Not every day in the lab is a good day, and that's ok ๐! As scientists, it's time we embrace transparency about the ups and downs of our research journeys ๐๐ฉ๐ฌ.
In today's world of social media, it's essential to stay visible and engaged in our scientific community ๐ฌ๐คณ . We all understand the need to keep up-to-date with the latest achievements and opportunities. Yet, the truth is that success stories aren't that frequent, especially for #earlycareerresearchers or those embarking on new projects. ๐
I was recently invited at Bundesanstalt fรผr Materialforschung und -prรผfung
to give a talk on 'Tweet, Pitch, and AI: New Ways of Talking Science' and the discussion that followed pointed out that many #PhD students are reluctant to actively engage in social media because they feel inadequate and fear that they lack the success stories that others seem to share effortlessly. ๐คทโ๏ธ
When I think about it, I firmly believe that the scientific community I aspire to be a part of values authenticity and considers success also any valuable lessons learned from failure. ๐
Personally, I see immense value in sharing setbacks. On the one hand, I am aware that it's through challenges that we all learn and innovate ๐ก. On the other hand, I hope that by sharing the ups ๐งโ๏ธ and downs ๐โ๏ธ of my journey, I can foster genuine connection and perhaps even inspire others facing similar challenges ๐ค .
So, let me start with my most recent failure ๐
After two years of scientific discussions, identifying potential collaborators, collecting preliminary data, and countless hours perfecting a grant proposal, my project - part of a collaborative research center focusing on the study of multifaceted interactions occurring when molecules are interfaced with 2D materials - won't receive funding. ๐
This outcome is disappointing and a bit depressing, as this step would have been a crucial milestone in my academic career. It feels odd to go to the lab now and I know it will take me a few days to digest, recharge my motivation and enthusiasm for lab work, and think about what I want to do next. ๐
Besides finding memes that best express my thoughts and feelings, ๐
I still haven't figured out what is the valuable lesson to learn here, so feel free to help me out! ๐ ๐
#sciencefluencer
#sciencecommunication
#transparencymatters
#academicsuccess
Strategy | Comp. Bio | ML / AI | Ex-IQVIA, Illumina
1moInterested