community
Random thoughts about science and some links
Need for a community(ies) in academia
Being able to pursue science is a privilege that did not sink into me during my undergrad. During my time at graduate school, through discussions with my wonderful friends, I have come to realize the many privileges (e.g., non-justified subtle benefits of being an upper-caste Hindu back home, access to an Anglo-Indian English-speaking school growing up, going to one of the premier universities for undergrad) I have enjoyed in my life which allowed me to undertake doctoral studies. I also realize being raised in a working-class family from a non-metro city places me in a unique situation to view academic pursuits and career trajectories from a very different lens. Until I got comfortable with some lovely friends and colleagues in sharing my thoughts and feelings, I felt very isolated while navigating academia in grad school. I also struggled to get the human influence of academia in my initial years, until my colleagues, including many senior researchers, told me about their struggles in their scientific careers.
I realize that this might be true with many of us, especially for those who come from non-academic and non-traditional backgrounds. To that end, I strive to provide the same support that my friends and colleagues have extended to me:- I welcome Early Career Researchers to discuss their non-scientific feelings whenever I am at a conference or a meeting over a cup of espresso! Meeting folks in a personal capacity is one of the prime reasons why I attend conferences and workshops, and I would be very happy to talk about the human aspects of science. Who knows, with enough momentum, we can connect more people with the communities they want to be a part of, but are not aware of, or maybe we start some ourselves!