Who wants to become a scientist?

Author: Nancy Rothwell
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: Those who continue to pursue a Ph.D. may sometimes wonder why they need to struggle for months to complete a doctoral dissertation. In fact, the research they conducted during their Bachelor's (B.S.) or Master's studies has already achieved satisfactory results (some may even have submitted it to a publishing institution). This shows that the nature of short-term research projects during Bachelor's and Master's studies is completely different from that of a Ph.D. If the supervisor is experienced, he will let the student complete the project based on some existing data during this stage, and it is often incorporated into a larger ongoing project. After the Ph.D. stage, the obvious difference lies in the fact that, at least, you should research a "larger" topic (i.e., a scientifically significant research question), which will be your own research project. If the topic you are researching during your Ph.D. is important and novel (which is truly a research topic), then formulating research methods and plans, optimizing research conditions, and enduring countless setbacks and failures may take several months of your time. These can wear you down, especially if you have tasted some success in smaller research projects. However, when you actually obtain a positive result, or even just an important discovery, this (hopefully) is all worthwhile. If you are not excited about the results you have obtained—even though you know you may be a discoverer—then it is almost certain that research is not for you. The more time and effort you invest, the greater the reward you will receive when you see the data for the second time. Next, you can introduce your research findings to your lab, your department, and others in the broader scientific community, eagerly anticipating the day your name is published—because you are well aware that this achievement is not just your contribution to others' projects, but it belongs to you. These genuine research experiences, regardless of their level, are something that cannot be experienced through short-term projects. P7