing blogs and social media marketing. I learned that as a science communicator, one needs to wear multiple hats in the workplace and that every day is different. After this internship, I got another opportunity as a content writer for a small gardening business, which mainly honed my time management skills.

Apart from this, I also worked as a content writer for Cactus Communications and wrote a series of articles about the resources needed to navigate a research degree. Here, I mainly got acquainted with the process of editing and reviewing that an article typically goes through, before it’s published online.

In my career in science communication, my goal is to make people think before taking action. Career satisfaction is extremely important to me.

What is your favorite mode of communicating science to the general audience?

In my opinion, written content is the type I enjoy the most when it comes to communicating science. But, I’m a fan of all kinds of content- short pieces (microblogging) like Twitter threads, creative pieces that can be published as Instagram posts, as well as lengthy ones, such as blog posts and interviews.

Since I had long commute to work, podcasts became my go-to source of entertainment – you should definitely check out the Radiolab podcasts , if you haven’t yet done so.

But, since science communication is all about people: the most significant aspect while choosing a mode of communication, is to consider who your primary audience is.

Could you list some of your favourite SciComm blogs?

When I first began, I read a lot of Sophie Talks Science. She documented her life with science and talked to scientists from different areas. It was because of her that I tried to interview researchers in a blog series, which I called ‘Beyond Lab Bench’.

Have you ever heard of PhD comics? I’m a huge fan of them, especially for the amusing take they have on academic life.

This amazing project by Jorge Cham is almost like having a buddy in academia.

And if you’re looking for advice for writing the first review, or submitting a paper to a research journal, the Editage blog is a wonderful resource.

What advice would you provide to other ambitious science communication professionals wishing to change careers? What advice do you wish you had received when you first started out?

If you want to switch gears and become  a science communicator, great! But before you dive in headfirst, make sure it’s the right fit for you by starting on a part-time basis. Immerse yourself in the basics and get a solid grasp on the science behind communicating science to the public. And remember, simplifying complex scientific concepts is not the goal – it’s about making science accessible and understandable for everyone.

Starting out as a science communicator in India was a wild ride full of twists and turns. I faced numerous rejections, battled self-doubt, and even heard my lab colleagues question my chosen path. But then, a realisation hit me like a ton of bricks – my work and career don’t define me. Instead, it’s crucial to know when to set boundaries and prioritize our emotional well-being, even amidst tempting growth opportunities and extra tasks. This is something I wish I would have known before!

Don’t fall for the trap and remember, your worth is not tied to your job.
Raksha Sharma Author
Career Stories

Career Stories: Chapter 10

Academia Plus

In this chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the journey of Dr. Sanchari Sinha Dutta  who is a freelance science writer and consultant and believes in sharing the knowledge and power of science worldwide. After completing a stellar career in academia, she has turned to her current endeavour, associated with “News Medical” as a feature writer. She writes articles about myriad topics such as COVID-19, diseases, vaccines, physiology, health, etc. In this candid discussion, she talks about her research journey in biological sciences and how that contributed eventually to taking up a career in science communication.

Physiology is a broad subject of study and is definitely interdisciplinary, which you have pursued at the UG, PG, and doctorate levels. I’m really curious to understand the strong motivation behind this.

I studied human physiology as I was always fascinated to understand how many different physiological processes work in harmony to maintain our body’s homeostasis, and how some external or internal factors break this absolute synchronization to cause disorders/diseases.

You may wonder why I didn’t try pursuing MBBS. I never had the mindset to become a practicing doctor. I didn’t even sit for the entrance examination. Instead, I always wanted to become a researcher.         

How did a Bachelors and Masters in Physiology help you with your research stint and writing? Please enlighten us on the unique aspects of this.

I did a PhD in human physiology. I studied how a high-altitude environment affects the physical and mental health of soldiers. My area of research was hypoxia-induced oxidative stress and its outcomes. So, the knowledge I gathered during Bachelors and Masters had helped me immensely in understanding the concept of my research. However, I must acknowledge the huge difference between theoretical knowledge about a particular subject and its application in active research. The ability to apply your scientific knowledge in active research develops gradually over time. And, as always, experienced guidance is required.

What are the pros and cons of pursuing a doctorate & post-doctorate before venturing into science communication/ consultancy, immediately after the postgraduation?

My writing skills, which I fairly developed during my PhD and postdoc period, have helped me immensely to get a grip of my communication skills. Having said that, a student can choose to become a science communicator immediately after his/her Masters.

But what I feel is having some experience in active research definitely helps in understanding the subject from its core, which is a prerequisite for communicating science to the general audience. A science communicator should remember that a considerable proportion of the audience may not know the subject very well. So, a communicator should write an article in an easy-to-understand and flawless language, while keeping its scientific meaning intact. A reasoning mind and an ability to identify minute details of a subject are the qualities of a good science communicator. Having only theoretical knowledge of a subject is not enough to gain these qualities.    

How do you suggest young students/scientists explore their inclination towards science communication/consultancy?

In my opinion, if a student has a passion for writing, he/she can opt for the communication field right after his/her PhD. Having postdoctoral experience may not be required. 

How different is the research environment in defense-based research institutes like the Defense Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS, associated with DRDO), in comparison to other research institutes in India?

The main difference is the restricted environment wherein you must maintain the data privacy policy of the institute. Unlike other institutes, you cannot publicly disclose all your findings on account of national security.

How did you discover your passion for science communication? Please elaborate on any specific event(s) associated with this motivation.

I developed my passion for writing during my academic days. But honestly, I never thought of considering writing as a profession. After completing my postdoc, I had to take a short break from active research due to personal reasons. During this period, I started writing popular science articles and health articles for different organizations as a freelancer. This triggered my passion for writing once again and I thought of taking it up professionally.

Later, I got some offers to get back to active research, but I decided to continue as a science communicator. I think that the inspiring comments I received from eminent scientists about my articles have encouraged me to continue in this field.     

What skills do you think are necessary, from your experience, to establish oneself in the science communication field?

As I mentioned earlier, you should simultaneously have the ability to communicate science in layman’s language and have a mindset to maintain the decorum of science. 

Is freelance science communication quite lucrative in comparison to an equivalent job role associated with a company of repute?

Both are equally lucrative and each come with certain pros and cons. Company-based jobs are of course more financially secure, while in freelance jobs, you might not have a fixed earning. I think the major fun of being a freelancer is that you get a chance to choose your topic of interest and bring creativity to your work. This might not be possible in a regular company job. And, once you establish yourself as a good communicator, financial security should not be a problem anymore.    

What gives you the ultimate satisfaction in your current profession, with science communication and scientific consultancy?

Ultimate satisfaction comes from the fact that I can work on my own terms and conditions. And of course, the appreciation I get from companies motivates and energizes me to perform better in my profession.    

Madhura Kamat Author