Balanced and Productive Research

My Ph.D. years were insanely productive! This was due to a combination of factors: (i) I had moved from engineering to physics with a determination to prove that I was cut out for this field. (ii) I worked with extremely hard-working physicists who shaped the way I think, work, and do research. (iii) I had very good friends from my cohort with whom I spent most of my waking hours during the first three years and us collectively doing far more than just the required coursework.

My short stint as a postdoc was quite career-defining too! I was hired for a two-year postdoc in France (a common term length), and this timeline and the thought of moving again caused a lot of anxiety and panic. I was surprised by my own reaction to this expected uncertainty in academic life that I thought I was ready for. Thankfully, I had a good team who, outside of being really good physicists, not only understood the difficulties of this phase and empathised but also gave me the space to learn through a new field of physics that I had entered. They waited for me “produce” impactful work and prioritised my learning and growth. Through these two years, I learned how to have a sustainable work life, one that works through the long-haul marathon that research is with changing life situations. By all measures, I still got a lot of things done in my postdoc and, importantly, I learned to do so without burning the metaphorical candle at both ends.

During my postdoc, I was hired as a chargé de recherche (staff scientist) at CNRS through their national-level competition, and that is the job I am presently at as I write this. Again, a new collaboration, a new style of physics, a new city, and an entirely new scientific institution. Thankfully, I am again lucky to have a team who has given me the space to forge my own path and find the research that excites me. After many months of doing service work and lots of reading, I might presently be at the brink of having found something exciting! Taking all my lessons from my years of Ph.D. and postdoc of hard work, thinking in small steps, presenting often, having a roadmap, and most importantly, finding a balanced life, I am ready.