She Stands for Science: A Trilogy

Dr MONALISA PAUL

Women in science have always been portrayed as rebels. Actually, they are. In the 21st century too they have to break certain taboos to enter the field of research. Overcoming marital duties, gestational commitments, physiological hindrances such as menstrual cycle, social insecurities or economical hiccups, the journey towards arduous field studies or protracted experimental work is never easy. Choosing science stream after class tenth boards is a luxury for girls in many parts of India even after 76 years of independence. Societal taboos push them to opt for humanities. Financial glitches in most parts of the country compel the parents to discourage women to go for science stream. Pursuing a career in science despite the above-mentioned challenges for a woman is indeed a moment of achievement. The following are the stories of three such women scientists who defied all odds just to prove that spirit of a woman cannot be blown off easily. They stand for science. These real-life incidences are here to encourage our readers that if there is a will, there is a way. The first story signifies the power of dreams as no challenge is bigger than them, the second one narrates about implausible encouragement of a mother to motivate her daughter to save mother Earth and the third one will guide you to consider a strong career in the field of science if persuaded positively. 

Fail better to rise better…

White coat over the shoulders, stethoscope in hands and the prefix of ‘Dr.’ to her name was her wish. To be a doctor was her childhood aspiration. She opted for PCB in class twelfth. It was her third attempt for CPMT. Just thirteen days before the exam, her elder brother expired in a road accident. On the day of examination, she almost went blank because of the obvious emotional turmoil she was undergoing.

(Dr. Rashmi Saini)

When the results came out, she missed her chance by twenty-five marks and failed to get the desired admission. She bid final adieu to her medical dreams. Life had other plans for her. She got admitted herself to biological sciences courses under Lucknow University. Completed her masters and got enrolled herself in Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI), Lucknow for the Ph.D. programme. Her work was based on Nitric oxide synthase, oxidative stress and free radicals in blood cells. Balancing research, long hour lab exposures and many failed experiments along with marital responsibilities is never easy for any woman researcher. She managed all with a big smile and in the meantime was blessed with twins-a girl and a boy. During her Ph.D. tenure, she appeared for an interview and was thrilled to get the news of selection as Scientist B at one of the leading institutes of India. Next day, her name was dropped for unknown reason. She even cleared UPPSC while pursuing her Ph.D. and received the appointment letter too but on the day of joining, she was told that the post she was selected for, was one of the 44 posts advertised by mistake. She fought many legal battles against the injustice which means waiting outside the court in queues for long hours for the hearing but all in vain.

After the completion of Ph.D., she faced harsh unemployment issues and after four years of struggle she got a chance to do post-doc at University of Campinas, Brazil which meant separation from her children which is tough for a mother. As soon as she landed in the foreign land, she realised that it was not an English-speaking country as Portuguese is the native language over there. Overcoming the language hurdles in daily life was tough but she did not give up, learned their language, completed her experiments with dedication and gained relevant research experience. After coming back to India, she grabbed short time projects in different parts of the country to sustain herself.  She secured a permanent position at a university in Madhya Pradesh but never received a confirmation letter even after completing the probation period since the locals rebelled against the 153 appointments that had taken place. Fate chose her for something great. This is not a science fiction but a real-life experience of Dr. Rashmi Saini, an associate professor of zoology department of Gargi College, New Delhi who made rejections as stepping stones for her next move. Finally, after thirteen long years, she lives with her family happily. When asked what kept her going, she states that ‘Optimism and Positivity’. She says that she never cribbed about anything during her scientific voyage as she finds challenges as an opportunity to prove oneself better. Not only a researcher, Dr Saini is a prolific scientific writer with several internationally acclaimed scientific papers. She has also authored many books related to science. She is a recipient of many national and international recognition too and has patented many of her inventions such as ‘PCR Primer for Sensitive and Rapid Identification of Pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter Asiaticus (CLas) based on Multicopy nrdB gene’, ‘Flexible Mice Restainer for Hind Limb Tumor Radiation Exposure’ and ‘Novel Synthetic Selective Biolocators and Identifiers for Multicopy nrdB gene’.  With grown up children around, she now devotes most of her time not only to college teaching but also in mentoring other Ph.D. enthusiasts.  Now being a supervisor herself, she is student-friendly and understands the importance of timely submission of the thesis.  She has mentioned in her interview that her family is a constant source of inspiration and has supported her during thick and thin times. She asks the youngsters to carry forward the legacy of science by making most out the limited available resources as cognitive capacity does not have any boundaries. She identifies that there is a huge gap between registration of female candidates as interns in science and their recruitment as women scientists. Although the provision of maternity or child’s care leave or availability of ‘no fees for women candidates’ while applying for jobs show positive approaches towards inclusion of females in science stream yet the absorption rate for women is feeble which is inversely proportional to the amount of hard work science stream demands as compared to other streams especially biology. Researchers’ energy gets drained in acquiring the logistical support to conduct research which could have been channelised into something worthwhile. Her scientific trajectory indicates that with hard work, dedication, perseverance and positivity, even destiny can be conquered.

The above trilogy highlights the stubbornness and courage of these three women scientists who simply refused to give up. Their narration also suggests an alternative career in the field science as every science student aspires to clear either medical or engineering entrance exams to be a doctor or engineer while opting for P, C, M and B (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology) in senior secondary classes. But the success rate is feeble. What about the left outs? It is not the end of the career. Most of them opt for Bachelor of Sciences courses which are followed by Master of Sciences. Those who love to continue their higher studies in the similar lineage, pick the research field to pursue Ph.D. (Doctorate of Philosophy) which is a journey to remember in one’s life. The sincere approach towards this distinguished honour takes not only time and intellect but also it tests one’s patience, management skills (be it funds, resources or social networks), physical endurance, emotional quotient and resilience. If perceived with focus, success is bound to follow you. Three of them agree to a common point that in the field of science women can uplift each other a lot and can be a strength of pillar for each other as real queens fix each other’s crowns.

CONCLUDED

(Dr Monalisa Paul is a Senior Content Creator, Mindsprite Solutions. Email: monalisapaul28@gmail.com)