What Makes A Good Scientist?
By Ryia Illani Mohd Yunos
Take charge of your bench
It’s called “your project” for a reason. Whatever reason it is, own it and have a pride in it. Try to make the most of it. A successful scientist proactively develops hypotheses and designs experiments without waiting for someone to tell them exactly what to do. Each day, when you come to the lab, challenge yourself to come up with one idea related to your project. Some of them will be bad, really bad, but many will be good. When you hit upon a good idea, take steps to plan out the experiment. Of course, taking charge of the bench isn’t limited to experiments. Want to write a review with your supervisor? Tell them. Propose a topic that you would be well-suited to write see what they say. Great scientists aren’t passive- they create their own opportunities.
Set a goal from the start
Set your own reliable goals from the start. Take out a piece of paper and write down your goals for whatever project you’re undertaking. For instance “Graduate in three years”, “Sequence the exomes of 10 samples in three months”, “Publish a paper once a year”, etc. Whatever it is you want to accomplish, write it down and make sure it stays within your field of view. Literally- post it on your workbench, put it in your drawer and do whatever it takes to keep the destination in mind. .
Prioritize
There is always another experiment (or ten) to set up and if we’re working on multiple projects, those numbers quickly get out of hand. Identifying the experiments that will benefit us most will help. We don’t spend five years chasing a result that nobody cares about anyway. Take a look at your goals and rank them in order of importance to you. Spend your time performing only those experiments that get you closer to completing your goals. This can be easier said than done as we often develop an emotional bond with a project. Unfortunately, there just isn’t enough time in a day to do everything we want to. So, some tough choices will have to be made..
Listen first, and then speak
When dealing with a boss/supervisors, a colleague or a collaborator proper communication is the key. Unfortunately, not everyone sees the world through our lens. When your supervisors/colleague says something you don’t completely agree with, before firing back with a response, take a minute to think about why they said it. Believe it or not, they say things for a reason. Yes, it may be incredibly frustrating when it’s not what you want to hear, but there’s always more to the story. Just as with experiments, try to make personal interactions “win/win” so that both sides benefit in some way.
Step away from the bench
It assumes that the hard work is efficient so that the project is moving forward as a result of the effort that we put in. As we progress throughout our development at the lab bench, we should become more productive. This means fewer mistakes, better experiments. Identify the elements in your personal and professional lives that make you more productive. Is it learning new techniques, reading more papers, getting the proper amount of sleep or playing around with your kids? Regardless of what solution works for you, periodically step away from the bench to recharge. Hard work is a lot less valuable if it’s not moving you forward. When things, doesn’t come in your way, don’t forget to relax, take a step back if the works are too much.
This article is inspired by the book of Stephen R. Convey- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.