Looking for inspiration to pursue academia
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I am currently a computer science junior and trying to assess if graduate studies are something that that would suit me as they require considerable effort and time committment. If the professors and several graduate students on the forrum could share how they ended up on a path in academia, I would greatly appreciate that. I would also like to hear how people discover and get sure about their all important 'passion'...
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Initially in my undergrad, I was more interested in humanities. I took many math, humanities, and social science courses. At one point I was even seriously considering further exploring courses on religion. Amidst such a diverse intellectual journey, a Computer Science course, “Discrete Mathematics”, piqued my interest and I found myself solving logic puzzles for hours on end, even seeking out extra problems to practice in my free time. This course had a transformative effect in igniting my passion for Computer Science. I encourage you to be open to the feeling of getting deeply involved with a subject you like, and actively pursuing it beyond the confined course requirements. Academic passions can arise naturally without much provocation, but it is important to invest your time in exploring them. For example, I realized that Computer Science was a field that I found more relevant by the day and I felt it had the potential to transform the world and it has. I encourage you to take such a leap with your passions as well. Find something that fulfills you, and it helps greatly to also find a way to contribute to your field in some way. It can be something deeply involved like solving a complex problem, but also something simple like explaining a basic concept better in a Youtube video. What matters is that you engage deeply with your field of choice and, in the long run, find it fulfilling enough to be proud of your career.
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My journey toward pursuing a PhD and then academia, was inspired by my passion for research and teaching that I developed during my undergraduate studies. Research always felt like an exhilarating adventure—a puzzle that challenged me to think innovatively and could lead to significant societal impact. I relished the freedom to navigate my own path in solving these puzzles, each day presenting a fresh canvas on which to experiment and discover. In addition to my research, I had the opportunity to serve as a teaching assistant for a couple of courses. This role ignited a love for teaching, as I found immense satisfaction in breaking down complex concepts into understandable pieces for my students. The moment of clarity in a student’s eyes, the sudden understanding, was profoundly rewarding. These experiences were pivotal; they not only fueled my desire to delve deeper into areas I liked but also solidified my commitment to contribute to both knowledge and educational development. Thus, embarking on a PhD was a natural progression.
Reflecting on how I discovered my true passion, I've realized it's a journey that demands both dedication and introspection. Initially, it’s easy to confuse success with passion—for instance, you might think you love AI simply because you excel in it academically. However, genuine passion is something deeper. It's when you invest significant time peeling back the layers of a subject that you truly begin to distinguish between mere interest and real passion. For me, this involved deep dives into various topics, challenging my own perceptions against the reality of my experiences. It wasn't until I engaged deeply with different areas, assessing my excitement and commitment beyond surface-level achievements, that I really discovered what I really liked.
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I never wanted to be a Computer Scientist. I wanted to be an astronomer. I thought physics could take me anywhere. Between subatomic particles and beyond galaxies. Through a series of events partially out of my control, I ended up at FAST, instead of UET (the only name I had heard of right up until the point of my application to FAST). I hated everything they were teaching in a CS degree. It took me to get through 3 semesters of torturous courses to finally find a course I liked. Assembly language particularly appealed to me because I absolutely loved the way my instructor engaged with me. I found myself so deeply involved that I gave up my gaming nights just to design microprocessors. I quite literally quit my first passion for that. Later on in my undergraduate, I was discouraged from taking the Phonetic course(for the simple reason that the course was useless). Today, I hold a PhD specializing in the same subject. My primary purpose for sharing these details is that life will eventually give you an opportunity to pursue something that brings you sheer joy. Be fearless in your pursuit whenever that time comes. Please forget about your GPA, it legitimately will not matter. Go for amazing teachers even if they are bad graders. If you have the passion you will find your way into your dream job or dream program.
