grad school, parenthood, identity crisis. welcome to the rabbit hole.

Saturday, June 21, 2014

building

I've started collaborating with an engineering post doc, and it has been a really interesting learning experience. Our collaboration got off to a slow start. After the first couple meetings of sketching out experiments and work flows, they* had to go back to China, and then got stuck there with visa issues for two months. But even in that short time, I learned a lot. For one, they came to every meeting with a powerpoint presentation. First was of their work, so we could understand what they were bringing to the table. After the second meeting, they made a powerpoint presentation of what I had wanted to do, in order to make sure that they fully understood what I wanted to do. (When word arrived that they had returned from China, my PI said to me, 'Please prepare a Shuqiang-like presentation for Shuqiang.' As if I needed them to tell me that.) Note to self, even if powerpoint is the most ridiculous medium ever, being overprepared for a meeting is never a bad idea.

Over the past week we've spent more time together. We have vastly different schedules and skill sets. Where I rely on biology and the random processes of nature, this post doc is an engineer by training. The biology doesn't come naturally to hir**, instead, polymers, flow rates, the properties of oil and water, this is their language.

The fun part is the learning. The post doc came from China, and they told me that the reason they make their presentations going into meeting is because they are self-conscious about their communication skills. They want to learn more biology to be able apply their engineering skills. We have biology coming out of our ears, (my PI cautioned me to not "vomit ideas all over [them]." Again, as if I need them to tell me that!), but the analytical, engineering parts of this project are way over my head.

I'm learning to balance, to listen, to be humble. When we work together sometimes I don't talk much, because I'm trying to absorb as much as I can. When I do talk, I'm learning to communicate. I'm kind of vague, sometimes (heh.) You know when that doesn't fly? When you're talking to an engineer. When I'm talking to peers in my lab, or my PI, sometimes I'll start off an idea without any intent on finishing that thought, relying instead on them immediately understanding what I'm saying, and filling in the blanks. You know when that doesn't fly? When the person you're talking to can't read your mind. So much to learn!

Also, I don't read enough. Which I think is always going to be the case.

*I've read some other science blogs that use gender neutral pronouns when talking about PIs and students, and though I used to find it kind of annoying, I'm starting to understand the reasons why and the importance for doing so. Maybe a conversation for another day? At any rate, no gendered pronouns!

**hir = him/her. omg it looks so weird, but I will stick with it!

No comments:

Post a Comment