February 11, 2020: On the occasion of International Day of Women and Girls in Science, I asked a few women in Science one question: “Why do you do Science?” Here are some interesting responses.
I do Science because every day is an adventure as a scientist.
– Dr Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (Assistant Professor, IISc)
Everything that happens around is Science. Technology is applied science. I do Science to be a part of everything I do every day.
– Sara Ashok Varghese (Junior Research Fellow, IBAB)
The curiosity to understand the nature around us and my love for solving puzzles were my prime motivation to enter science. Now that I am at ACTREC, I come across cancer patients every day at the hospital associated with the institute. Seeing these patients has added a sense of duty and responsibility towards society as well to my love for science.
– Dr Shilpee Dutt (Principal Investigator, ACTREC)
I do Science because I find the process of discovery exhilarating and humbling at the same time.
– Leeba Ann Chacko (Junior Research Fellow, IISc)
To contribute to the growth of Science, even if it is in a small way, is truly important. For me, research is like cooking. You try different ingredients and recipes to prepare the best dish. Similarly, I try to find different ways to fine-tune a technique or experiment. That’s why I love doing science.
– Dr Devi Arikketh (Associate Professor, SRMIST)
It makes me happy to try something new every single day. That’s why I do Science.
– Sneha Paturi (Research scholar, CCMB)
Biology has been the most fascinating subject for me since school. I always asked questions and decided to become a scientist to answer them. At some point later it changed, I discovered that there are other ways to inquire. Now I use visuals to provoke ideas and discussions around science, definitions, and processes.
– Dr Ipsa Jain (Science Illustrator, Ipsawonders)
I do Science because I love challenges. The harder the path, the stronger I get.
– Gautami Amarnath (PhD student, Ulm University)
I do Science because I enjoy it. My motivation to pursue Science came from my eighth-grade biology classes on the types of animal and plant tissues, which had thrilled me to no end – here was an entire world I did not know of earlier, and it was what constituted life itself!
– Mitali Shah (PhD student, IISc)
Science is fascinating. And life science, for that matter, is the study of the process of life itself. Many processes of life remain a mystery. Learning about it every day and trying to understand even a little bit of it is greatly satisfying and fun for me.
– Mariam Susan Joseph (Project Fellow, SBRL)
I do Science because I enjoy solving problems and finding the unknown. It adds quality to life.
– Research Scholar, MAHE
I do Science because it thrills me to tap into nature’s unsolved mysteries and build solutions that help people. Also, the small milestones in the journey give me immense joy and satisfaction that no other profession can give.
– Dhanya R. (Research Scholar, IIT-M)
PS: These responses are almost entirely from biologists and bioengineers. I’ll try to be more inclusive in covering such occasions in the future.
Joel P Joseph 