This time Scientific Bangladesh interviewed Dr. Farhana Rahman. She is a postdoctoral researcher
in the USA. Her insights and experiences will certainly be helpful for other postdoctoral researchers and future PhD students. Here is what she shared :
1. Scientific Bangladesh: Tell us about your education- from primary to PhD. Don’t miss this opportunity to express gratitude for your great supports in this journey.
Dr. Farhana Rahman: I finished my SSC and HSC from University Laboratory School & College, Dhaka. Then I admitted to the Microbiology Department of Dhaka University and completed my graduation. I obtained my PhD degree from International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi, India. During this journey, I am thankful to my parents for their continuous inspiration for learning and my husband for the motivation to start a Postdoc career. Special gratitude to my daughter since she was the ultimate sufferer during my research journey and for the same reason, she is also a part of my success.
2. Scientific Bangladesh: What was your PhD research area? What are the results of your vigorous research, including publications, patents, awards?
Dr. Farhana Rahman: My PhD topic was ‘Unravelling the properties of RecQ family of proteins from the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. The aim of PhD study was to clone, express, purify and biochemically characterize the two RecQ family of proteins such as Werner and Bloom from the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 strain. The in vivo expression and subcellular localization of these proteins were also studied in the Plasmodium falciparum. The effect of dsRNA on intraerythrocytic parasite growth was also investigated. I had 2 first-authored publications and they were published in “Protoplasma” and “Biochim Biophys Acta (BBA)” Journals.
3. Scientific Bangladesh: What was your motivation to go for PhD? What do you think about your decision to go for PhD?
Dr. Farhana Rahman: I wanted to drive myself in research and become an expert in my area. For that reason, PhD was mandatory. To fulfill my dream to be a researcher I decided to start my PhD.
4.Scientific Bangladesh. Why should someone pursue PhD? Should anyone go for PhD as friends are going for it, parents, parents-in-laws want it?
Dr. Farhana Rahman: To start a doctoral program represents your best professional, intellectual, and personal interest.
Everyone should have their own personal reason to pursue a doctoral degree as well as a unique expectation out of the program experience.
Self-determination should be the only motivation for doing PhD rather than what parents or parents-in-law want.
5. Scientific Bangladesh: How would you like to describe your PhD life?
Dr. Farhana Rahman: I had a mixed-up experience during my PhD life. Since I had to finish my PhD within 3-4 years, so from the beginning, I was under huge pressure to get productive results. But I made this time enjoyable in a different way. In parallel to that, I was responsible for my family also. I made a balance between research and personal life.
6. Scientific Bangladesh: PhD is stressful – how did you manage stress?
Dr. Farhana Rahman: Most of the PhD students complain about mental stress. To get meaningful experimental data most of the time they need to stay at the lab after hours as well as weekends. To get relief from such type of stress, I traveled to different areas of India whenever I got some time. Also, I shared my anxiety with friends and families. Believe me, it works.
7. Scientific Bangladesh: Looking back to your PhD life, what mistakes you would advise future PhD students to avoid?
Dr. Farhana Rahman: It is always good to start PhD at an early age. Besides lab techniques, everyone should know some soft skills to tackle unwanted situations.
8. Scientific Bangladesh: How did you manage your relationship with your supervisor?
Dr. Farhana Rahman: At first, I tried to read my supervisor’s mind and carried my research accordingly. I always tried to make an open discussion regarding research and personal issues and got good suggestions at the end.
9. Scientific Bangladesh: Did you change supervisor? If yes, when and why? What are your suggestions if a PhD student needs to change supervisor?
Dr. Farhana Rahman: No, I didn’t change my supervisor.
10. Scientific Bangladesh: What are your overall suggestions for future PhD students from your PhD life experiences?
Dr. Farhana Rahman: Be mentally determined first and focused on your goal. Always make plan B (if you feel PhD is a burden) and do not think PhD is the only thing to do in life. Try to do lots of fun during this stressful journey. Share your issues with friends and family members who can give you mental satisfaction.
11. Scientific Bangladesh: What are your suggestions who are about to finish PhD and entering to Post-doctoral phase?
Dr. Farhana Rahman: Try to find a mentor/lab where you can improve your scientific skills and learn relatively new, emerging, and diversified techniques than that you were trained in during PhD research.
12. Scientific Bangladesh: What is your Post-doctoral research area? Is it the same or different from PhD?
Dr. Farhana Rahman: During my Postdoc, I am working on “Lysosomal storage disease” called Cystinosis. This is totally different from my PhD research.
13. Scientific Bangladesh: What is your future destination? Academia or Industry or Entrepreneurship? Why?
Dr. Farhana Rahman: In the future, I want to be a scientist in USA government-funded institutes, because of available funds to do research. Otherwise, I will go for biotech industry jobs.
14. Scientific Bangladesh: Would you like to share your knowledge and experiences with the readers of Scientific Bangladesh by writing a regular column in Scientific Bangladesh. You can register for authorship https://scientificbangladesh.com/registration-2/
Dr. Farhana Rahman: I will try but cannot promise.
15. Scientific Bangladesh: Thank you Dr. Farhana Rahman for sharing your experiences from which Postdocs and future PhD students will be benefited. May Allah reward you with the best. Congratulations on being the first postdoctoral interviewee.