Crossing the generational divide: what established scientists and early-career researchers can learn from each other

Victoria Kaspi scans the night sky for X-ray signals in search of clues about astronomical phenomena. The astrophysicist, who is based at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, led the research team that solved the mystery of the source of X-ray pulsars that produce erratic, outbursts that are also brighter than usual. Kaspi and her colleagues discovered that the signals originate from magnetars, highly magnetized neutron stars. The Shaw Prize Foundation awarded Kaspi and astrophysicist Chryssa Kouveliotou at George Washington University in Washington DC the US$1.2-million 2021 Shaw Prize in Astronomy for their work on magnetars. Last month, Kaspi attended the inaugural Hong Kong Laureate Forum alongside early-career researchers and 22 other Shaw laureates. The forum is designed to nurture connections and discussions between researchers at different stages of their careers through panel discussions, talks and social events. Kaspi spoke to Nature about the forum and how it helped to foster communication between different generations of scientists.

Tell us about the conversations you had with early-career researchers at the forum.

I attended a breakfast at which each laureate was assigned to a table with seven or eight undergraduate and graduate students from around the world. At first, they seemed nervous. Everyone looked at each other from around the table and there was a bit of a chasm, but as we went along, the conversations got very animated. I shared my experiences as a researcher and the challenges I faced. They shared their concerns, one of which was how to identify research questions worth exploring. The answer I gave, which other laureates echoed, was that first, they should find something that interests them enough to sustain the focus needed to make progress. Second, they should consider whether their interests are practical and tractable with current technology. In my field, I have to ask myself whether recent or upcoming technological innovations will allow me to observe specific signals in the Universe.

Newcomers to science can perceive the academic career path as complex and hard to manoeuvre, so I thought it was helpful to reflect on my career with them.

You mention your career challenges. What are the biggest hurdles you’ve faced?

Sometimes my laboratory members and I struggled to convince other scientists that we were detecting actual signals in the Universe and not just noise. For instance, we monitored bright X-ray emissions from pulsars for years, but found that this wasn’t telling us much more than we already knew. So one of my graduate students, Fotis Gavriil, tackled the data from a different angle and quantified tiny X-ray bursts that were only slightly above background levels in the night sky. We were reasonably confident that these signals were real, but it was hard to convince the community. We had to stick our necks out, but eventually we showed that these bursts were significant and we published our findings. We were right all along, but it’s easy to doubt yourself.

Which of your discussions at the forum were the most memorable?

We talked about the importance of communicating research to a broad audience. We discussed the fact that effectively communicating science to laypeople, the press, politicians and students is vital for both combating mistrust of science and ensuring funding continues to be provided. It’s not always easy to make science accessible; two of the mathematics students I spoke to had attended mathematics talks at the forum but said that they didn’t really understand them. We talked about how communication can be more of a challenge in some fields, and I contrasted mathematics with astrophysics, in which the subject matter is more amenable to communication with non-specialists. By coincidence, an excellent speaker then came on stage and delivered a talk about his research that resonated with all of us.

We also discussed the importance of meeting scientists abroad. The students came from around the world, and one had never previously left their home country — Brazil, I think. I told them that when your research covers a narrow scope, the experts who can help you might live abroad, and you should seize opportunities to travel and meet them.

Do you notice any differences in attitudes and career goals between early-career scientists and more-senior researchers?

One of the biggest shifts I see between generations is younger workers’ stance on maintaining a good work–life balance. I don’t place any value judgements on that, though. I worked 18 hours a day when I was a student — something I’m not necessarily proud of.

The younger generation tend to do a better job of communicating their work. They ingest unfamiliar information more often and can better appreciate how it feels to not understand something. Exposure to social media might also mean that communication comes more naturally to them. However, some ideas are too complex to be distilled into a meme or conveyed with few words. I think the older generation is more accustomed to longer, more-nuanced ways of communicating. Both groups can learn from each other, which is great.

It’s possible that the younger generation will be less inclined to travel for work now that everybody uses Zoom. They might also be more inclined to raise valid concerns about the carbon footprint of travel, but there really is no substitute for being in the same room as somebody for networking and socializing.

What was the most common question students asked at panel discussions?

There were a lot of conversations about how the Shaw laureates made their big breakthroughs. The key point was that you really have to work at a problem for a long time and not expect instant results. Not every publication has to be a big breakthrough. Often, advances are incremental. I’m candid about the challenges and self-doubt I’ve experienced, thinking, ‘Am I really good enough? Can I really do this?’ I was impressed to hear many of the other Shaw laureates saying the same thing. Maybe winning the Shaw prize gives you the confidence to share your lack of confidence.

What did you learn from younger attendees at the forum?

On a personal level, I learnt how important it is to appreciate my career, seeing all these young students aspiring to become researchers. It’s easy to get mired in the complexities of our work, and my peers and I often forget to be thankful for the opportunity we have to lead rewarding careers that we love. On a professional level, I learnt that students benefit from attending a forum like this one because it is tremendously interdisciplinary, which is rare in the academic landscape. I would absolutely encourage students to attend conferences like this one, should the chance arise.

What advice would you give early-career researchers pursuing academia?

It takes perseverance and tenacity. You pursue academia because you love it and can’t imagine doing anything else. Don’t let a few challenges deter you. That being said, you should find a good mentor and supportive environment to help you through bleak times.