values

I know, I know, I am very aware that I am still early in my career, why would anyone care about my takes on academia? (And of course, I am not forcing anyone to read this.) However, I have realized that showing what I care about through how I approach work is far healthier for me than giving up. This non-exhaustive list serves both as a personal reflection and and a way to encourage open discussion while staying accountable.

• High scientific standards AND high human standards. Too many times, I have seen people getting pushed past their limits in the name of "good science”, sometimes to the point of long-lasting mental harm. Some of the most talented researchers I know left academia because of it. I refuse to believe that pointless suffering is necessary (not to be confused with good hard work), and I try to treat everyone around me as both scientists and human beings.
• Collaboration over competition. Paradoxically, I have seen researchers become so pressured to produce first-author papers that they disengage from all the research happening around them. I feel that pressure myself, yet I consciously try to make time for conversations, seminars, and helping colleagues beyond my niche. In my experience, early discussions around clear scopes and authorship agreements help to convince everyone that collaboration is a win-win.
• Taking education and mentorship seriously. I was once told not to “waste time” supervising my master’s students, but mentorship has shaped my own career and me as a person more than any publication ever could. I find fulfilment in teaching and supervision, because I believe that things like reproducible code and efficient experimental protocols only happen when someone takes the time to teach them.
• (Lab) community is an action. In my opinion, a lab is not just a static group of individuals, but an active process of collective effort and collaboration to reach shared goals. I try to contribute by taking time to get to know people, listen to concerns, and making sure that researchers from all walks of life feel welcome and included. Part of this includes questioning the inherent elitism in academia, which ends up reinforcing advantages for those who already have them.
• Communication is key. Scientific writing and presenting are unfortunately often perceived as chores for the sake of bulding a strong CV, which misses the point entirely in my view. I try to ask myself what I want my audience to learn and encourage others to do the same.