Careers in Research
You may work your magic hidden in a lab, but a career in research may just be your ticket to the top. Shail Stephens investigates
Research is primarily an investigation or an experiment aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws. Snehal Vadher, an M.Sc student, says, "For me, research is a motorcade of curiosity, inference and zeal fuelled by my passion for the subject."
Opportunities to work as a research assistant also depend on the professors or scientists who choose an assistant on the basis of his/ her flair and knowledge, apart from the mandatory qualifications. The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) is a catalyst for aspiring researchers. While research in natural sciences is concerned with the interplay of elements, research in social sciences is relatively less exploratory.
Sam Taraporevala, reader, Department of Sociology at St Xaviers College, Mumbai, elaborates the concept of social research, "The study of dynamics in society and the patterns underlying these dynamics to better the understanding of society is what social research encapsulates. It is usually descriptive. The empirical data collected, facilitates causal research which is basically theorising an issue in your own light."
Affirming the career opportunities in the field, Taraporevala believes that all knowledge is verified by research. "Social research is a requisite for any institution. Every consumer firm has a market research team and every NGO has a research team that customises findings to tailor specific needs. Educational institutions have academic researchers who fundamentally seek innovation," he says.
Fields such as clinical testing, psychology, anthropology, medicine, finance, chemicals, wildlife sciences and botany, among others, demonstrate the sheer magnitude of the applications that favour the foray of research. Sonika Sharma, course co-ordinator, Academy of Clinical Excellence, Kalina, says,"Every step of the way, we look before we leap. Doctors search for better cures, scientists search for answers to medical discrepancies, pharmaceutical giants manufacture cures after careful consideration, the FDA approves it after staunch scrutiny and clinical researchers like us make sure that the drug adheres to the ethics and norms laid down by our country."
Illustrating a stark contrast in the fields of research, Ashish David, research associate, Environmental Information System (ENVIS), elucidates his core area of research, "Wildlife and protected areas is what I primarily study. We seek to build up a repository and act as a dissemination centre for information on wildlife sciences, provide information for decision-making at the apex level relating to conservation and development, establish a database on the protected area network in India and promote national and international cooperation through networking and exchange of wildlife-related information." Research in NGOs and governmental auxiliaries is primarily part of a wider job profile.
Although research bears the semblance of being a voracious yet casual pillage of resources, it has a methodology that is unique to it. Research design, quantitative or qualitative methods of data collection, sampling techniques, research ethics, statistical representation of data, literature reviewing are the tip of the iceberg where research methodology is concerned.
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Fields such as clinical testing psychology anthropology medicine finance chemicals wildlife sciences and botany among others demonstrate the sheer magnitude of the applications that favour the foray of research.
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