Whenever I used to pass by DNA laboratory and see some chemicals shaking in the shaker, I used to think what actually was going on. In my 12 years of Science career, I had never seen the instrument like that which kept on shaking some solutions in test-tubes or some conical flasks every time I see it. I used to look at it for few minutes and then walk by thinking that I might also use the same instrument sometime in my career in Loras. Now, after working for a research as a J-term class for the first time in my life, I figured it out that this instrument is nothing but a shaker which keeps shaking the solution which enhances the growth of organisms by the uniform distribution of the nutrients in the solution.
Those days when research was limited just as a word in my mind, I used to think that research is a term that we can relate to the scientists like Watson and Mendel only. I used to believe that a person who has 100% idea about the Science can only perform any research and in order to do any research we need to be a really popular scientist. That might be the reason when I was small, I used to answer everyone as ‘A popular scientist’ when they used to question me about my career plan in the future. I even used to think that to do any research, we need a very huge sum of money and equipments and that is why research is something limited to special research centers or organizations only. I also used to think that it is not possible to do any research in a small group. I believed that we need large group of people to perform any research and come to the certain results. But, taking a research class for the J-term has completely changed my opinion of what research is and how it is done.
Now, I know that research is not only limited to the big Science labs where there are all different instruments and materials. Research can also be done with few people in a group. A research can also be done by a single person if he knows what he is doing and how should he proceed in order to approach his goals. It is true that the research can be conducted in an advanced way if we have more equipment and more materials. I learned this after visiting University of Iowa where they have so many different types of lab instruments which of course help them to perform their research in advanced way but even though we have limited resources in comparison to them, we are still being able to work on our project and get good results.
The another very important change that this class has brought in me is now I know that even though we have a certain goal as a research goal, the researchers work in lab step by step and then approach near to their goal gradually. Before, I used to think that there is always a specific objective for a research and researchers work every day and night specifically in that field until they obtain their goal. But what I learned from this research class is, even though we have our ultimate goals, we start in lab with very basic things and steps which is very far from that ultimate goal. We work in the same way slowly and gradually and try to connect each conclusion that we drew from every task with our ultimate goal. In this way we approach closer and closer to our goal and finally obtain it. Now, this is what I think a research is.
Also, I knew that research is something that is pretty intense but I never thought that we will have to take very minute things in consideration. When I used to work in lab in my high school, we used to measure the liquid in millimeters but now in my J-term research, I am measuring the liquids in micro-liter which is very small unit of measurement. Besides that, I also learned that a very good interest, a good devotion and a determination is required to obtain the good results in a research.
As I mentioned earlier, I always wanted to be a biochemical researcher and work in the forensic labs. During my childhood, I used to watch the shows related to the crime investigation which actually motivated me to work in forensic labs but due to the lack of the resources and required instruments in my country, I never had enough experience about using lab instruments. In my school and high school back home, the resources were limited and were not as advanced as in here. I never saw a ‘Recombinant DNA technology’ lab when I was back home. Due to this lack of advanced instruments, I was not sure if I would be able to devote myself in the field of research or not to obtain the goal of my life. After I came here and started working for this J-term class, my desire to be a forensic chemist has rejuvenated. Even though this is the first independent research I am doing ever, it has given a very good overall idea about what actually a research looks like. I, personally, have also found doing research is pretty interesting. I love working in labs on a project until we obtain our goal and I think to be a scientist doing research as a career is a very good idea. If I get chance to work in a forensic labs, I will also love to be a biomedical researcher where I can not only work for crime investigation but also work for medical purposes to find the causative agents of different diseases along with their cure. So, for me pursuing a career as a scientist doing research will mean a great achievement in my life.
- Research is a "systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to “generalizable
knowledge.” (Defined under HHS Regulations (46.102) )
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That is awesome that you have always wanted to be a biochemical researcher. I have to agree with you, I did not realize the timing issue of many different projects in the science hall. How did you come abouts your idea of many people doing the same research any getting similar results? How is that different from one person doing the research, but doing it several times?
ReplyDeleteRupesh,
ReplyDeleteWhat a great writing! I like the whole story that you have told and your interest of studies for your career. I wish you all the best in accomplishing your fantastic goal. One thing that I want point out from your post as a great quality of a well-rounded researcher, in my opinion, is acknowledging the fact that you were a clueless, stranger outside of the laboratory area at some point in the past before you have started studying being in the lab and working with those instrunments, chemicals and people that you just used to wonder about. I think that's a great thing to understand well as it makes you a knowledge seeker everytime you think about that and it also keeps you encouraged and positive in the research project. In addition to that, I think it makes you a successful scientist in the way that you know what the general public, that you always work for directly or indirectly, think about your researches without having all the expertise that you have now (as you were in the same exact shoes) so that would help you in giving terrific presentations and press conferences when you would reveal the results of your studies to the community outside of the science community. I strongly believe the people would be interested in understanding what you have done and how that would contribute into their lives. And doing a great job of reaching out to them will definetly make you the most credible and commercially productive body. I hope this makes sense to you and helps you in considering my perspective as an addition to what you have already mentioned in your writing. Thank you for sharing your opinion.
Many high schools in the U.S. don't have anywhere near the sort of equipment that we have here at Loras either, so don't feel like you're behind because you didn't get to do all this stuff in high school! It's new to most american students, too.
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