If a powerful thought of doing research in the area of your deep interest has crossed your mind often, the chances are that you are at the cusp of turning into a successful researcher. All you need to do is to rejig your research curiosity into a committed head-start. A half-hearted weak attempt only to meet your institute’s expectation from you or for you to score points in annual appraisals won’t work. It is got to be from the heart-a real cracker. I urge you to always punch above your weight and don’t ever settle down for an ordinary effort.
It is when you taste a success of your first few papers published in SCOPUS or WOS indexed journals and attract citations, you feel pumped up with confidence. You begin to write more and better. You also start writing a Chapter or two in a book, enhancing your research bandwidth. Your craving for superior h-index begins to build up. You start finding time to embark upon research labs regularly and interact with researchers engrossed in their projects. You would be all set to move to higher attainments.
Moving to the next level when you join a funded project, you begin to breathe, eat, sleep with project. You are sorted for life. Well, if you are a lady faculty, you would be much similar to a golfer husband whose wife feels like throwing his golf bag out of the house:) I’m not scaring you at all. It is surely not so infectious as COVID-19. If you’re wise, you will be able to maintain good work-home balance.
Remember, one successful funded project will get you another, often from the same funding agencies who repose trust in your work. Labs and agencies need results. They care little for giving you an opportunity only for the sake of it. It is a ruthless world of ‘performers’. Soon you reach a stage when your research begins to make an impact on the society. Researchers across nations look at you with utmost respect. You move phenomenally many notches up in your self esteem. You are seen as one born to make a difference to the world, an ultimate measure of a successful human life.
If you thought I’m setting a narrative to inspire young faculty to research, you indeed thought right. Wait for my next blog on how to build your research h-index and eventually your research credentials.
Prof JR Sharma is the Mentor to institutes of higher education.
