1 year in the US: my time at UCLA
New lessons and opportunities
Hey there!
October 1, 2023, I joined UCLA as a postdoctoral research fellow. On my first day, I was greeted by a big group of people who was not just helpful but welcoming, warm and fun. Since then my time NarangLab@UCLA has been fun as ever. Before I tell about my experience, I would like to say people thrive distinctly in different environments. So, my words cannot be generalized. However, just like any other process, a fruitful time is a result of observing, acting and perturbing away from the comfort zones.
To begin with I would say that I am fortunate to work with a supervisor who is a professor, entrepreneur and US Science Envoy. There is a lot to learn by just seeing a person efficiently wearing multiple hats. As I mentioned in the previous issue of The Quantum Vibe, I joined this research group because of the opportunity to act independent, come up with ideas and execute them in my own way. This opportunity turned out to be far more than what I anticipated. I landed up in a role in which I guided graduate and undergraduate students, raised research funds, communicated research to not just government agencies but also private donors. I got opportunities that seemed far fetched to me at first. Along with numerous talks, I got to deliver 3 invited talks in the first year of my postdoctoral research. My science communication reached a new level as I got opportunities to write grants, pitch for funding and meet policy makers within and outside of the US.
Most importantly, my perspective changed a great deal. I got to understand the higher level objectives behind research. It gave me new lens from which I envision numerous new avenues to pursue which not only include working as a professor but also being a person who can make detrimental decisions about the progress of science and technology, and the responsibility which comes along with the progress.
I am a believer of portfolio, and until the beginning of my time at UCLA mine consisted of research ideas, codes, calculations and articles. But now when I look back it seems like these things were a given. A culmination of scientific mind lies in the capability to understand the utilities of promises and deliverables of research. I am happy that I didn’t just use my Ph.D experience to boost my publication record but learnt a whole new array of things which are helping me in an overall professional growth.
So that’s that from this issue. Until next time, stay curious.