It’s May, and by now you have selected a graduate program that will influence the next five to seven years of your life. For those just starting on this journey, anxiety may be creeping in; but don’t worry. I’ve taken a few wise words from Master Yoda to guide you on the path to a graduate degree, specifically for those people whose demographics are underrepresented in science. Welcome to graduate school, my young padawan. (Patience you must have.)
“Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.” In other words, have confidence in your research ability. Let go of any fear that you may have of failure. It is OK to feel unfamiliar and uncomfortable when starting your graduate program. Graduate school is a new environment, and the research realm can seem like its own world with its own unique culture. But if you stay in your comfort zone and avoid taking risks, you will hinder yourself as a budding scholar.
During one of my laboratory rotations as a first-year graduate student, I was given a project by my mentor that seemed relatively straightforward and rational. I was charged with taking the DNA that encoded my lab’s favorite protein and inserting it into a cloning vector. Simple enough, right?
Well, after eight weeks of failure and tons of useless bacterial plates, I was completely deflated. My mentor, who rarely came to the lab bench to do actual experiments, began doing my experiment side-by-side with me. (Embarrassing.) Fortunately, he failed, too, on multiple occasions. We finally consulted with another faculty member, and he roared with laughter at our story. He noted that the vector we were using was notoriously hard to clone and that the recurring joke was to give it to rotation students in order to give them a hard time.
Of course, that was all a lesson for me. You were recruited and accepted into this program for a reason. Be confident in your skills and abilities. Remember that you have a curiosity and a learning ability that will carry you through to the next stage. Your graduate school believes in your potential as a student. You must believe in yourself. Resiliency is a hallmark of conducting research.
“Looking? Found someone you have, eh?” When you arrive on the campus, one of the first things you will want to do is find your mentors and supporters. The roles of mentor and supporter are distinct and might not be played by the same people. Your mentor(s) should be available to guide you and give you advice. Your mentors may include your thesis adviser, faculty advisers, your colleagues in the lab, the administrators in your program, and anyone else who you feel can offer you helpful guidance based on their knowledge or experience.
Your supporters, on the other hand, listen and encourage you when times are hard. Supporters will be the ones to remind you why you embarked on this journey and why your field needs you. They may or may not fully understand your project, but they believe in your ability. They include friends, family, past professors, mentors, and more. For minority graduate students in STEM, a great support network is vital.
“Always two there are, no more, no less. A master and an apprentice.” If you have not yet chosen a principal investigator (PI) to work under, consider multiple factors such as the research itself, lab dynamics, personality, and the careers of his/her former students. Begin searching for a mentor before arriving on the campus by familiarizing yourself with PIs whose work interests you.
Then consider the relationship dynamic between you and this faculty member. Ask yourself: What kind of person am I? What is important to me in choosing a mentor? Will I work best with a PI who is always around and accessible? Or will I feel comfortable simply meeting with him or her once every two weeks?
Furthermore, recognize your weaknesses and choose a mentor who will challenge you. Knowing who you are and what type of learning environment best serves you will be important in finding a good fit with mentors.
When you do find your PI, it is important to learn his or her expectations of you. Part of succeeding in graduate school as a minority scientist or engineer is breaking down barriers of misunderstanding. Once you build trust between each other, your mentor should then act as a sponsor for you and your work. Sponsors take mentorship to the next level when it is time to advocate on your behalf. My own mentor became a sponsor when he took the time to craft letters of recommendation that propelled me into the next stage of my career.
“Many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.” This one is an Obi-Wan cheat, but wise words nonetheless. Graduate school is a platform for multiple viewpoints. You add diversity to the fabric of scientific thought, bringing a new perspective and a new point of view. Your experiences and training have shaped how you think and approach problems.
As a graduate student, I remember interacting with a chemist who created various small molecules that had great success at destroying cancer cells. For him, the in vitro work was very fulfilling, but many of us encouraged him to begin testing in mice. He was less motivated by the idea, but for me every advancement that we were making in this field was one step closer to saving or prolonging the life of a patient diagnosed with cancer. While I appreciated his point of view and contribution, I valued my own motivation to advance the science.
In your studies, remember the big picture. Research can often enthrall us in the microcosm of our field, but take time to also appreciate the aerial view. It can often be your motivation and drive on days when things don’t go well. When I had a bad day in the lab, I would recall conversations with my uncle who endured complications from diabetes and obesity. He would often express how proud he was of me for the path I took conducting scientific research. Even though my basic science did nothing to alleviate his immediate condition, it inspired him to see that I was invested in research. It inspired me, too.
“Remember, a Jedi’s strength flows from the Force.” In this case, the Force is the universal energy that binds you to your institution and those around you. You have to leverage institutional support. If there is a minority-student group on your campus, join it. If there isn’t, take it upon yourself to start one. At Weill Cornell Graduate School, we have developed a growing group called the Tri-Institutional Minority Society. In New York City, the Minority Graduate Student Network has a great track record for supporting underrepresented graduate students in STEM fields.
You should also look to your university’s graduate-school office for additional support. Not all institutions will have someone devoted solely to diversity issues, but your dean of student affairs should be a resource for you as a developing researcher. Some predoctoral grants focus on students from underrepresented groups, and many faculty members can receive supplemental grant money for minority trainees.
“Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future.” Don’t wait until a postdoctoral fellowship to start thinking about your career. In fact, don’t wait at all. Consider your career options as early as possible since some careers may require additional training or coursework. It is important that diversity exists in all avenues of science — from the lab benches to the hallways of Congress.
The National Postdoctoral Association is a good place to start. Also, the New York Academy of Sciences has a collection of video interviews in various sectors of science. You need to start early in thinking about which career track interests you and in honing the skills that are required to be competitive in that track.
“Always pass on what you have learned.” Giving back — taking time for service and for mentoring others — is an important investment in the scientific work force. Much focus is given in STEM fields to the diversity pipeline itself with little regard for the water source. Underserved and disadvantaged youth need role models to whom they can relate. They need you, and they need your consistent engagement.
When you are speaking with young audiences, focus on relating your field to their lives. Cultivate their curiosity; let them discover STEM. The best science communicators and teachers facilitate active learning and discovery. For example, instead of lecturing on polymers and biochemistry to youngsters, engage them by creating slime or silly putty from white glue and boric acid. You can facilitate a discussion on the concept of polymers throughout the experiment. But the more you can craft a memorable experience, the more effective you will be as a communicator. Not only will that benefit the mentee, you may find that it is an important motivation for you.
And what if you face Darth Vader before your training is complete?
No well-trained master would ever let an apprentice defend a dissertation until both are confident of the outcome. With the right advisers, you can take comfort in the fact that success is at least within your reach. And may the Force be with you.
