For the past few years I have been in doubt and a question about the nature of research always occupies a part of my mind.
As researchers, we have been asking and researching for years. We may become famous in our own field and eventually be remembered as an influential scientist. But the question is what is the final outcome of the research-based lifestyle for the researcher?
In other words, what is valuable in research that motivates a scientist to do research all or most of his/her life?
Ps: I have this view on other issues as well. Why does anyone farm all their life or be a teacher or a doctor? Why should these things be important for the person to do for many years?
Kamran - I am doing research in the field of inorganic chemistry since 1976, i.e. over 40 years. Even since 1970, when I was still in high school, I was fascinated by chemistry, because we had a very good chemistry teacher in school. Soon I had a chemical laboratory in the basement of my parents' home. My first scientific paper was published in 1976 at the age of 22. I always wanted to become a chemistry professor, which eventually came true in 1995. Thus I am really lucky that I could make my hobby into my profession. I continued to be fascinated by synthetic chemistry, because we routinely synthesize new chemical compounds which no other human has ever seen before. It's regularly a very exciting moment.
We basically do research either to bridge theoretical gaps or solve practical problems.
Thanks Solomon
Yes, this is true, but the question is, what does research have personally for the researcher that makes the scientist spend her/his whole life in this way?
Dear Kamran Akbari.
You ask the following: "What is valuable in research that motivates a scientist to do research all or most of his/her life?
There are many things that motivate a scientist to do research all or most of his/her life? What follows refers to some variables that can motivate a scientist to do research all or most of his/her life:
1) To advance knowledge in his/her areas of expertise;
2) To get a better understanding of the unknown in his/her areas of expertise;
3) To solve some practical problems that are afflicting his/her country or even the society at large.
4) To get social approval on the part of their colleagues both from his/her country or even foreign countries;
5) To get funding for his/her future research projects;
6) To become a remarkable and acclaimed scientist across the world;
7) To be promoted to top positions In his/her Dept, Faculty or University;
8) To leave a scientific legacy to the scientific community at large;
9) To be an epistemic model for other scientists and researchers; and
10) To be a source of inspiration to future generations of scientists and researchers.
I hope this may be helpful for you.
Kamran - I am doing research in the field of inorganic chemistry since 1976, i.e. over 40 years. Even since 1970, when I was still in high school, I was fascinated by chemistry, because we had a very good chemistry teacher in school. Soon I had a chemical laboratory in the basement of my parents' home. My first scientific paper was published in 1976 at the age of 22. I always wanted to become a chemistry professor, which eventually came true in 1995. Thus I am really lucky that I could make my hobby into my profession. I continued to be fascinated by synthetic chemistry, because we routinely synthesize new chemical compounds which no other human has ever seen before. It's regularly a very exciting moment.
Dear Kamran Akbari , for most of us, we regard research as an occupation, and do it for earning a piece of bread to support our family. Nowadays, as all the works are specialized, it takes years or tens of years to be trained in a specific specialization. So when we are trained in one specific research area, it is almost impossible to leave this small specific area, and pursue another completely different working area. This is why most of our researches are life long. It is only in very rare cases that one's hobby is highly imbedded into one's occupation, like the case of lucky Prof Edelmann above.
Dear Dear Kamran Akbari & Ligen Yu.
Just a short post to say that I know of some researchers who, like our colleague Frank T. Edelmann, love so much what they do that it seems that they do not work even for a day. When this is the case, we can say that our work is a hobby for us. Of course, our profession allows us to earn some money, for example, to feed our families and ourselves Even so, it is worth mentioning, that, for instance, some retired Professors work and carry out research for the only sake of doing it and without getting any money. As I psychologist, I see behaviors everywhere and hence to try to understand them is a kind of hobby for me.
Research shows (look, for example, at E. Deci's theory of self-determination) that those researchers who are intrinsically motivated tend to go further than those who are extrinsically motivated.
To sum up, when we love what we do, we can say that work is also a job for us.
Dear Dr Orlando M Lourenço , you are right. For some professors, they love their research so much that they still go to the lab long after their retirement. I know a professor who is although 95 years old now, and has worked for more than 70 years in the university, he is still busy in the lab, and even use his pocket money to employ PhD students to work with him.
Dea Ligen Yu.
Thank you for your agreement with my post. The example you mention --- a professor who is although 95 years old now, and has worked for more than 70 years in the university, he is still busy in the lab, and even use his pocket money to employ PhD students to work with him -- is a telling example of what I intended to say in my previous post. This is the type of constructive discussion that should exist in Research Gate.
Dear @Orlando_Lourenco, @Ligen_Yu, and @Frank_T_Edelmann
It makes me happy that experienced professors answered the question, and of course, these are valuable answers. Thanks for sharing your helpful experience
Dear Kamran Akbari.
It is our pleasure to participate in your thread. Experienced professors have always much to learn and may be less experienced than they appear to be. If you feel happy I feel happy too.
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