Growing up in an agricultural family, my interest in biology began during my school years. I pursued my Bachelors and Master’s degrees in Biotechnology from Bannari Amman Institute of Technology and K. S. Rangasamy college of Technology, Tamil Nadu. The encouragement I received from my grandparents and parents, especially my mother, instilled in me a passion to achieve what they could not, by leveraging my education. I was determined to pursue a career in research, though I did not have a full understanding of my strengths and weakness at the time.

The first step in my research journey was qualifying the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2013 Biotechnology. Then, I joined the PhD programme in Biological Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) in July 2014.

The initial days of my PhD were tough as I struggled to adapt to the IIT system, manage course work, and navigate the different kinds of people and the culture shifts.

However, over time, with the support and guidance of my PhD supervisor, Sameer V. Dalvi, I was able to overcome these challenges. I am deeply indebted to him for his precious advice and mentoring during those difficult times.

My PhD journey and future aspirations

My PhD dissertation diverged significantly from the foundational academic preparation I received during my Bachelor's and Master's programs. Through my doctoral research, I came to appreciate the importance of interdisciplinarity in scientific inquiry. My research focused on the formulation of multicomponent solids of poorly water-soluble drugs using crystal engineering approach to enhance bioavailability. This work bridged two key areas—formulation science and cell biology—on the path toward pharmaceutical development.

While working on the formulation part of my doctoral research, I secured various opportunities to broaden my skill sets, such as crystal engineering, pre-formulation development, and the independent handling of analytical and solid-state characterisation equipment, all within a single facility. After synthesising multicomponent solids by crystal engineering, we collaborated with Dhiraj Bhatia from the Biological Sciences and Engineering discipline, IITGN to investigate the efficacy of some of the synthesised curcumin multicomponent solids against the 3D tumour spheroids of triple negative breast cancer cells. The consistent support from Dalvi and Bhatia enabled me to learn 3D mammalian cell culture from scratch within a short period between 2019 and 2020. This collaborative research yielded promising results, particularly in controlling tumour growth.

Inclination towards multidisciplinary research

Although I was admitted to the PhD programme in Biological Engineering at IITGN, my PhD mentor, Dalvi belongs to Chemical Engineering discipline. Despite his specialisation, I have always admired his openness to multidisciplinary research. While some research labs focus solely on the research topics that overlaps with the mentor's interests, I have seen that Dalvi’s research lab embraces a wide range of research areas, including gas hydrates, liquid marbles, and biological applications—many of which extend beyond his primary expertise. This inclusive work culture motivated me to think independently and develop skills across multiple research domains.

Following my PhD, I embarked on my first postdoctoral training from October 2021 to February 2023 as a part of a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) - Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) sponsored research project. This research focused on the development of personalised medication system for deep space missions at the Molecular Science Research Center (MSRC). Once again, this project was interdisciplinary and I believe that it was an excellent opportunity for me to collaborate with researchers from different research backgrounds, notably green synthesis, pharmacogenomics and industrial crystallisation.

After gaining valuable experience in personalised drug formulations, I joined Kaushik Chatterjee’s research lab at Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, as a DBT-Research Associate in February 2023. Here, I was eager to expand my knowledge by working on the development of scaffold-based 3D disease models by extrusion-based 3D bioprinting. I once again experienced the profound impact of multidisciplinary science at IISc! While learning 3D bioprinting technology, I was amazed by how 3D printing and bio-printing technologies are revolutionising biomedical, pharmaceutical, and healthcare sectors. It was astonishing to witness the vast array of research dimensions within a single umbrella of biomaterials and tissue engineering.

My research journey at NIT Calicut

Since July 2023, I have been working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioscience and Engineering at National Institute of Technology (NIT) Calicut. I am certain of that the multidisciplinary research training I have received, starting from my PhD, has been instrumental in helping me prepare and submit project proposals as an independent researcher. This experience has also led to the honor of being selected for the prestigious Indian National Science Academy (INSA) visiting scientist award 2024-2025 and Researcher Collaborations Grant 2024 from Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). Drawing from the diverse research experiences I have gained in various research labs, I strongly believe that incorporating interdisciplinarity in research essential for students to secure a job in academia or industry. I would say that collaborative multidisciplinary research requires the following:

• Identification of a good collaborator and consistent co-ordination among the teams.
• Valuing and utilising the time and efforts of each member of the team.

My present research team, who are the main pillars of my research journey, comprise two doctoral students and six undergraduate students. My team works on the research domains of co-precipitation and crystallisation of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), protein nanofibrils, hydrogel-based drug delivery systems and drug formulations.

Currently, I do not have a dedicated research lab exclusively for my research work, but I am in the process of establishing one. In the meantime, I have been utilising workbench space generously shared by a few colleagues, to whom I am deeply grateful. Although building a research foundation from the ground up in India can be time-consuming and challenging due to factors like limited funding and space constraints, I am confident that with consistent hard work and perseverance, I will achieve it soon.

I would like to sincerely thank NIT Calicut and its administration for providing me with the golden opportunity to serve in Indian academia—a long-held dream of mine.

Finally, I am immensely grateful to my grandparents and parents, whose unwavering support and selfless sacrifices have guided me to where I am today.

Since I began my high school education in Chennai, I aspired to pursue a career in medicine and become a neurologist. Despite securing excellent grades in my high school examinations, my performance in a key state competitive examination was insufficient to secure admission to a state government medical college. Realising that a career in medicine was out of reach, I diligently explored university programs in neuroscience but didn't receive the career guidance I anticipated. Feeling dejected and down, I enrolled in an engineering college in the state and eventually became a computer science engineer. My decision to pursue a career in engineering was influenced by the burgeoning information technology industry in the country, and partly because of family and peer pressure.

During the four years of my undergraduate education, I developed strong mathematical and computer programming skills through my degree in computer science. Upon graduation, I was fortunate to secure a job offer at a top software services company. But deep down, I had a strong passion for biomedical sciences, particularly in the field of neuroscience.

At this juncture, I made a crucial decision that completely changed the trajectory of my career.

Against my family’s desires, I ultimately turned down the job offer and chose to pursue my passion. I went to the United Kingdom to pursue a Master's program in Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sheffield, where I explored the intersection of life sciences and mathematical sciences. It was a risky move, but it turned out to be a truly rewarding experience. Shortly after graduating with a Master’s degree, I pursued a PhD at the University of Antwerp, Belgium, followed by a postdoctoral stint at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in the United States. I was fortunate to be mentored by prominent scientists who significantly contributed to honing my academic and research skills. Despite the numerous detours, I eventually realised my dream.

Interdisciplinary skills and contemporary scientific questions

Despite its circuitous nature, my academic journey has broadened and strengthened my theoretical, analytical, and problem-solving skills, thanks to the interdisciplinary nature of modern science. Although I have switched my primary field of interest from computer science to neuroscience, the interdisciplinary (mathematical and computational) skills I acquired during my undergraduate education, and further refined during my masters, doctoral and post-doctoral training, have been invaluable assets for advancing of my research career in neuroscience.

Understanding how the human brain functions requires a complex interplay of experimental and computational skills. Given the intricacy of the brain, with billions of neurons and trillions of synapses that connect them, strong computational skills are essential for deciphering its complex operations across multiple spatial and temporal scales.

The significance of computational skills must be acknowledged in advancing biomedical research. Computational skills have proven to be pivotal in various aspects, such as identifying promising drugs and drug combinations for treating deadly brain diseases, discovering biomarkers for various pathological conditions, automated classification of subjects suffering from psychiatric conditions using machine learning, and applying bioinformatics methods for identifying promising anticancer treatments.

Computational skills are important

An event that is worth mentioning in my scientific career regarding the importance of computational skills is when my former advisor asked me to find promising drugs to prevent neuronal death after traumatic brain injuries. The field of traumatic brain injuries is quite challenging since there are no drugs to stop the flurry of cell death following the impact to the brain. I successfully employed my computational modeling skills and discovered that the combinatorial action of two drugs provides more benefits than the action of individual drugs. If such computational modelling expeditions precede experimental studies, this could save time and effort.

Another vital application of computational skills in my research work emerged recently during my interactions with one of my students. We were trying to identify which co-morbidities were commonly observed after traumatic brain injuries, and one of my students came up with an excellent idea to represent the co-morbidities in the form of a graph network and study their associations.

Such carefully crafted computational analysis could reveal unique insights into the underlying research question.

Teaching and mentoring undergraduate researchers

After completing my postdoctoral training at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, I joined Krea University as an Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences. At Krea, I teach various courses, from biological sciences to data sciences. Teaching is an enriching experience as it helps consolidate previously acquired knowledge. A typical class at Krea comprises students from diverse academic backgrounds, which requires me to apply a wide range of pedagogical methods to cater to their varying needs. I encourage my students to engage with a broad range of courses to equip them with the skills necessary to solve problems in their discipline of interest.

Motivated by my teaching, students have sought to undergo research training under my supervision. Undergraduate mentoring could be a gratifying experience as it helps to refresh one’s skills from scratch. Though time-consuming, if honed meticulously, undergraduate students could significantly contribute to a faculty member’s research program. It’s also an excellent opportunity for me as a faculty member to motivate and shape aspiring future scientists. Numerous undergraduate students with a keen interest in learning new things and from diverse academic backgrounds have contributed to my research, working specifically on applying computational and data science methods to problems in the domain of biomedical sciences.

At Krea, there is always an opportunity to collaborate with other faculty members and interweave my research work with different branches of sciences and social sciences. In this regard, I have started collaborating with faculty members from other disciplines, making my research program more and more interdisciplinary.

My passion for research developed during my MSc dissertation at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai. Initially, I was instructed to mix two bacterial stains, perform serial dilutions, and calculate the colony forming unit (CFU). While doing this, a persistent question emerged:

Am I only doing this for the entire six months? My friends are doing ​Polymerase Chain Reaction and cloning, so why not me?

I discussed this with my supervisor, who laughed and advised me to approach these fundamental laboratory experiments from different perspectives.

I was left wondering, “What exactly does that signify? They are only 10X cells after treatment with some compound.” Then he explained to me, “You’re mixing strains A and B to facilitate conjugation, to understand the frequency of gene transfer in terms of colony forming unit.” This pivotal moment sparked a never-ending wave of curiosity within me. From that point on, my complete experience as a project trainee was filled with learning, which ultimately helped me succeed in my PhD interviews.

Navigating changes and challenges during my PhD

I joined a PhD program at the Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology- Rourkela. I was not only my supervisor’s first student but also the department’s very first PhD student. Later, a few more joined. In the first year, we were busy establishing our labs, making insignificant progress in the research. My PhD supervisor was very open to collaboration and gave us the freedom to choose any lab in India or abroad where we could learn new skills, considering the challenges of being a new department.

I approached a senior scientist at the Biofouling and Biofilm Process Section, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Facility (BARCF), Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research-Kalpakkam. He agreed to guide me and allowed me to use his laboratory facility for my PhD research. Under his guidance, I spent the initial phase of my PhD learning about biofilms.

Everyone in his research group was generous enough to allow me to use their facilities and resources. To this day, I continue to collaborate with them. I am grateful to my PhD supervisor and my guide from BARCF for their invaluable assistance. I had a couple of learnings as a researcher that I inherited from my supervisor. The first is to work in the best possible way within available resources and time, without blaming the circumstances. If something is unworkable, collaborate and trust your collaborators. The second learning is that while engaging in research within environmental biotechnology, it is important to explore local environmental challenges, which are often overlooked, to make a global impact.

Working with grassroot innovators

After defending my thesis in 2015, I started looking for some academic and research positions at Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar to stay with family. During this period, the surge in research in medical biotechnology research limited opportunities for young researchers in marine/environment fields. I applied multiple times for research associate and fellow position at the National Innovation Foundation-India under Department of Science and Technology, but faced rejection due to my lack of experience in human health research. On the third attempt, I was selected as Senior Innovation Fellow.

The selection panel prioritised skills and a mindset suited for working with grassroots innovators over experience in medical biotechnology. It was one of the most challenging interviews I have ever faced. Despite many of my peers seeking positions abroad, I consciously chose to work on grassroots innovation for my post-doctoral experience. This choice was not welcomed by my mentor and peers, but I was determined to revisit innovation and research drive in India from the true stakeholder perspective i.e. the grassroots.

I joined National Innovation Foundation-India as Senior Innovation Fellow in the Value Addition Research and Development Unit of the Human Health Department. NIF was handling multiple schemes to promote grassroot innovations in India. During my 15-month tenure, I met multiple innovators, and learned about their experiences, innovations, and traditional knowledge. This opportunity allowed me to upgrade my knowledge related to public health and human diseases. Although that decision didn’t immediately open doors to academic positions, working with NIF transformed my perspective on biological science research and innovation.

I worked on several projects, particularly those promoting innovations by and for women. One notable experience was a field visit to Sehore, MP, where I met local innovators to verify their leads. I was inspired by the local women's self-help networks and their approach to knowledge sharing, which they viewed as a societal service, unlike researchers who often treat it as intellectual property. I saw how agrowaste and cow dung were traditionally converted into biogas for cooking without technological assistance.

The best lesson I learned at NIF was to credit society or knowledge holders and avoid exploiting their knowledge for intellectual property through fancy research.

Many research projects derived from traditional knowledge get published without crediting the original knowledge holders. My experience at NIF transformed me as both a researcher and a person. To this day, when I encounter grassroots innovators with valuable knowledge and motivation to solve societal issues, I feel empathy and respect for their work without the need for scientific validation. This perspective was a valuable gift from my time at NIF.

Stepping into academia

Coming from a research background, I was eager to to re-enter academia. After applying for faculty positions at several local biotechnology colleges, I chose a position at Government Science Colleges in Ahmedabad. There, I gained valuable experience teaching and guiding MSc dissertation students. But, establishing my research lab in marine biotechnology was a nightmare without foreign post-doctoral experience and a permanent position to apply for extramural grants. During that period, my PhD supervisor kept me motivated, encouraging academic writing and continuous learning. I also built a string network of students now working in different industries and research labs in Gujarat.

I firmly believe in the power of affirmations. Every day, I envisioned myself as a marine biotechnologist in Gujarat. In 2021, I applied for a faculty position in marine biotechnology at the Gujarat Biotechnology University-Gandhinagar, prompted by a former student. Despite initial doubts due to the university’s international collaborations, I applied and found that my past experiences perfectly aligned with the position's requirements.

My transition from research to innovation to academia was instrumental in securing the position at India’s first biotechnology university, which focuses on translational research addressing both local and global needs.

Now, I am in the process of establishing my research group, fortunately, I have a PhD candidate with an INSPIRE fellowship working on plastisphere biofilms in marine environment. Throughout my PhD and current position as an Assistant Professor, I have continued to explore different aspects of bacterial biofilms.

Learnings on the way

Every individual faces struggles, and we all have our own lessons to be uncovered. Here are mine:

• Establishing research group: Well, it’s tough no doubt, but I have seen how my PhD guide crossed this path. It keeps me motivated that I am not alone; everybody or many of us have to face this.
• Don’t forget your peers: Networking fresh is crucial! But don’t miss out on your peers. To this day, colleagues from my previous institutes and even my students continue to assist me with numerous essential tasks.
• International collaborations: Securing international collaborations can pose challenges for individuals lacking foreign experience. Fortunately, in my case, an established partnership between our institute and a foreign university facilitated the process.
• Eligibility criteria for the job and mindset of the interviewer: In my case, it took a longer time to align both. The major challenge I faced was the “reverse route”. Many individuals first gain post-doctoral experience abroad before returning home to contribute locally. However, I chose to directly serve my local community and applied for a position in a state university having international collaborations. Moreover, job requirements have become exceedingly specific making eligibility requirements itself challenging.

In recent years, securing an academic position in India's top premier institutions increasingly requires post-doctoral experience. Many colleagues who return from abroad do multiple post-docs, then apply for various re-entry fellowships, and then eventually secure a permanent, independent position. But my story took a different path.

Campus placement and relocating to Pune

My journey in academia began with a campus placement in Sharda University during the last year of my doctoral study at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur in 2019. The selection process for shortlisted candidates consisted of an interview discussing my research, future and motivation for teaching. I submitted my doctoral thesis in 2020 amidst the pandemic while expecting a baby. I then took a nine-month maternity break, during which I also grew frustrated with missing work and staying at home. In early 2021, I joined Sharda University, Noida, (where I was placed) as an Assistant Professor in the School of Agriculture Sciences. But, due to the partial lockdown, I couldn’t accomplish much during that one-year period. During this period, I also defended my doctoral thesis and was soon awarded the degree.

This was also the time when I was looking for positions closer to home in Mumbai. Soon, I received an offer for an Assistant Professor position at Dr. Vishwanath Karad MIT World Peace University (MIT WPU) in Pune. At that time, the School of Biology (now Department of Biosciences and Technology) was a new department with Masters and PhD programs in Biotechnology but almost no laboratories. At home, my early mornings were dedicated to preparing teaching slides, expressing milk for my baby, and helping my parents in the kitchen. Managing all these tasks while devoting time to my research ambitions was tough, even with a lot of support from my closest family.

Securing the first grant and setting up a lab

At the Department of Biosciences and Technology, we started everything from scratch; we had limited infrastructure, and the country was just coming out of COVID-19 lockdown. On a personal level, I received a lot of support from my colleagues and the head of the department. During this period, I also learned procurement processes and lab management by handling those responsibilities at the departmental level. My next steps towards initiating research were to identify how, and what to begin with.

As my doctoral study focussed on revealing biosynthesis pathways of floral volatiles using extensive metabolomics and transcriptomics analysis which required sophisticated analytical instrumentation and involved high cost it was a not an option at that time. Instead, I initiated research with Master’s project students in an entirely new domain of green chemistry, which had once discussed with my doctoral supervisor Adinpunya Mitra. We targeted the extraction of plant-specialised metabolites using natural deep eutectic solvents from waste marigold and rose flowers. The research was of low cost, feasible, and involved valorisation of waste.

Using the data from preliminary experiments, I submitted a proposal to the Department of Science and Technology (DST), India, under the Young Scientist and Technologist scheme. After the preliminary screening, I was called for the presentation in New Delhi and subsequently awarded the grant. This process took almost a year, and the funds were received even later, almost after 11 months. In the meantime, my second batch of master’s project students advanced the preliminary work into more significant research, leading to initial publications from the lab. After almost a year, my first PhD student joined the lab and has now registered. I collaborated with faculty members within and outside the department, which paved the way for interesting projects at Metabolites Lab.

The Department of Biosciences and Technology at MIT WPU also moved to a newly established building, which now has almost all basic and advanced facilities under one roof. I also submitted two grant proposals in collaboration with other institutions. The lab now has two PhD students, and a Project Associate funded through my DST project. We host project students and research interns for a minimum period of one to six months.

Reflecting on my journey so far

Over the past three years, my journey hasn't been easy. Trained in a well-established and funded lab during my doctoral study, I didn't fully comprehend the challenges of leading research in academia: securing funds, navigating time-consuming procurement processes, managing extensive administrative documentation, and handling initial students’ dissatisfaction about lack of facilities. Building strong relationships and maintaining open communication with my Master’s and PhD students helped me personally to get work done, manage the lab effectively, and plan feasible experiments.

One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is the importance of being patient and the belief that eventually things work out in the end.

Taking slow and steady steps and planning interesting research, in the beginning, might be good. Collaborations do help, but they must not become off-track from one’s interest or the objectives of the group. Sometimes, it takes a long time for fruitful collaborations to work out, often people are also bound by institutional mandates, and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) take time. I feel very happy when my master’s students come back to me with a note of gratitude after their placements or internships. I do tell them it’s important to know what they are passionate about and it's not necessarily required for everyone to aspire PhD or get into research in the life sciences domain.

At times, I bring work home with me. Recently, my three-year-old started expressing interest in doing experiments with twigs and stones when we visit the park, which never fails to bring a smile to my face. While I didn't jump into a post-doctoral stint right after earning my PhD, I've come to realise that life isn't solely about research and career ambitions. I eagerly anticipate opportunities to gain international research experience in the years ahead.

Reflecting on this journey, I'd say, it hasn’t been an easy path. But if you are passionate about academia, then just go for it! At the YIM 2024 event, I had the privilege of hearing inspiring mentors share their own paths.

From that meeting, two simple words have stuck with me: “Hang on”.

Growing up in a rural area with limited exposure, I was unaware of academic research. My career options were confined to traditional roles such as engineer, doctor, teacher, or government employee. Despite these limitations, my passion for biology, nurtured by my father and teachers, directed me toward becoming a teacher. This vision evolved into a desire to become a professor and scientist after I joined the MSc program at the School of Biotechnology (SBT), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi, in 2009. Regardless of working abroad, my overarching objective has remained to contribute to the academic and research landscape in India. To achieve this, I have taken several small and calculated steps to lay the foundation.

From ‘being in India’ to ‘returning to India’

Joining the MSc program at JNU was the first pivotal point in my academic journey. Early struggles with the experimental work during my MSc dissertation steered me towards bioinformatics, where I found my true niche. This realisation guided me to pursue a PhD in microbial genomics and evolution at CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology (CSIR-IMTECH), Chandigarh, with Srikrishna Subramanian. His "no-spoon-feeding" approach proved to be the second pivotal step in my journey, helping me develop into an independent researcher. My postdoctoral experience with Mitchell Singer at the Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Davis, further honed my skills by giving freedom to initiate projects, collaborate, and publish my ideas. This period proved crucial in building my confidence to return to India as an independent researcher.

The aspiration to return to India was constant, but the question was ‘when’.

Within two years of my postdoc, I had published two research ideas and was wrapping up my first lab project. Meanwhile, my wife decided to join the industry rather than continue her postdoc, but visa constraints limited her options in the US; therefore, we mutually decided I should explore academic positions and fellowships in India first.

In the next six months, I attended several online/offline interviews, and in February 2019, I received the DST-Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) Faculty Fellowship. Meanwhile, my wife, who had been conducting background searches, also secured a job aligned with her priorities. Although DST-INSPIRE Faculty must be independent, prominent institutes often regard them as postdocs working with a faculty. So, selecting a place that would allow me to grow independently and provide ample resources was the third pivotal step in my academic journey. After several careful consideration and multiple rounds of interviews, I joined the Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB) Bengaluru as a DST-INSPIRE Faculty in August 2019, following a short 2 years and 9 months postdoc experience.

From fellow to faculty

The path from INSPIRE Faculty to permanent position has a notably lower success rate as compared to other transition fellowships, a reality that everyone communicated to me. I embraced this risk with the understanding that if no positive outcome emerged after five years, I would re-enter the cycle of postdoctoral research. Therefore, my singular objective was to showcase my research, teaching, and outreach skills based on which I might secure an independent faculty position in the next five years. IBAB provided an ideal environment in terms of independence, on-campus residence with a beautiful garden, wonderful colleagues, and helpful administration. My lab came into origin with the joining of two wonderful project assistants and we started working on two broad directions: evolutionary microbial genomics, and medicinal plant-microbe interactions. Over the next two years, the lab expanded with the addition of several highly motivated folks.

As a young PI, gaining recognition based on your work and staying relevant in the community is of utmost importance, therefore, one must utilise every opportunity for their growth. Within eight months of my joining, the COVID-19 pandemic-driven lockdown stopped the research necessitating a shift from physical to online teaching. I adapted to teaching the Genomics course online and immediately incorporated SARS-CoV-2 genome analysis in the curriculum, which actively engaged students. I involved several MSc students in a SARS-CoV-2 pangenome study, giving them hands-on research experience leading to a publication while working remotely. Our continuous publications and collaborative research attracted three enthusiastic PhD students. These years were also critical as I developed my social network, especially using X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn, from where I found several new friends, collaborators, and wonderful students.

After 2.5 years of publishing, teaching, and organizing multiple #WorkshopFromHome as a fellow, I started applying for permanent positions, once again facing the FAIR cycle, i.e., Filling up Applications for Interviews and Rejections.

Regardless of your profile, securing a permanent position remains invariably challenging. Every unanswered application, clear rejection, and final-round rejection serve as a stark reminder of this truth.

Amidst these rejections, a significant milestone was the birth of my daughter. Shortly thereafter, the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) interviewed and recruited me as an Assistant Professor. Now, I am approaching two years at IITH and five years since returning from my postdoctoral position.

A supportive lab environment and ‘work-family-you’ balance

I spend a good amount of time with my lab folks, involving everyone in formal and informal discussions. I avoid micromanagement but stay highly involved in their learning and research work. I encourage them to be independent in selecting their working hours and days, and they have respected this autonomy. Maintaining a friendly, inclusive, and humorous lab environment has facilitated openness regarding their work and personal lives. Along with going out for dinners, they visit our home, where we cook, order food, chat, and play games. Our computational expertise enables us to assist experimental researchers through collaborations, which I distribute equally to ensure everyone gains knowledge in new fields and secures publications from their contributions. Maintaining such an environment has allowed me to stay honest with them about their progress, and I have received several suggestions from them on improving myself. I always advise my lab colleagues to learn, share, and implement their independent ideas in their projects as this will help them find the path to independence quickly.

Research demands dedication and time, often leading to burnout. To prevent this, I prioritise spending quality time with my family, including my wife, 2-year-old daughter, and parents. Additionally, self-care is equally valuable for your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. I enjoy writing poetry on love, society, and family, although time constraints and writer’s block make it sporadic. Long-distance running has markedly contributed to my personal and professional growth. While the distance itself may be arbitrary, achieving my running goals empowers me and aligns with my fundamental aspirations for self-fulfilment.

Some reflections on doing research in India

Working in a developing country is full of opportunities yet challenging. Despite significant improvements in the last two decades, challenges remain as we are still not investing enough in education and research.

A happy and efficient researcher is a well-paid and timely-paid researcher.

Paying students’ fellowships on time, enhancing transparency in funding mechanisms, and providing feedback on rejected proposals are vital for young researchers who are striving to establish themselves. Addressing these challenges will promote a thriving scientific community that contributes to global advancements.

My academic journey has been marked by small, well-calculated, and significant steps. Moving forward, I maintain optimism, focusing solely on one major goal of keeping professional and personal integrity, while being confident that success in other aspects will naturally ensue.

Hailing from an orthodox background where paternal opposition to higher education and early marriage were prevalent, I defied societal norms, driven by a burning desire to explore. Despite modest grades in 12th-grade biology, my fascination with the subject only grew. When my plan A of pursuing medicine was not successful, I turned to plan B and decided to pursue biotechnology, inspired by articles in the science and technology section of The Hindu newspaper. During my undergraduate studies, my love for research grew, and graduating first in my class opened up excellent opportunities for me to pursue a master’s degree in biotechnology.

On receiving multiple admission offers for my master’s degree, my father, who had initially opposed my pursuit of biotechnology, expressed his approval, which was a proud moment for me. But this joy was short-lived as I unexpectedly lost my father to a heart attack just a month after starting my master’s degree at Bharathidasan University, Tamil Nadu.

This marked a turning point in my life, as I suddenly had the responsibility to support my family.

Despite my paternal family's pressures to finish my education quickly and plan for marriage, my desire to study and pursue research remained strong. With unwavering support from my mother and sister, I continued to pursue my ambitions of becoming a researcher.

Taking baby steps

Inspired by an internship mentor's advice to observe nature closely, I developed a keen interest in it. After completing my master’s degree, I was uncertain whether to pursue research in academia or industry. While contemplating my options, two close friends prepared my applications for the Biotech Industrial Training Program (BITP) organised by Biotech Consortium India Limited (BCIL), sponsored by DBT. Although I was not personally interested in the program, my friends convinced me, and all I did was sign my application form. Unfortunately, I was the only one accepted into the program, while both of my friends were not. Despite my sadness over their disappointment, they expressed genuine happiness for my success. It was in this moment I realised the blessing of having true friends.

Attending the BITP program at Sugen Life Sciences in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, was a game changer. I met exceptional mentors, especially Prabhu Daivasigamani, whose teachings on animal model experiments inspired me towards research. Despite being the last in my batch to learn animal handling, I eventually acquired the skills needed, including handling rats/mice, and performing post-experimental animal sacrifices using techniques such as cervical dislocation.

While the experiments were successful, I had nightmares about rats and mice, leading me to realise that conducting research based on animal studies is not my strong suit.

Moving to a foreign land

I started reading different articles to identify my core research interests and applied for PhD programs at few Indian research institutions. With inputs from my seniors and classmates, I also considered exploring opportunities for doctoral studies abroad. Networking and guidance from seniors helped me during this process.

“With no female in the family as precedent for studying or working abroad, opting for a PhD program overseas marked a major milestone in my life.”

But my maternal uncle, a mridangam artist, has been a significant role model in my life. Inspired and encouraged by him, I made the firm decision to step out of my comfort zone, setting out to pursue a PhD in plant molecular biology at the Javier Paz Ares group, Spanish National Centre for Biotechnology (CNB), in Madrid, Spain, sponsored by the LaCaixa PhD international fellowship.

In my early years abroad, I navigated linguistic and cultural challenges while honing my skills in cutting-edge tools. I had avidly pursued molecular biology since my college days, and finally got the opportunity to study the model plant Arabidopsis at a molecular level, focusing on its adaptations to low phosphorus nutrient stress. Under the guidance of my advisor, I actively explored the plants strategies for stress tolerance. I also learnt the art of meticulous experiment planning and execution under the guidance of another mentor from CNB, Vicente Rubio. Identifying our protein of interest through western blotting and observing protein-protein interactions in confocal microscopy brought me immense joy and satisfaction during the days spent conducting western blotting, yeast two-hybrid experiments, and bimolecular fluorescence complementation experiments.

After my PhD, I had a brief and enriching postdoc at Rothamsted Research with Mathew Paul's group, deepening my understanding of sugar signalling in plants. But visa uncertainties and project closures caused moments of anxiety. A subsequent postdoc at Warwick University with Murray Grant’s group introduced me to chloroplast immunity. Though I didn’t continue beyond my probationary period, the experience left a lasting impact. During a one-on-one meeting,

Grant asked me, "What topic would you like to pursue for your research career?" This question left a profound impression on me, prompting me to think (and plan).

Life abroad with my husband, also in plant science research, was captivating, yet we longed for emotional connections rooted in India.

Connecting the dots

During my post-graduation in 2007, I went on an educational tour to research organisations in Bengaluru and Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysuru. The moment I set my foot in Mysuru, I was drawn by its lush vegetation and meticulously planned greenery. I remember thinking, “If I ever settle down for a job or life, it should be in a city like Mysuru”. Like the themes in 'The Alchemist' novel, I believe that nature and the universe conspire to guide us towards our deepest desires and aspirations.

After a two-year maternity break, I began my first academic position as an Assistant Professor at JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research (JSS AHER), Mysuru, marking the beginning of my journey as a faculty and independent research leader. Securing a job in Mysuru fulfilled my long-standing dream of settling in this verdant city. Despite being a medical-based institution, university authorities wholeheartedly supported and encouraged my pursuits in plant science research. They offered administrative assistance to implement extramural start-up research grants I secured from funding agencies like University Grants Commission (UGC) and Vision Group on Science and Technology (VGST), Government of Karnataka.

Currently, our research team is focused on understanding the stress resilience mechanisms of the Horse gram crop and Parthenium weed using molecular and omics approaches. Implementing extramural projects has been a steep learning curve, involving building a research setup and a team from scratch, and addressing technical challenges in procuring and utilising equipment, resources, and instrument maintenance.

At times, I find myself investing more time in project management than in actual research, self-improvement, or guiding PhD students. Nevertheless, my passion for understanding plant resilience to stress and my drive to achieve continue to motivate me. Plants, to me, are not just subjects of study, they are invaluable teachers of resilience and perseverance. Their ability to adapt and thrive amidst climate change serves as a guiding light, inspiring me to overcome challenges, manage stress, and cultivate resilience in life.

“Mama chatkhinu," meaning "Mama, do not go," is one of the few phrases my 3-year-old daughter, Nandini, has learned to speak in Manipuri when I leave for the laboratory.

Balancing personal life and research responsibilities becomes challenging in a nuclear family, especially when my husband's workplace is in another district. For mothers in science, finding equilibrium between career advancement and nurturing a family can be daunting. How, then, do I manage this juggling act? Let me tell you about the challenges and realities.

The career aspirations

Growing up in a village in Assam, I was surrounded by nature, which fuelled my interest in plant life. In 2006, I enrolled in a degree course with Botany as my major at Guru Charan College, Silchar, uncertain about my path ahead. As biotechnology began to emerge, my curiosity led me to pursue a master's degree in the subject at Sathyabama University of Science and Technology, Chennai. Having faced challenges as a Manipuri-medium student, I recognised the importance of English proficiency in daily communication. Through immersion and practice with my Tamilian and Telugu-speaking roommates, I honed my English speaking skills.

After my master's degree, encouraged by my MSc. supervisor, J. V Reji, I joined as a Junior Research Fellow (JRF) at Assam Agriculture University, Jorhat. There, fortuitously, the opportunity to pursue a PhD arose, marking the first time non-agriculture students were eligible, albeit with additional agriculture courses. Seizing the opportunity, I became part of the inaugural batch of non-agriculture students, and started pursuing a PhD in 2011.

The pleasant encounter amid independent research opportunities

Under the guidance of my PhD supervisor, Salvinder Singh, I delved into the intricacies of research, nurturing my thirst for knowledge. Completing my PhD in 2017, I set out in search of independent research opportunities. This led me to secure a CSIR Research Associate award and eventually undertake a project as a Principal Investigator (PI) in 2018.

It was during this year, I crossed paths with my husband, Sandeep. After wrapping up my project, I was chosen for the DST-SERB National Post-Doctoral Award 2019, at CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (NEIST), Jorhat. Under the mentorship of Channakesaviah Chikkaputaiah, I refined my skills as an independent researcher, gaining the confidence to mentor PhD and post-doctorate students.

Walking on a tightrope

In 2020, amidst the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, I joyfully welcomed my daughter, Nandini, into the world.

As a mom in science academia in India, I found myself walking a tightrope. On one hand, I strived to excel in my research responsibilities, while on the other, I embraced the joys (and challenges!) of parenthood.

The constant push to keep up with research productivity while giving my all to my family was not trivial.

In the midst of the COVID-19 chaos, I continued working during the third trimester with swollen feet (a calculated risk I took). Engrossed in laboratory research, I faced a slew of COVID-related hurdles that ultimately shut down our lab temporarily. But we bounced back - three months post having a baby - I was back in the lab grind. To make for lost time (and work!), I decided to extend my project by three unpaid months, courtesy of the funding agency. Balancing the demands of caring for a three-month-old while working during the challenging period of the pandemic was incredibly taxing for me.

Adding to this, the demanding nature of academic research, with its long hours, tight deadlines, and constant pressure to publish, only added to the complexity of my responsibilities. Nevertheless, amidst these challenges, I got the opportunity to attend the Young Investigators' Meeting (YIM) 2021 as a Postdoctoral Fellow (PDF) in the online mode. This experience offered invaluable insights into research collaborations and networking, enriching my academic journey despite the hurdles faced.

From dream to reality

In 2023, I fulfilled my dream of mentoring students by joining Rabindranath Tagore University, Hojai, Assam as an Assistant Professor. While I continue to work towards establishing a research facility in my area of expertise, in 2024, I participated in the 16^th Young Investigators' Meeting (YIM 2024) as a Young Investigator (YI). The meeting was an invaluable experience, providing insights into kick-starting a research laboratory from scratch, setting up lab infrastructure, writing grants, and fostering collaborations.

I also had the chance to connect with potential research collaborators who resonated with my vision. Furthermore, I was honoured to receive the IndiaBioscience childcare grant for the meeting. This grant not only offered financial support for my daughter’s attendance but also underscored the recognition of the challenges faced by mothers in academia.

My dual goals in academia: Empowering students and advancing research

I have set two primary goals for myself. Firstly, I aim to instil in my students the unwavering belief that they can achieve anything they set their minds to, regardless of their background or whether they hail from remote corners of India. Secondly, I am committed to establish laboratory facilities equipped to support basic to cutting-edge research. My goal is to offer students the same opportunities that have shaped my own journey.

At the outset, being a mother in science academia in India, I frequently wrestles with feelings of guilt, self-doubt, and imposter syndrome. The relentless pursuit of perfection, compounded by the pressure to excel in both arenas, chipped away my confidence in my own abilities. Despite the myriad challenges, I have slowly crafted strategies to navigate the delicate balance between parenthood and academic pursuits.

One pivotal strategy revolves around effective time management. I prioritise tasks, set boundaries, and carve out dedicated time for both work and family responsibilities.

Balancing the demands of research and teaching while nurturing my daughter — from teaching her ABCs to school drop-offs, quality time together, and enjoying weekends with my husband — is no small feat. I have also recognised the importance of cultivating a robust support network. Drawing strength from my spouse, family members, and colleagues is essential for mothers in science academia as we navigate the intricacies of our multifaceted lives.

I am deeply grateful to my parents, in-laws, and Sandeep for their steadfast support and for granting me the freedom to pursue my dreams. Endless appreciation goes to the divine for nurturing in me the steadfast conviction that all goals are within reach. To my daughter Nandini, who eagerly awaits my return to share moments of play, I offer a special dose of love. I also owe a great deal to the mentors, who have crossed my path throughout my research and academic journey, for shaping the trajectory of my path.

I vividly recall the moment when I felt ready to apply for principal investigator (PI) positions in India. It was June 2015. I had just turned 33, and was 4.7 years into my post-doctoral fellowship at Institut Pasteur in Paris. My first-author paper was about to be published in a reputed journal, and everyone around me was cheering me on. It was an exciting time and I was full of hope. I began discussing the application process with peers who had returned to India to set up their independent labs. I even reached out to established PIs who had moved abroad after spending several years in India.

A common theme that surfaced from these discussions was the importance of “being visible” to the Indian diaspora at the time of application.

Given that the majority of my scientific training had taken place in the US (PhD) and Europe (post-doc), I had limited connections in India, especially amongst senior academicians and scientists. I also realised that, given the niche, non-mainstream fields that I had worked in, my PhD and post-doctoral mentors did not have strong connections in India either.

I found myself in a dilemma, wondering whether I should invest time in building a network in India and defer my applications, or if I should just 'go-for-it'. There was the added concern of potentially exceeding the 35-year age cut-off for Assistant Professor-level positions that is inherent to the academic hiring process of national institutes of excellence. After much deliberation, I decided to stand on the shoulders of my curriculum vitae (CV), which I believed to be competitive, and began the application process.

On your mark, get set, go!

Having grown up in Bengaluru (and because my primary reason for moving back to India was to be with my parents), I initially applied to national institutes in the Bengaluru area, a couple of which were my ‘dream’ institutes. Perhaps it was beginner’s luck, but I was invited to interview at three out of the five places I applied to. You can imagine my joy! I prepared rigorously for the interviews with my peers (through presentations, chalk talks, Q&A sessions, etc.) and finally arrived in India for the interviews in mid-2016. So, what happened next?

Well...I fantastically bombed the first interview, got an offer from the second, and never heard back from the third, even after months of follow-up. Not bad, you may say, since all I needed was ONE competitive offer; yet, there was a caveat.

The second institute could only offer me a five-year fellowship position, without a guarantee of absorption as regular faculty. Now, I faced a second dilemma: Should I accept a risky, short-term position, considering that lateral movement in India can be challenging, or should I continue chasing a permanent/tenure-track position? Complicating matters, I was facing pressure in Paris, with my post-doctoral mentor urging me to apply for permanent positions in France. It was undoubtedly one of the hardest decisions that I’ve ever had to make, but I finally declined my one Indian offer, believing that I was prepared for what was to come. This was early 2017.

Wait, it’s not a 500-meter race, it’s a marathon...

What followed next was a challenging, mentally and emotionally draining second round of applications, this time to more than 25 institutes spread across metropolitan India. Mind you, I was still under 35, and compared to the first round of applications, my CV was, in fact, stronger, with more publications, more collaborations, more talks, and more mentoring roles. I had also invested time on networking, reaching out to various institutes in India to give research talks and discuss my future plans.

Nevertheless, despite my consistent efforts, I didn’t receive interview calls, nor did I receive responses about the status of my application from a majority of the institutes. The two institutes that rejected my application mentioned that my research regarding gene regulation in a non-model pathogen was not in their list of focus areas. I even had someone ask me to switch from working on Plasmodium to Toxoplasma, since the latter is easier to manipulate! I went through a period of self-doubt, low self-esteem, and a sense of hopelessness.

The end is in sight

And suddenly, just like that, in the spring of 2018, after more than a year of waiting, the tide shifted. I got an opportunity to work for two months as a visiting scientist at a private university in North India. This experience exposed me to the nuances of Indian academia and helped me build strong connections with pre-eminent Indian scientists. During my time there, I finally received positive responses from two institutes: a tier one national university in Delhi, a staggering 11 months after I submitted my application, and the Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB), Bengaluru, where I joined as an Assistant Professor in December 2018. There were many reasons for choosing IBAB over the institute in Delhi, but that is a story for another article, I think. I was also awarded the Ramalingaswami Re-entry Fellowship by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), India, after I had accepted the position at IBAB. Although I only availed the contingency grant, it proved to be a lifesaver.

My reflections

It took me nearly three years to return to India as a group leader, a journey fraught with lessons. I learnt the importance of networking and visibility, the art of negotiation, the ability to say “no”, and to weigh my choices against my priorities.

Mine is a success story. Yet, every now and again, I stop and reflect on the academic hiring process in India: What criteria do institutes prioritise when assessing a prospective candidate? Why is there a lack of transparency in recruitment calls regarding the research domain that the institute is looking to hire in? Why do hiring committees often fail to respond to inquiries about a candidate’s application status? For instance, I still puzzle over why the third institute I interviewed with in 2016 abruptly ceased communication, despite initially offering positive feedback and expressing intent to support my application for an NIH (National Institutes of Health, USA) grant. Could gender bias have played a role? I will never know... And lastly, why does the 35-year age cut-off for hiring still persist? These lingering unanswered questions compel me to take action towards fostering an inclusive and equitable academic environment in India.

After all, isn’t starting a lab similar to launching a start-up?

If you asked me, “What are the key principles that have shaped your growth as a scientist and mentor during your five-year tenure at IBAB?”, I would say:

• Think big, the size of your institute does not matter.
• Embrace teaching, be it at the BSc, MSc or PhD levels. Engaging with young, curious minds deepens one’s scientific thinking.
• Choose the right collaborations.
• Don’t be comfortable with your comfort zone. Integrate computational biology, AI/ML and related fields into all aspects of your research. After all, that is where the world is headed!

• Promote diversity and inclusivity in your lab, spanning gender, language, disabilities, and regional and cultural backgrounds.
• Merge creativity with empirical inquiry through science art. In fact, my journey with Indian tribal art has shaped my professional trajectory in ways I never anticipated. Without it, I'm not sure I would be where I am today.

My academic journey has been full of unexpected experiences, difficulties, perseverance, and turning points in my professional development. I completed my PhD from Panjab University followed by two post-doctorate stints at Lund University, Sweden, and Goethe University, Germany. After receiving the DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance Early Career Fellowship I made the decision to return to India. During this transition, I attended the YIM 2019 meeting in Guwahati which helped me develop a better understanding of the hiring landscape. I actively applied for independent positions and eventually, I was successful in getting an Assistant Professor position at IISER-Thiruvananthapuram.

Changing niche

I started my faculty position in March 2020, undoubtedly one of the most difficult times to embark on such a journey. Although the institute provided me with a lab space and some startup funds, the raging pandemic meant that no students were permitted in the laboratories, and the animal house was closed. I couldn't begin studying the regional vulnerability of Parkinson's disease, one of my core areas of expertise, due to lack of access to animals. But I embraced the challenge and leveraged my theoretical background in biophysics from my undergraduate and postgraduate studies to plan some in-vitro experiments. With the help of Master’s project students in the laboratory, we started to set up a basic protein purification and biophysical characterisation pipeline for the group.

I am fortunate to have found two excellent students who bravely started from scratch with me, despite lacking any PhD seniors or prior experience. Also, my faculty colleagues in the department generously shared resources, equipment, and cell culture space. I felt incredibly lucky to be in such a supportive environment. While I had no prior practical knowledge in biophysics or cell culture experiments, the collective support helped me set up a new line of work. Despite inevitable publication delays as we refined our new techniques, the prospect of exploring exciting new research directions kept us optimistic during this phase.

Quality over quantity in funding

Occasionally, I was advised to relinquish my DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance Early Career Fellowship for career advancement. I steadfastly ignored that advice, a decision that in retrospect, proved instrumental in propelling my nascent laboratory. The grant comes with reasonable flexibility and a longer duration of 5 years, both of which meant that I could pivot to the newer research directions that were necessitated by the pandemic.

After my laboratory group expanded in size, I started submitting multiple grant applications. I made the mistake of applying to every single grant with an open call. I once submitted eight grants in a single year! Unsurprisingly, I was completely burnt out and unable to maintain a high standard of writing. I was also disappointed when those applications inevitably did not succeed. From that experience, I learned the importance of writing with quality control and conserving energy for grants that align better with our areas of expertise. Subsequently, the laboratory acquired funding from Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB).

Additionally, we recently received our first international research grant from the UK's Cure Parkinson's Trust. Also, I'm thrilled to share that my graduate student was awarded a Parkinson's Foundation visiting fellowship.

Finding common ground with mentees

As young principal investigators (PI), we are often anxious to generate data and publish papers quickly but it is it's crucial to exercise patience with new students. The majority of our students lack research exposure during post-graduation, and need time to grasp the fundamentals of a research environment. It is imperative to provide them with adequate training in techniques, experimental design, and critical reading.

Like my post-doc supervisor, I enjoy spending time with my students looking through the microscope, sifting through raw data, and teaching them to recognise exciting findings. This aspect of my job brings me immense happiness.

In a rapidly evolving technological landscape, the techniques we learned in our time are quickly becoming obsolete. So, it is crucial to send students to workshops, conferences, or collaborative groups early in their PhDs so that they can stay abreast with the latest techniques.

Doing science in India presents many challenges, such as slow reagent delivery, lengthy purchase processes, and often delayed funding. It is easy to get frustrated and inadvertently let it out on students. Initially, I tried to shield students from these challenges. But I’ve learned over time that openly communicating the difficulties with students and working together as a team to navigate these challenges is a more effective strategy to move forward. The most fulfilling part of being a mentor is witnessing my PhD students come up with ideas and gradually grow into independent thinkers.

Most mentees pursue their PhD in the peak of their youth when they are at their most energetic, have comparatively less responsibilities, and some financial independence. This is also the best time to enjoy life. I always encourage my students to pursue their hobbies. We have had painters, dancers, origami artists, and even models in our lab. As a lab, we attend all campus events, go on hiking trips, and celebrate happy occasions together. I hope that by seeing me let go from time to time, it also encourages them to feel free to have fun in their journey.

My students have been my greatest asset, and I strive to pay it forward by investing in their growth, careers, and happiness.

Finding your tribe

As a first-generation college student who had not been introduced to the value of networking in my early years, I had practically no circle within academia when I stepped into my role as a PI. The timing was less than ideal, coinciding with the onset of social isolation and lockdowns spurred by the pandemic.

During this period, I started using X (formerly Twitter), and it quickly evolved into one of the most rewarding experiences of my journey as an independent academic. It became the platform where I met collaborators for my science outreach project, "Mind Gala", drew participants for the virtual conferences and webinars I organised, and posed numerous naive questions to fellow colleagues in the field. It also boosted my visibility within the broader scholarly community.

Whenever I run into other researchers at conferences, our interactions often start with a recognition of "Hey, I know you from Twitter (now X)." This less formal connection also helps to strike up discussions with more senior colleagues. In many ways, X (formerly Twitter) democratises science, offering glimpses into the thought process of institutes, funding agencies, and administrators, while enabling me to grow as a scientist and mature my worldview. It has proven indispensable in staying informed about the latest grant calls, professional opportunities, and expanding my network.

X (formerly Twitter) has been the place for me to gain friendships, build a circle and find my tribe. It even helped to attract brilliant students to my new lab!

Although being on Twitter is a very wonderful experience, I've discovered that it may occasionally be intimidating to see everyone talking about their accomplishments. It is important to remind ourselves that we are doing enough. Academia is hard! It is imperative that we define boundaries for ourselves. There is more than one definition of success and more than one way to reach it!