Category: learning

Some policies of my research

In the past 14 yrs of my research group, I have made a few policies for myself, which may be helpful to others:

1) Any group member is free to criticize my input with reason. This has been one of the most liberating experience. Importantly, it has helped me learn.

2) Physical and mental health of group members is of primary importance. Good health and good research is not a zero sum game.

3) Constancy of thought and work is vital. We overestimate work that can be done in short term and underestimate the long term. Constant effort, spread over months and years, can build intellectual and technical monuments.

4) Set internal standards. Let this standard be reasonable and focused towards oneself. The biggest stress in work comes from comparison with others. Instead, compare your past with present, & strive for a +ve difference. Be sceptical of external metrics.

5) Write regularly. Writing is not only about publication in a journal or a book. It is a way to reflect, learn, revise and communicate. Writing is the process. A publication is one of the outcomes, a temporary goal. Focus on the process, goals will follow.

6) Share your knowledge. If possible – TEACH. Teaching informally is very enjoyable. It is devoid of judgements. In the longer run, it is perhaps the most impactful thing you will do, and will be remembered for. Remember Feynman.

7) None of the above points matter if your work does not make you a better human being. Be compassionate to others. The biggest strength of scientific research, if done well is it elevates the individual & collective – both local & global.

8) Academia, in its good form, can feed your stomach, brain and heart. Nurturing and enabling all the three is the overarching goal of academics. And perhaps the goal of humanity.

Questions: Substance and Form

To wonder is to be human. At the heart of wondering is questioning. As an individual and a collective, encouraging people to ask questions is one of the most important things we can do. Start with your children or young people around you. Encourage them to question you. Try to answer them honestly. If you do not know the answer, explore the answer with them. Emphasize that no answer is complete and is subject to revision upon new evidence and ideas.
In my opinion, this process is the safest training you can give them as an adult and help them become informed citizens.

Along the way, teach them two things: 1) how to formulate a question and 2) pay attention to the tone of the question they ask.

Formulating a good question is a challenging task and requires iteration. Iterations mean patience. So, asking a good question is a training in patient thinking. Discourage rushing through. That does not mean the upper time bound is infinite. This means you shouldn’t settle for the default question. Question the question.

Next is the tone of the question. It is the tone which determines the intention of the question. If your intention is grounded in humility, curiosity and transparency, you will have a better chance of obtaining an answer. A question asked in a condescending tone generally discourages people from answering, even if their intention is not to conceal.

Of course, these are not general rules but guidelines that may be useful.

Conclusion:
Pay attention not only to the substance of your question but also to the form of your question. A questioning mindset can be extrapolated to your everyday thinking. Gradually, it will become a way of life.
Learning is more important than ego. When you realise this, questions become a great tool to explore the world.

Sanskrit quote on learning..

आचार्यात् पादमादत्ते पादं शिष्यः स्वमेधया ।
सब्रह्मचारिभ्यः पादं पादं कालक्रमेण च ॥

One fourth from the teacher, one fourth from own intelligence,
One fourth from classmates, and one fourth only with time.

Happy Teacher’s Day.. learning is eternal..