Recently, the famous biologist Yan Ning posted a Weibo, sharing his recent experience of participating in the interview for dismissed students. On Weibo, teacher Yan Ning mentioned that she asked all the students a question, but the result was unexpected:
"There were more than 20 students, but none of them answered my eyes."
Source: Yan Ning Weibo
What questions did Teacher Yan Ning ask that were difficult to answer?
It's hard to get rid of life
"Assuming that after 10 years, you have become a PI (Principal Investigator) and you have all the resources you need (excellent research team, sufficient funding, perfect experimental equipment, a lot of time), then what are the scientific questions you most want to explore? To put it another way, what are the scientific or technical problems in this life, can you solve or break through, and you feel that you have no regrets in this life?"
I wonder how you will answer this question when you are interviewed?
In fact, nearly half of the more than 20 students interviewed that day said very honestly that they had not thought about this kind of question at this stage, and they would not be able to think of it for a while~
To be honest, there are probably very few students who can think about this kind of question at the undergraduate or master's level, and it is natural to answer that they don't know or think about it.
In addition to this part of the students, some students talked about some very specific small problems in the literature; Other students talked in general terms and said some areas of interest, but when asked which laboratories are in this direction, they are at a loss...
Source: Yan Ning Weibo
In general, teacher Yan Ning said on Weibo that no classmate's answer made his eyes shine, and he also reflected on whether he asked this question too early for undergraduates.
But under the relevant Weibo, netizens have a variety of answers.
Netizens with big brains
In Weibo, teacher Yan Ning mentioned that these students have high academic results, and some students have even published more than one academic paper. Therefore, she is very much looking forward to one or two students who can talk about the scientific problems they want to pursue, and pointed out, "Life, old age, illness and death are all life science research objects, is there really nothing that people want to study from the heart?"
Although the students did not give any eye-catching answers, the Weibo comment area of Teacher Yan Ning exploded a lot of brain-opening netizens ~
Some people say they want to study Alzheimer's disease.
Source: Yan Ning Weibo
Some people have a different kind of interest in aging ~
Source: Yan Ning Weibo
Some people want to conquer cancer and AIDS ~
Source: Yan Ning Weibo
There are also people who think about letting homosexuals have babies ...
Source: Yan Ning Weibo
The various answers in the comment area are indeed brain-opening, and there are also netizen Qi Yan teachers themselves what big dreams they had when they were undergraduates.
Teacher Yan Ning mentioned in another Weibo that a classmate sent a letter saying that he was interested in a problem, which was very similar to his interest in undergraduates, but unfortunately, Teacher Yan did not disclose what kind of problem it was on Weibo.
Source: Yan Ning Weibo
In addition, there are some comments that the interview is not suitable for asking such questions, and people will not answer their thoughts because of some concerns.
Source: Yan Ning Weibo
This is not unreasonable, after all, rather than what to do later, everyone should think more about how to spend the present than the problem of becoming a PI later.
What should be considered first about ideals and reality?
Compared with the academic bigwigs who have achieved fame, young people do not actually have the habit of thinking about these questions.
Some netizens commented, "I have thought about being a PI and what research I can do, but this is completely different from the scientific problems I want to explore the most." My current situation is that whether I can become a PI is a problem, and I feel that scientific research cannot be done every day."
Source: Yan Ning Weibo
When there is a conflict between survival and ideals, it is estimated that everyone will still try to find a job first, and then consider other ~
Source: Yan Ning Weibo
However, another netizen's answer is indeed thought-provoking, after the teachers asked such a question, maybe a few people will always ask themselves this question, and find their own way by asking.
Source: Yan Ning Weibo
As Teacher Yan said on Weibo:
"There is only a little more human knowledge, so many unsolved mysteries waiting for us; In the past ten years of scientific research training has given you ability, weapons, and scientific methods, and the first step is to find problems that are worth investing a lot of time and energy in you and your team."
Ask and ask, maybe find the way.