Tag: PhD Diaries

Career Stories

Career Stories: Chapter 33

Academia Plus

In this chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the story of Priyanka Lahiri, who is a scientist at Genentech and also a volunteer for STEMpeers, a networking community for researchers in STEM.

In this candid chat, she talks about her journey in research and how her volunteering experiences helped her to navigate her transition from academia to industry. She shares some advice on networking and emphasizes on the importance of finding mentorship and taking care of one’s mental health during research.

What inspired you to pursue a career in STEM and how did you overcome any obstacles that you may have faced?

When I started my journey with a Bachelor’s in Microbiology I was still figuring out what to do. The obvious step was to continue and do a master’s. I encountered a life changing moment in my life with the loss of my loved one which helped me think about what I wanted to do in my life in terms of my career. I wanted to help cancer patients worldwide because of personal loss in my family and I felt like this is the way forward- doing a PhD, working in a drug discovery area and so on. The motivation to do something for people who are battling cancer was an inspiration for me and that is what kept me going. 

Thankfully my family has always been supportive. They have been my strength and given me the freedom to choose what I want to pursue. But I think it’s very important for anyone who is pursuing a career in STEM to have a clear goal. If you have a clear vision, then you will be able to deal with all the challenges. Other than that, keeping yourself busy, pursuing your passion and involving yourself in extracurricular activities to recharge and take some time out is very important.

Please tell us about your research experience and the challenges that you faced during your PhD.

I got into Indian Institute of Science(IISc) Bangalore through a lot of hardwork and also some luck I feel. I didn’t make it there the first time, but I always wanted to pursue my PhD from IISc. I did a 1-year research project in IISc before I transitioned to do my PhD after my masters. I was lucky to be working in a lab that gave me the exposure to work in an area that I was interested in. My guide always motivated me to work on different projects. I think two things play a role if you want to finish your PhD on time. One is your project and secondly the support of your guide. 

Another thing that I realized when I spoke with my peers in IISc was – the most difficult and challenging part of a PhD was the project not being completely defined. There were students who ended up working on different projects that didn’t end up being a complete story and I know people in their third and fourth year, who started a new project because their initial project did not work. So, if the guide does not have a clear vision about the project then that is also a problem. Anyone who is interviewing for a PhD no matter which institute – whether IISc or any other institute, should have a very clear conversation with their mentor about the research project they would be pursuing in their lab.

How has having research experience helped you before doing PhD ?

During my masters I got a research fellowship where I worked at All India Institute of Medical Science(AIIMS). That was my first exposure to research during which I realized that this is something I like to do.  After my masters I got selected for PhD at National Institute of Immunology(NII) but I always dreamt of going to IISc for my research. I got the opportunity to work on a research project at IISc, before I jumped into PhD.  That one year research project was quite eye opening during which I realized what it takes to do a PhD. I worked alongside PhD students, I did the long hours, I wrote papers and that actually made me realize that I am okay and I am willing to do this because I liked the work that I did. These were the things that the one year research project did open my eyes to. 

My suggestion to anyone wanting to pursue PhD- if you have the opportunity to do a research project or get a summer internship, do give it a chance and try and understand what it is before jumping into the boat and then realizing halfway through that this was not meant for you. Do a research project and realize what it takes to do a PhD and the path forward. 

How did you decide your research interest?

The way IISc operates is that you get your GATE/NET fellowship,and based on the GATE/NET rank, one is called for an interview. The general interview process includes two stages and once passing both rounds, you get to choose a mentor. However, it is also equally important that the mentor chooses you as well, that’s how it works. When I reached out to my guide, he was equally willing to work with me. We discussed the project I was going to work with and gladly, it was related to cancer and designing peptide drugs,which got me really interested. I ended up doing my PhD in Peptide Chemical Biology and got to engineer peptide-based drugs for both cancer and infectious disease targets. Additionally, as the lab was new and I was officially the first student, it gave me a lot of exposure to get trained by my PI directly.

While doing my PhD I got exposed to different areas of research. I always wanted to join the industry because I work in drug discovery which has more opportunities in industry. I chose my postdoc in such a way that it had relevance in industry so that I could  get trained in that area and move forward from there. 

According to you, why is doing a Postdoc is considered as the next obvious step after PhD?

While you don’t need a PhD to join industry but to rise the ranks in an industry and be in leadership positions you may need a PhD. PhD is more mentor driven. Postdoc is mostly individualistic work where you lead a project. That is seen as an independent contribution, and therefore Postdoc is considered work experience after a PhD, by the industry. What happens in a postdoc is that you are an individual contributor and you drive your own project in different ways possible and end up working on paper. During PhD you are more focused on the one particular project you are working on and getting it done.  When people opt for a  postdoc, they start exploring other careers as well- like a scientist in the industry, a professor in academia, consulting, patent law, entrepreneurship etc. During PhD you are always focused on one goal, but during postdoc you work on your project and  also have the time to explore other careers. 

How is doing research in industry different from doing research in academia?

Industry is more target driven because that’s where the money is coming from.  You solely are not responsible for one project; there is always a team you are working alongside with. In PhD and postdoc you have the chance to explore your scientific side, go to any direction you are interested in and pursue that. In industry the work is very project-oriented and specific. Any project or any idea that you are willing to explore should contribute to the final outcome of the research. Another important thing in the industry are the strict timelines, which is why there are multiple people involved on a single project. One has to  deliver a project within a particular timeline as somebody else’ work might be dependent upon yours.  In academia, nobody is waiting on you for your work. So, one gets more of a free hand in academia as compared to industry. 

Are PhDs and postdocs too specialized for industry jobs? What advice would you like to give to people who want to join the industry?

In industry there are two mindsets I believe. One where you are told that you are too specialized in one particular area. Another is that you have good expertise and your contribution would be significantly valued. Most people join after PhD because some industries do consider PhD as experience especially when you have been in that research area. Industry is also willing to take people who are fresh out of PhD and open to learn. In industry it is very important to have an open mindset to work in any area. Being adaptive and receptive is one of the key factors.  

In my case when I joined Genentech, my postdoc was considered as experience during which I worked on different techniques as compared to my PhD. So the experience during my postdoc helped me transition. If someone wants to change their area of research they use postdoc as a stepping stone so they can move into that area in industry. That was my strategy. I knew I wanted to work in that area. Also coming from India and navigating the visa challenges in the US, postdoc was an easy route that helped me gain experience and move into Industry. You have to read the job description very thoroughly, understand what you would bring to that role, and connect with the hiring managers to understand if you are the right fit for the role. 

Please tell us about your experience at STEMPeers. What motivates you to contribute as a volunteer for STEMPeers and how it is helping you in your professional journey?

STEMpeers is a non-profit organization that I am very proud to be associated with, since 2018. I feel the need to stay connected with people who are working in the industry or academic lab and one of the ways to do this is to be a part of the organization who are doing this. STEMPeers was one of those communities. It was started with fellow IIScians, who were navigating the challenges in their research journey, either in academia or industry, in US. Today we are more than 25000+ members from different areas of research from different parts of the world. There is a core set of leadership groups, who outside of their regular jobs, volunteer to help people. 

One of the things STEMpeers helped me with was to find a mentor who helped me with my CV and pitch myself to my prospective postdoc advisor. It also helped me navigate the challenges that one usually faces when one moves to the US for the first time. I was very lucky to find a mentor who – helped me with finding a house, understanding the visa issues, building my network, pushed me to volunteer and helped me understand how I can transition to industry. Eventually, I became an active volunteer. I started talking to people, exploring different areas. I interviewed people who are in patent law, consulting. I did a consulting casebook to understand which career is right for me. Through this platform I got connected with a huge network of people in different areas, and they were just willing to give their time to help other people. Also, STEMPeers has a very niche venture called Gurukul devoted solely to people looking to transition from academia to industry and needs help with CV building, networking, interview preparation, etc. The venture is a mentor-mentee driven program, where the mentor guides you from navigating your job searches to landing a job! However, it is important to keep in mind that a mentor will guide you, but the real work is done by the individual itself. So, if the individual is devoted, he will surely achieve his goal.

Recently I was given the opportunity to organize the STEMpeers 2023 conference, where I was the program management lead and responsible for designing the program and its panelists, along with my amazing team. This helped me network with a wide variety of panelists, who are at different levels in industry. Besides that, one gets to build a social connection and build perspective on different career paths like entrepreneurship. Being a volunteer, it not only benefited me but  also made me happy that I was able to help others in the process. I feel like anyone who wants to transition or is just willing to expand their network, should be a part of STEMPeers. The motto of the organization is to “just pay it forward”. There is no monetary gain. Everyone devotes their own personal time for the benefit of other people. 

What advice would you like to give to students who are considering a career in STEM? 

The first advice would be that they have to be very proactive about their career. If there is a research area that you like, pursue it to your fullest capability. Don’t do anything because of peer pressure. Also understanding which environment is right for your growth is very important. If the organization does not support your growth, then it is better to leave it. I have known many of my friends who were very brave to leave the toxic environment and start their PhD again in an environment that was well supportive of their behavior.

Another advice is to be very persistent. There will be times when you will not feel motivated but it’s important to show up and keep trying. There will be a day when you will go through imposter syndrome like- Do I really know anything? I still have such thoughts at times. But at that time you need to accept that you need support. Being open to receiving help and having a peer support group will help you a lot to navigate through difficult times. Be proactive, persistent, find your own support group. 

Understand that some opportunities may not bear fruit right now but will be very helpful at a later stage. Not everything can be for profit. Some things are just done to build a network and maybe that will pay off down the years. 

The biggest mistake made by PhDs and Postdocs is that if they want a job, they immediately jump in and start asking for references. It doesn’t work that way. You have to invest your time in building a network. I always advise people that if you know your journey, start building a network at the earliest. It’s a long process. Being very aware of what you want is very important. 

What can organizations and institutions do to create a more inclusive environment for people pursuing research?

While I was in India I wasn’t aware about other areas in which I could make a career because there was no exposure given to it. Most of the people that I had interacted with felt that academia is the way to go and anything else is not worth it. I feel organizations and institutes in India should work towards developing a career forum. Secondly for women it’s important to have an unbiased group of people where they can go and talk to. There should be a women support team to hear out their problems and take strict actions against any abuser. 

In your opinion, what changes would benefit the way research is conducted today and why?

As I mentioned earlier- having a clear vision for your project. Having done research in India I have seen in my peers, the clear vision of a project is missing. In science it is very important to know if we are asking the right question. Secondly, having a mentor that will help you build an independent career. Even though I received good training during my PhD I would have loved to receive more mentorship. One of the things I feel is that in India people are very secretive about their own science and that I feel is something that needs to change. Science should be shared, as the more you share the more you learn. 
Siddhi Bodke Author
Career Stories

Career Stories: Chapter 7

Academia Plus

In this chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the journey of Dr. Anil Kumar Challa who is an Adjunct Professor in the department of biology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Apart from this, he is also a senior scientist at Shiv Nadar University Delhi NCR.

In this candid chat he takes us through his professional journey and talks about what keeps him motivated enough to continue pursuing a Career in Academia. 

What motivated you to take science?

So, there are two answers here. One is as fundamental as being human-I think there’s this urge to find out (more about) things. 

I guess it might sound philosophical, but I think every kid is a scientist. Every infant is so curious about the world and if it is not inhibited then I believe that everybody has the potential to become a scientist in some way or the other.

But for me in terms of a career path in science sometime around sixth grade I gravitated more towards medicine/biology. Those days, it was a social thing- you either became an engineer or a doctor. And by eighth grade, I subscribed to MBBS tutorials, but did not read a single page of it. As a kid, I wasn’t studious, nor did I read textbooks or complete my homework properly. But then, I definitely enjoyed it in middle school, when we had to study different flowers. As a kid, I grew up with a backyard full of flowering plants and fruit trees. I really enjoyed my time with the plants. It was not something very special, or something that was leading me to ‘science’ per say, but I started observing and studying a lot of things by myself. Once, in a class activity, I actually took a razor blade to cut a flower  in a  longitudinal section, drew it, and  coloured it. The reason I’m mentioning this particular incident is because the activity is extremely vivid in my memory even now- so, I started enjoying the process of going through details of things. 

And then, over the years, I got really fascinated by human anatomy and forensic sciences. In the ninth grade, one of my classmates introduced me to science reporter, and I just loved those articles- the way they were written, and I was really fascinated about ballistics and all kinds of chemistry. By the time I was in 11th and 12th grade, I gave a lot of pre-medical entrances, but eventually I realized that medicine is not for me. However, I was already bitten by a general fascination towards everything ‘science’.

Once I got into my undergrad, it was very clear in my head that this is a path I wanted to follow. My learning then was not limited to life sciences as I learnt a lot about engineering and coding through two of my very good friends from the hostel. The Banaras Hindu University campus also really helped me- that it was a very generous institution in a sense that they did not restrict an undergrad’s participation in any seminar or lectures. And because of this, I got immense clarity in my second year BSc that this is the direction that I want to pursue my career in.

You pursued a BSc in agriculture and then shifted your career to molecular biology and genetics., What inspired this transition, and was it difficult?

While in my first year of under graduation, MSc biotechnology was newly introduced, and students had a craze for it. They introduced various subjects in that course. For example, biochemistry was a separate subject/paper. My seniors, who were good friends, were preparing for the MSc Biotechnology entrance exam conducted by JNU. They were reading Principles of Biochemistry by Lehninger, which seemed interesting while I conversed with them about genetics and biochemistry. Also, one of my professors who had gone to the UK to attend the Human Genome Conference returned with lots of literature which he gave my seniors. That got me fascinated, and a couple more of such incidents caught my interest in biochemistry and molecular biology. I realized that despite being an agriculture graduate I can still pursue my research career in molecular biology. This realization dawned on me when I noticed that the authors of those publications were from diverse fields and departments. So while applying for PhD programmes in the US, I kept my options open for various programs. Particularly how I got into molecular genetics at Ohio State University for PhD might seem very silly. Those were pre internet days. We had to write to the university to procure the application form, which was difficult considering we did not know their addresses. Coincidentally when I visited my friend in IIT Madras he offered me an extra form from the Ohio State University, enquiring if I was interested to apply. I had not planned to apply there but checked out their various departments, found molecular genetics very interesting and applied for my PhD, though it was not a serious attempt. And if not for Ohio university, the story would have remained the same because I was not even sure about my research problem. It was simply my fascination for molecular biology. 

I had executed a summer internship at AIIMS in the department of biophysics for two and a half months. Summer internships in those days were not common, though today, quite unfortunately, everyone has to do it. Dr. TP Singh was very encouraging. He did not question me as to why an undergrad should work in a lab, rather he permitted me to join his lab. That environment added immense value to my learnings/understanding about research. Discussions with PhD students were extremely insightful and since I was accommodated in a research scholar’s room I could learn a lot from their conversations.

So that pretty much sums up how I landed at the Department of molecular genetics. Though it was by chance, this was bound to happen since I knew I would pursue my career in this field. I just wanted to understand how life works -the molecular basis of life. 

Which books piqued your interest in science?

I was actually scared of reading books. I am saying this out loud for such kids who are like me. Until 10th I read perhaps only one book outside my syllabus. My physics teacher in Class 12 was a very interesting character, a voracious reader. We were blessed to have a teacher like him, though at that time I disliked him as a teacher as he was very old school and strict. Also, at that time, I wanted my teacher to tell me how to crack exams, and nothing else. However, would say that there is no IIT physics or IIT chemistry, there is only physics and chemistry. He would carry a book to class which he never shared with any of us.

Nevertheless, he created an intense curiosity in us to know what the book was all about. One day he came to class and said “If you are a biology student and you haven’t read this, you are not a biology student “. He was talking about In Search of the Double Helix by John Gribbin. I bought it from an old second hand book shop and that book was a page turner! I was hooked on it. Another book that made me veer towards life sciences was The Double Helix by James Watson. It was quite an expensive book but my parents bought it for me, no questions asked. I recommend these gems to all undergrads. No doubt they are controversial, involving plenty of gossip, but rest assured- you simply won’t be able to put them down, once you start reading them.

Did you ever feel like giving up on academia, and if yes then what motivated you to continue?

In my undergrad I read Lehninger’s Biochemistry cover by cover and while doing that in the reference section there were all these scientific American articles that made me realize that PhD or research in general is not a straightforward path. Culturally it has been inculcated in my mind that every journey has its challenges, but that does not mean that one should not proceed with it. Now, I remember only good things about my PhD but there are definitely one or two times that I thought “That’s it, I want to quit!” . But since I was in the US and not India, quitting meant that if it would have taken me 2-3 weeks to pack everything up and come back- and within that buffer period, something interesting always happened in the lab which made me realize that it was worth continuing and that’s how I  completed my PhD. 

There are three types of truths- “, known known”, “known unknown” and “unknown unknown”. The reason for the frustration is “unknown unknown”, with which even your guide cannot help you, and that is frustrating but you have to deal with it on your own. Understanding that- if an experiment does not work, then it’s not always the protocol that goes wrong, sometimes it’s our own mistakes too and,changing even a small component can make a huge difference- as a student we are always impatient and believe that everything should work the way it has been prescribed to us,but that is ’ not always the case. There are times when things don’t work out, and one needs to figure out why. 

After PhD, I thought about quitting research a couple of times. After my post-doctoral tenure, I could not continue with research-  but by then, I was also pursuing a career in science education and that kept me going on. Teaching is what I love doing and is now the reason I continue to remain in science.

What changes do you think are required in the current scenario of the Indian education system?

In any graduate program, not much thought is given to mentoring students. Everybody focuses on what study material should be shared. The focus is on the content and the assessment. The goal should not be in turning all students into scientists. Rather, they should be allowed to choose,while we can definitely contribute to making the journey interesting and engaging. Students should not believe it is wrong to change one’s career path or field of education. In case you are a biotechnology graduate and you see no reason nor interest in hanging onto that path, you should change your domain, confidently. It is your growth and you have to choose what is best for you. Only you  can mold yourself into the best version of you. 

The system should be more student oriented. This confidence should be instilled in students if this course is not working out for you something else will, because we all are trying for the sustenance of our society when seen as a larger picture.
Mustafa Inamdar Author
Career Stories

Career Stories: Chapter 5

Academia Plus

In this chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the journey of Gayatri Ramachandran who is pursuing a PhD in Biochemistry at the School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad. She has had a decade of experience spanning research, industry and teaching, primarily in Genetics. This apart, she is also an academic mentor who is enthusiastic about career guidance in Life Sciences.

In a candid chat Gayatri talked about how she applies her scientific learnings in her daily life and why she is passionate about teaching and mentoring.

As you have pursued your B.Sc and M.Sc in Genetics, could you please tell us about your interest in Genetics and how did you decide to pursue it?

It all started back in my 12th standard, when I came across a chapter on Genetics. I would like to call it “me-search” here, as Genetics has helped me understand what I am and how I can utilise the knowledge of behavioural and psychological traits belonging to my pedigree, to enhance my personality and make me a better human being. Genetics helps me apply that knowledge to my daily life and to my immediate family. Science has always been a part of my daily life. I love to apply what I learnt. It’s not for the sake of building a career that I do anything. Genetics, I felt, will help a lot because life starts at the DNA level. It helps me tweak acquired traits to lead a better life.

How is/was your experience in being an academic mentor?

I never knew that I would be a good mentor, I did not have any mentor back then when I was a student. During my UG and PG, the concept of mentoring was very primitive and not many people were into it. I missed out on that part, so I felt my students should not miss out on it and I should pass on my learnings to them. When I joined as a lecturer, it helped me understand my innate strength in mentoring. Students connect with me and they reach out to me when they need help with their career, and, while facing mental health issues, imposter syndrome etc. After speaking to me they feel better and that is how I started my journey as a mentor. I did not take up any formal courses in mentorship. It is my innate strength that came out during teaching. The mentorship experience is very rewarding and I plan to continue it for the rest of my life. I’ve realised it comes naturally to me, thanks to my genes. 

What is your work as a Researcher.Life ambassador?

It’s more than work, it’s an experience- it revolves around connecting to other researchers, learning mutually, growing and supporting each other. Researcher.Life is a good platform where one can ask questions pertaining to research or anything in Academia. I got into the ambassador program only a few months ago. It was through one of their services-R Voice, that I got into this. R Voice is an amazing community platform which provides emotional and academic support, including mental health support to researchers, worldwide. Editage Insights, under which Researcher.Life comes,  covers all the broad areas of Academia, including: how to write a publication, how to read a review, how to go through research literature, how to understand the peer-review process, etc. Additionally, it supports my practice as a mental health advocate. Mental health is a taboo topic and nobody really talks about it but R Voice is like a family where all of this is discussed, quite comfortably.

What has been your go-to motto in life when things don’t work out?

I have go-to people, who are my mentors including my current PhD supervisor to whom I go for advice on my research front. In addition to that, I would seek my father’s advice on the professional front as well, primarily because he is the reason why I had been motivated into science. His motto, “Science in daily life”, is also my motto.

What was your ‘cloud-9’ moment in life sciences?

For me, every day is a ‘cloud-9’ moment as every day is an opportunity to learn something new. I wake up with the motivation that I am going to utilize the day to progress in something- be it on the professional or personal side. When I go to bed I feel happy that I have achieved something and that it was a day well spent. If nothing (substantial) has happened on a particular day, it is still a neutral day. I believe it is better we do not have cloud 9 moments (moments of hyper-excitement) often as we tend to lose track of what our actual goals are. Psychologically that is how it works. Hence, I strive to maintain balanced emotions, always in life.

Do you have an anecdote to tell us about your student or professional life?

My education plus career started and has remained in Hyderabad. I see many students are under peer-pressure to get out and explore. But I never felt the pressure as I believed in following those paths that made me happy. I would say-”Do what makes you happy and there is never a definite, tailored path to one’s happiness”.

If you ever put yourself in a stand that you might regret later, then that is not going to help. When I was an early career researcher, I had to deal with mental health issues because of a toxic lab environment and supervisor. I finally decided to leave that position, owing to the toxic work culture/environment. This decision wasn’t easy and it took me a good 6 months to arrive at that conclusion. I weighed all the pros and cons, weighing my personal vs professional life, whether it would affect me later and so on. My tagline in those 6 months was “I should never regret this decision later, ever”. I looked for other opportunities, and that’s when I came across a position at Thomson Reuters, that perfectly fit my passion and experience. I felt it was God sent. They required personnel with an academic background in Genetics, which fit my profile to the T. A  career switch as this to industry was interesting as well as challenging. When I look back I think that getting out of that toxic lab environment was the best decision I had made in my life till date. When you know you deserve better, it’s better not to stay in such environments- be it related to your work, or your personal life. Never put up with anything toxic in your life. That 3 year stint as an early career researcher was a great learning experience. I was able to turn a negative experience into a positive one. It is a lesson well learnt, for life, and something I mentor students about, as well. To the mentees who are stuck at a stage of transition in academics or career- perform an honest self-assessment, know what you love, know what you want and your soul WILL pull you towards that.
Aaqifa Shaikh Author
Career Stories

Career Stories: Chapter 1

Academia Plus

In the very first chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the journey of Urjita Joshi, a postdoctoral scientist in the vaccine development team, at a European pharmaceutical company. Urjita reminisces about some of the pivotal moments during her PhD journey, which helped her become the person she is today.

When did you realise that you wanted to pursue a PhD?

After my post-graduation, I took a break for almost 6 months, after which I started an internship at ACTREC in a lab working on Cancer Biochemistry. This was a phase when I was exploring options for research and deciding whether I wanted to do a PhD at all and had no clue what I was going to do ahead with this internship. I had absolutely no expectations from this internship, especially after my break and a hectic postgraduate course. I had applied all over the world for all kinds of positions. When I started this internship, I just wanted to get out of my house, from the monotonous phase of job hunting on numerous websites and get back behind a bench to start thinking like a scientist (and not a salesperson, selling my profile to grab a job!). I wanted to check if I still enjoyed it. And, I was pleasantly surprised, by how much I learned (theoretically and technically) and how fast my brain got adapted to looking at research with a new perspective and enthusiasm. It was this small internship that gave me the complete realisation that- yes I love research and I want to pursue a PhD!

Could you share some of the happiest moments during your PhD?

Definitely, it has to be, when I got a spectacular image of an immune cell eating an extracellular particle inside in a live mouse liver tissue! This was a part of a small side project that I had started on my own. Right from conceptualisation, literature survey (to prove that this was not as bizarre as it sounds), narrowing down upon the best and the most cost-effective techniques, to finding the right collaborator and equipment… until I finally got that one image- was all my brain- child. It was extremely challenging physically and mentally to trouble shoot and co-ordinate a million things all by myself, but it was extremely empowering to see the image that had been captured. I had to overcome not only usual scientific challenges, which is a part-and-parcel of PhD, but in this case, I had to continuously keep motivating myself with extra vigour, because nobody really believed in my vision until they saw it on screen that one fine day.

Could you share some of the lessons learnt during your PhD?

I learnt that that there can be nothing as depressing and yet, as rewarding as the journey of a PhD student. I have seen the worst of me and the best of me in the 4 years of my journey! But the one thing that was constant was- making peace with whatever comes your way. I learnt to accept failure and disappointment as well as soaring success and recognition. I realised that I could not afford to be caught in losses or gains, because then I would never be able to move ahead in my journey. So, the subject, field or technical knowledge should not be how one judges a good PhD. One should of course choose a subject or field of their interest, but what one does ahead with that choice, is much more important. It is easier said than done, I know- I also learnt it the hard way! But realising it already, is a huge step.
Madhura Panse Author
Career Stories

Webinar revisit: What does a PhD look like?

Academia Plus

In this article we revisit our webinar held in May 2020, which offered prospective PhD students a comparison of PhD journeys across USA, Europe and India.

When Hamlet exclaims “To be or not to be?” aspiring PhD students cannot help but resonate with the essence – “To do or not to do (a PhD), that is the question!”. The decision of starting a doctoral journey is probably one of the biggest decisions of any student’s life and like all important decisions, has to be well-informed. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of resources that gives students a glimpse of the different phases of a PhD student’s journey – the good and bad alike. In order to help students ease the process of decision-making, we invited postdoctoral researchers and industry experts who had completed their doctoral journeys in different parts of the globe, had seen quite a few tough days during their respective PhD journeys and had successfully made it to the other end-

Aditya Kulkarni PhD, Biochemistry from the Baylor College of Medicine, USA

Amar Parvate PhD, Biological Sciences) from Purdue University, USA

Devika Ranade PhD, Cell Biology) from IISER Pune, India

Gaurav Diwan PhD, Bioinformatics, NCBS, Bangalore, India

Alka Bhat PhD, Biophysics from IGBMC, France

Shraddha Shitut PhD, Microbiology, Max Planck Institute, Jena, Germany

In an informal chat session with our founder Madhura Panse, they spoke in depth about their experiences, lessons learnt and important takeaways and gave students a virtual tour of what a PhD looks like in USA, Germany, France and India. They discussed the nuances of a typical PhD journey with the help of five key components–

  1. Nature of the PhD program
  2. Lab Environment
  3. Skill Development
  4. Networking opportunities
  5. Work-Life balance

Nature of the PhD program-

In USA- students enrol for a structured PhD program. However, in the US, prospective PhD students are required to dedicate a certain number of hours in academic coursework as well as teaching or mentoring undergraduate students. Apart from that, they also undergo lab rotations, and eventually choose the lab of their interest and aptitude. Students then present and defend their topic of interest as a formal proposal to the committee and commence their thesis work thereafter. In India-students enrol for a structured program, however, unlike in the USA, students are not obliged towards any academic coursework and/or teaching duties. But, they may still have to go through lab rotations. In Europe, the scenario may be completely different, as students enrol for a funded project with no teaching duties and no requirement of additional lab rotations and/or coursework (in most cases, at least). Therefore, students may already know the lab and the lab advisor before starting their PhD. Thus, they start working in the lab and on their project from day 1.

These differences in the structure of the PhD program also lead to differences in the duration of the PhD- in US and India, the average time for completing a PhD is anywhere between 4-6 years, while in Europe, the average time is 3-4 years.

Lab Environment –

The relationship between a mentor and mentee, the organisation of the lab, and an individual’s equation with their lab-mates/colleagues are all an important part of the PhD journey. These components not only introduce an individual to the PhD but also set the tone for the entire journey, since an individual typically ends up spending an average of 10 hours per day with their lab-mates. Unlike an academic scenario which is divided primarily into a student-teacher population, a PhD lab environment has a variety of individuals- starting with the immediate mentor/boss, senior PhD students, post docs, research assistants, and lab assistants. Thus, it is essential to remember that while doing a PhD, one is a student (while interacting with senior lab personnel), as well as an employee/manager (while interacting with lab assistants)! Getting acclimatised to these hierarchical differences is an essential component of any PhD journey. Additionally, cultural differences in both USA and Europe, as well as language barriers in some areas in Europe might pose some initial problems while communicating science. A dedicated time and effort towards understanding each other, developing a flexible and global mindset, learning the local languages and quirks can definitely help the students in overcoming these issues.

After these initial barriers are crossed, regardless of the country or the lab, there is an immense potential to form some deep and meaningful friendships that in some cases, can last a lifetime.

Skill Development –

Skill-building during PhD is an area where students can easily reap the benefits regardless of the geographical location of their PhD. Broadly speaking, these skills can be divided into two categories: technical and non-technical.

Technical skills are gained by developing sufficient expertise on various techniques employed by students to solve the scientific problems encountered during the PhD. Examples of these could be – project specific skills (techniques learnt specifically for the project), experiment specific skills (improvement of the existing techniques in order to improve the experiment outcome), lab specific skills (techniques learnt while contributing to projects of lab-mates and/or performing lab responsibilities).

Non – technical skills or soft skills are harder to measure, but can act as a wonderful reward of following through your PhD journey diligently. Examples of these could be: developing an independent thought process while understanding the nuances of research methodology (forming a hypothesis, planning an experiment and trouble-shooting the results); managing one’s time and resources meticulously (the success of any PhD journey hinges largely upon these two factors); an increased self-awareness by holding oneself accountable for the completion of experiments; and an improvement in verbal as well as written communication skills. Lastly, one of the most critical and underrated soft skills that can be acquired during a PhD, is the ability develop a flexible attitude towards unlearning and relearning scientific concepts.

Networking opportunities –

Developing good networking skills is extremely important for PhD students, regardless of where they are situated. Opportunities like conferences, workshops, collaborations, lab meetings, departmental seminars, career events, informal group discussions, informal lunches and coffee get-togethers are some great ways to build a network during the PhD. Efficiency in verbal and written communication is a given, but learning restraint is also important- knowing when to simply listen, is an essential component of networking. Networking opportunities also serve a medium for one’s personal growth. From learning the art of elevator pitches to formal written communication, one has the opportunity to expand their skills and knowledge, so it is extremely beneficial for PhD students to dedicate sufficient time and efforts towards building their networking skills during the journey.

Work-life balance –

Regardless of geographical location, this is an area where all PhD students struggle immensely for a long time during their PhD journey. Nonetheless, here are five points that every prospective PhD student should strive for in order to achieve work-life balance-

Increase productivity by occasional unwinding – unwinding with a hobby, a little cooking session, evening walks or just relaxing in the blanket with a mug of your favourite drink can be extremely energising after a tiring day in the lab. These periodic breaks are also essential to increase productivity at work.

Compartmentalisation – Leaving the tiring day, troubled experiments back in the lab is critical to keep oneself sane during the long and arduous PhD journey.

Establishment of a routine – Making a routine prior to starting the PhD journey helps immensely in planning the day and thus, enjoying the ‘life’ beyond work.

Sustained communication with friends/family from the ‘non-scientific world’ – During the PhD journey, one can feel extremely disconnected with the so-called ‘non-scientific world’ as they are mostly unable to understand the nuances of the scientific work, or the disappointment upon repeated failure of experiments. However, this is also precisely why one should stay connected with their friends/family/loved ones since it is in these connections that students can sometimes find a fresh perspective to their issues and are able to view their life beyond the lab and the experiments.

Travel – Taking occasional vacations can be a great source of refreshment to the mind, and taking vacations with your lab-mates can act as a good source for team bonding. Pursuing a PhD in Europe offers perks in this regard- quick weekend getaways are not only affordable but involve less travel times as well!

As you can see, deciding to pursue a PhD (or not) is never an easy choice and there is no right or wrong way to go about it. There is much to consider before plunging yourself into this long journey, and we hope that this article helped you  at least in some ways, in making an informed decision about pursuing a PhD.