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I've realized I'm gradually turning into an asocial person, after I joined research. Maybe it is to do with my choice of field (a paleontologist, you could say I like dead things more than living ones!), or maybe it is to do with the fact that I don't find many I can talk to about my work. [ But isn't that true for most professions? Which of your relatives really understands your profession, your interests, your job? ] The greatest reason, however, is that most Indians think that Indian researchers are crap. And so it happens that whenever I'm in a social gathering, I start observing people's reactions to my " Research " in response to their " So what do you do ?". And there are some consistent characters everywhere. 1. The Sneerers These are the people who will immediately tell you that you should have gone abroad. That there is no scope for science in this country. That the only real science happening anywhere in th...

Recently, I have had the good luck to converse with several scientists with varying levels of enthusiasm and experience. I have found it quite enjoyable to discuss concepts, methods and approaches in their own disciplines, as well as general tenets spanning all across Science. Here is a conversation with geologist, micropaleontologist and dinoflagellate expert, Dr. James Riding. Q. What would you advise to someone who wants to enter Science? A. I'd advise students to choose their subject areas very carefully. They should choose something they enjoy doing, that they'd be happy doing for a long time, all their life in fact. They should choose something they feel enthusiastic about. They should also keep the practicalities in mind. For example, if the discipline is largely lab-based or field-based, do they like this aspect of it? They should be prepared to work hard, because it takes a lot of determination to make an impact in Science. It isn't a real wor...