Wyss community members share their guidance for those aiming for a career in STEM
It’s widely understood that mentorship has a positive impact on your career. Among other benefits, mentors can provide industry expertise, assist with setting and achieving goals, and make introductions to valuable connections. Yet, research shows that even though 76% of professionals think mentors are important, only 37% currently have one.
One of the many reasons for this mismatch could be that people are too narrow in their definition of a mentor. Great mentors can come from anywhere – they can be younger and might even be outside of the mentee’s field of expertise. Anyone whose opinion one values and trusts can fill this role.
To illustrate that mentorship and guidance can come from a wide variety of people, we asked members of the Wyss community at various points in their career journeys to share their best advice for aspiring researchers. Here’s what they said:
Start early
“Start doing research as early as possible. Then, by the time you get to graduate school, you already have tons of experience.”
- Liqun He, Postdoctoral Fellow
Stay curious
“Be curious. Ask questions. Get out of your comfort zone.”
- Ana Raquel Pato Santa Maria, Scientist
“Stay curious and stay simple. It’s valuable to simplify complex things. Also, when solving a problem, you can break it down into simple, manageable steps.”
- Shiyan Tang, Postdoctoral Fellow
“Curiosity never ends. If you find the answer to one question you were so curious about, there is always another waiting for you. If you are curious and have resilience, I think you should pursue research.”
- Nandhinee Radha Shanmugam, Research Associate
Ask questions
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions! The best way I’ve found to invest in my education, build connections, and develop research skills is by being inquisitive and curious. One of the best parts about being a researcher is learning about things that are important and interesting, and having the opportunity to ask the experts you work with about their areas of expertise is the best tool available!”
- Katie Lyon, Research Assistant
“My advice to new researchers is to not be afraid to ask questions. Every scientist in history started off not understanding the thing they study, and learning to ask questions is one of the most important skills to develop.”
- Ryan McMillan, Graduate Student
“If you don’t know something, ask questions. If you want to learn more about something, ask questions. Truly, everyone loves to share what they know. And don’t be afraid to just get started. Collect the resources you have, try that first experience, start that first experiment, and see where it goes.”
- Lynne Kim, Research Assistant
Reach out for help
“Reach out to people. If they don’t respond, email them again the next week. If they don’t respond, it doesn’t mean they intentionally ignored you. It’s just that they’re really busy. So be persistent.”
- Simon d’Oelsnitz, Postdoctoral Fellow
“Reach out to people and ask them questions. Ask them to meet with you and give you some guidance. Be curious. When you are applying for a position, look at the company’s websites and do your research. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes because that’s how you learn. If you do make mistakes, don’t be hard on yourself.”
- Gozde Basara, Engineer
Surround yourself with supportive mentors and teammates
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Sometimes, people think that asking for help means they are weak or don’t know anything. It’s okay not to know things; you’ll learn along the way. Also, you don’t have to do everything by yourself. You can reach out to friends, colleagues, or mentors. Speaking of which, look for mentors early on. Build relationships and ask for advice about the career path you’re interested in, because chances are they might have experienced something similar to what you’re going through. If you choose to do a Ph.D., there are three things you need to consider when joining a lab, in this order: the mentor, the team environment, and the science. Choose a mentor who cares about you, listens to you, and sees you as a person, not just as a pair of hands to do experiments and produce data. You want to get along with the team members because chances are, you are going to be at the lab at least eight hours a day. The people around you should make you feel comfortable and motivate you. Usually, people think that science is the most important, but even if you are doing the coolest, most cutting-edge project, there will be hard times, and a supportive mentor and team will help you overcome those challenges.”
- Ela Contreras-Panta, Scientist
“Be very intentional about what you do, how you do it, and who you do it with. One of the most common pieces of advice for first-year graduate students is to be very careful when picking their advisor and picking their lab. That’s very true, and it continues to be true throughout your career. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with really amazing and supportive people. Some of it is luck, but it’s also because I chose very carefully and thought deeply about every decision I made. I never went to work with someone just because their science was exciting or they were a big name. I always made sure they treated the others they worked with well and respected them. Also, your journey will not necessarily be linear, mine certainly hasn’t, and that’s okay. Be flexible and open-minded about potentially recalibrating based on changing interests or what opportunities become available.”
- Elizabeth Hann, Postdoctoral Fellow
Get out of your comfort zone
“Don’t be afraid of failure. It’s bound to happen in your experiments, and even when you’re applying for new jobs or the next step in your career. You’re not going to get all of the opportunities you apply for, but you might get opportunities that you didn’t expect.”
- Sarah Sandler, Postdoctoral Fellow
“Stay curious, stay motivated, don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone, and always talk to new people. You never know what you can learn.”
- Tania To, Graduate Student
Follow your passion
“First and foremost, you have to love what you’re doing. You have to love science. If you do, you’re going to be good at it. In research, we have more failures than successes. Loving what you do helps you not to be discouraged. You have to be passionate and have a greater goal. Recognize that your contribution is important. Each member of the team has a valuable contribution and together, you can achieve your goals. Also – taking a few advanced math courses will make you a better scientist.”
- Nikolaos Dimitrakakis, Engineer
“Be passionate about your research. There are a lot of jobs we can do and a lot of research projects that we can focus on. The way we can stay persistent is to be passionate.”
- Li Li, Postdoctoral Fellow
“Understand the why behind the science you want to pursue. Your passion could drive that. So, for me, it’s always been to serve the underserved and bring healthcare interventions to as many people as possible. That’s what drove me to become a scientist. Then, once you figure that out, it’s all about effective networking. You need to be comfortable talking to other scientists and stakeholders so that you can pursue the passion you’ve found.”
- Rushdy Ahmad, Director, Strategic Partnerships and Director, Wyss Diagnostics Accelerator
Perseverance is essential – don’t give up
“I think the most important piece of advice I can give, especially if you’re a woman, is don’t give up when others tell you that you cannot do something. I’ve heard ‘no’ many times throughout my career, but I never gave up. I think that’s why I’m here today. You’re going to have ups and downs, but don’t quit.”
- Jessica Feitor, Postdoctoral Fellow
“First: Nothing is impossible, it’s just that nobody has found a way to accomplish it yet. Second: Don’t be disappointed if reviewers don’t believe in your work, it’s a better reason to prove them wrong.”
- Bogdan Budnik, Principal Scientist