Of all the intellectually demanding professions out there, research is probably the most demanding. By ‘research,’ I’m not only referring to academic research, but also data science, business analysis, market research, medical research and any profession that requires an optimal mix of the left brain’s analytical skills coupled with the right brain’s creativity. Researchers are tasked with the challenging job of finding innovative ways to solve some of the most complex problems known to mankind.

So, what do you need to be a successful researcher? Well, it all starts with intrinsic motivation.

Intrinsic Motivation: The ability to pursue something because…

We live in an inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary world. People are encouraged to switch careers every 5-10 years or so. We have seen software engineers becoming YouTubers, wall street wizards becoming best-selling authors, and data scientists becoming entrepreneurs. This is the story of how I switched my career from engineering to computer science.

During my high school days in India, the most sought after careers were in engineering, technology and management. I enjoyed physics and math, but wanted to pursue computer science. I did well in my college entrance exams to pursue bachelors in manufacturing engineering at BITS Pilani, which is…

I was ten years old, when my mother asked me, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Around that time, an aerospace scientist and a preeminent figure in India’s space and nuclear programs, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, had become the 11th President of India. Dr. Kalpana Chawla, who was the first woman of Indian descent to go to space and conduct scientific experiments as part of NASA’s Columbia mission, had passed away owing to an unfortunate incident during their descent back to earth. I was inspired by both these personalities. Buzzwords like “Artificial Intelligence” and…