In this Episode of Geo Dialogue, you are going to read the views of Ms. Aditi Chatterjee, born in Kharagpur of West Bengal. She graduated (B.Sc. Geology) in 2014 from Presidency University, Kolkata with Gold Medal and did her M.Sc. Geology from IIT Kharagpur and was awarded the Institute Medal. Her M.Sc. research resulted in a co-authored abstract and publication in the Journal of Earth System Science. Currently She is perusing her Ph.D research in the School of Natural Sciences under the supervision of Prof. Nathan Daczko at Macquarie University, Australia. She also carried collaborative research projects at IIT Kharagpur, IIHS Bangalore, Caltech, and ETH Zurich produced conference presentations at Goldschmidt and co-authored abstracts for Goldschmidt and EGU, along with three journal publications in Lithos and Earth and Planetary Science Letters. She is recipient of many scholarship, Awards and funded projects, including S. N. Bose Scholarship, ‘iMQRES’ scholarship & stipend for PhD, SNF funded project, ETH Zurich, Switzerland, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) scholarship, Institute Silver Medal, IIT Kharagpur, India, Dr. J. Coggin Brown Memorial Award, Gold Medal, Presidency University, Kolkata, India., SNF funded project, ETH Zurich, Switzerland. She qualified many National Level competitive Exams with very good ranks including CSIR-NET-2016 (AIR-8), GATE GG (top 2%), IIT JAM-2014(AIR-10), NTSE (AIR-13) etc. She also enriched herself with many conferences, workshops and Internships and presented her work to intellectual audience. During her academics, she participated in co-curricular as well as extra curricular activities with enthusiasms and spirit.
In her interaction with Exploring Geology, she talked about her sweet childhood memories to brilliant academic and impressive research journey along with her experience of research writing as well as fieldwork and presentations in various conferences/seminars. so let's enjoy this conversation...
Q. We highly appreciate your work as student
and Research scholar in Geoscience and welcome you for interaction with
Exploring Geology. You are a brilliant student throughout your academics so
what is the secret and whom you give credit of it?
Firstly, I would like to thank
the “Exploring Geology” team for inviting me in 'Geo Dialogue'. Thanks a lot for the
compliment, but I think my achievements are a result of a lot of blessing and
support from my teachers, colleagues, friends, and family, specially my father.
As a beginner, like everyone else,
examinations would cause a lot of fear and anxiety in me. Seeing this my father
started teaching me how to take academia and life sportingly with an open mind.
If I succeeded it only meant that I had the right skills, and if I failed it
only meant that it’s a chance to gather certain skills or try something else.
Gradually, since my higher
education days, my attitude towards examinations and achievements changed. I chose
to teach and compete with myself instead of focusing on the external. It didn’t
matter to me if I was ranking first or last, rather, I would keep reflecting on
my past performances, learn new things, work on my strengths, and identify my
weaknesses. Since then, I have made great friends, interacted with successful
professionals and kept learning from them. All these experiences combined
manifested into my degrees, and achievements.
Q. Please tell us about your childhood memories
and family, if you wish?
I was born and raised in a modest
Indian family in Kharagpur, West Bengal. Especially, my parents were a great
source of motivation for me. I was a communicative and curious kid and would
incessantly ask questions about anything and everything I observed in nature,
society, and my father would patiently answer them. Along with that, my
memories of childhood are full of love and care from family and our neighbours,
playing around in the grounds with my siblings and friends, and having picnics.
Q. How was your schooling and what role it played
for your further academic path?
I attended a Convent
school until the 10th standard and then moved to Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV) for my
12th standard. My Convent school nurtured my inquisitive mind with diverse
subjects, science fairs, stage performances, and debates. My early schooling
gave me broad exposure and polished my skills. At Kendriya Vidyalaya, I gained
confidence in my English skills and deepened my interest in Science, leading me
to choose it for future studies.
Q. Would you like to mention some of your
school teachers and their influence on your academics or personality?
Of-course, I learnt a lot from many
of my school teachers, and surely those had an influence in my personality. I
am truly thankful to all of them for taking care of us and helping us grow.
Academically, I think I must mention
one teacher who strongly influenced my ability to learn and understand advanced
level Science and Mathematics in my 11th standard. We used to call
him Ravish Bhaiyya, he was not my school teacher but I took extra classes from
him. At that time, he himself was a student at IIT Kharagpur and had a flair
for teaching. By far, he is still one of the most remarkable teachers I have
ever met. He taught me the fundamentals of physics, and mathematics, trained me
to solve mathematical problems, and was very creative with his teaching
methods.
Q. Why you decide to choose the Geoscience and
how you see this decision now because students of such an excellent academic
records usually prefer to go for NEET or JEE?
To be very honest, I needed more
training, time, and better resources to be able to crack NEET, or JEE. At that
point, I couldn’t get that kind of training and tutoring in Kharagpur to be
able to crack these examinations right after 12th standard. I did
give national-level competitive examinations and qualified some, but I wasn’t
getting good Universities/preferable subjects with my rank. I had to either
take a gap year stay in Kolkata and get rigorous training or look for other
Universities. I wanted to study at a university in the city because of higher
exposure and networking opportunities. Geosciences in Presidency University,
Kolkata felt like a good choice.
Q. What are your memories with your alma mater of Geology and faculty there and their influence in shaping your
career, if any?
I completed my B.Sc. degree at
Presidency University, Kolkata from 2011 to 2014, and I am highly thankful to
all the Professors who created the curriculum and taught us during that time.
My hard work combined with the guidance I received during those years helped me
build a strong base in Geology. The carefully designed lectures and fieldwork
at Presidency University motivated me to take up Geology for post-graduate
studies. In addition, my professors encouraged me to apply for JBNSTS and that
exposure helped me know more about research and academia at prime academic institutions
in India. Later in IIT Kharagpur I met a bigger pool of geologists, learnt
about internships, and thought about pursuing PhD abroad.
Q. From your academic record it appears that
you may get good job in reputed organizations like GSI, ONGC, AMD through UPSC
or GATE or even civil service so why you preferred research field?
I was always interested in
teaching, organizing workshops since my high school days. So, when I got
interested in Geology, I was motivated to pursue a PhD degree and try to become
a professor or lecturer in the future.
Q. With such an excellent academic record you
may get top research institute in India then why you prefer to go to Australia
for your research in geoscience?
With social media and modern
communication, the world has become a global village. Therefore, I always
wanted to explore the world, learn from diverse academic environments, and
pursue my degrees. I feel that just having an academic record isn’t enough,
what’s more important is how different communities think about a subject, and
the ways in which we can solve global problems. In US, Switzerland, and
Australia, I have learnt how to create projects combining geospatial analysis
and geochemistry, identify problems in applied geochemistry and petrology, and
collaborate with other research groups and industries. All this experience can
be helpful if I get a chance to pursue research in future.
Q. In the current time when unemployment is big
concern you are focusing on extending your research so what motivate you and
what is your thought behind it?
Unemployment is a big concern when we don’t have the right skills, mind-set, and network of supportive people. Throughout my career, I have consistently maintained an open mindset, ensuring that I understand the practical applications of my work and continuously update my skills. I prioritize fostering a collaborative environment where we can learn from one another and support each other's growth.
Q. You are recipient of many scholarships,
fellowships and awards during your academics and research journey but usually
most of the students are not aware about these fellowships during their
academics so what do you think, there is lack of awareness or lack of
confidence that students not apply for these scholarships and fellowships?
Yes, I took the leap, worked
hard, and applied for several scholarships and awards. However, I would say
that I am very thankful to some of my professors, mentors and friends who supported
me while applying these fellowships and always encouraged me to go ahead.
I think
students today are highly aware and confident in their abilities to pursue
opportunities. However, they often adopt a mindset that everything must be done
in isolation. Our education system focuses too much on individual pursuit and neglects
the importance of teamwork or collaboration. I think students need to be
proactive to be able to work as a team and find friends and trust-worthy
mentors who can empower them.
Q. May you please recommend few
scholarship/fellowship for UG/PG students and research scholars and brief
procedure to apply for these fellowships for our reader students?
Scholarships and fellowships are cyclic,
or biannual in nature, they depend on several financial institutes, country, and
societal parameters. They are certain opportunities that arise from time to
time. It’s very important to be alert, have the right friends and mentors
around to find out about these scholarships. For example, DST Inspire, IAS
fellowships, in India, DAAD scholarship in Germany, Mitacs scholarship in
Canada are some of them. However, there are several more that come up each
year.
Whatever the scholarship or
fellowship, every student must know how to build a strong CV, have good writing
skills such as research proposal, letter of motivation, and communication
skills.
Q. You enthusiastically participated in
co-curricular as well as extra-curricular activities during your academics so
how you could manage it without affecting your study because usually toppers
preferred their study so what is your take on it and how much important are
there activities?
My primary focus was not to
become a topper, but to have an overall knowledge of the diverse range of
subjects that existed in our society. My extra-curricular activities helped me develop
leadership skills, team work, gain resilience, and helped me build critical
thinking. Gradually, I was able to use these skills to fundamentally understand
my subject of interest, and becoming a topper was a resultant of this broad
exposure.
Q. You also earned some diplomas in Dance,
Music and Visual arts so what is the importance of these hobbies in your
personal and professional life, if any?
I think any successful
professional needs to become creative and communicate their ideas to a wider
audience at some point in their career. These experiences in performing arts
and fine arts helped me gain a broader understanding of how our society
functions, inspired me to think creatively, and helped me become a better
performer.
Q. For writing and publishing research papers,
obviously, you had to read so many references and research literature so what
is your approach to read a scientific paper or article?
When I read a paper it’s very
important for me to have a purpose in mind. I can’t read or believe an article
just because it’s published. I read it with a critical mindset, I understand
some of it, but I keep reading and move on to the next. Sometimes re-reading a
paper after a couple of years makes more sense. Being able to understand a
research paper depends a lot on time, training, and the network of colleagues
around.
Q. You published many research papers at such a
young age so what is your way to approach a research paper for publishing?
People have various approaches to
writing an article, depending on their personality and working style. For me,
it’s important to think of the article in the form of a story, visualize the
figures, and then format it according to the regulations of the journal.
Overall, I prioritize building a narrative, test a hypothesis, organize the
methods and results, and then write a conclusion.
Q. You participated and presented your research
in many conferences and seminars. Would you like to share any interesting or
inspiring incidence with our readers?
I can think of so many stories, I
think I will need a longer chat to cover them! I did a workshop + field trip in
glaciers in Switzerland, went to Goldschmidt Paris, Barcelona, went for a
conference + field work with Prof. Richard White in Scotland. However, I would
like to suggest students to attend a conference or seminar with an open mind
and dedication. Take these opportunities as learning experiences and gain as
much exposure as possible.
Q. What is the difference between work culture
in Australia/other countries and India particularly in context of research, as
per your observations?
The work culture in Australia has
taught me to become more independent and take research decisions on my own. My
supervisors are there to provide the necessary feedback or input, but I take
the lead, collaborate with colleagues, and discuss the necessary steps. They
are there to support me when I fail and appreciate me when I succeed. I haven’t
pursued research in India, so I can’t comment on the nitty gritty of it.
However, having pursued my higher education in India, I feel that students be
it UG/PG or research, need to be proactive and develop more soft-skills such as
critical-thinking, communication, leadership skills, teamwork, and get
professional exposure.
Q. How you see the position of Geoscience in
India? According to you what more need to do, if so?
Geoscience
in India is on the rise, thanks to its diverse landscape and resources. To
further enhance its position, we need more academic-industry collaboration and
increased funding to promote natural sciences. By fostering partnerships,
investing in research, and highlighting the field's importance, we can attract
new talent and strengthen India's role in the global Geoscience community.
Q. Please tell details about “Natural
Selection” startup so that our readers may take benefits of it?
I am the Founder of a start-up
called “Natural Selection”. During my academic journey, I realized that there
is a big gap when it comes to training students to gain soft skills,
professional grooming (e.g. CV preparation), and be able to communicate their
ideas. As a community we focus on the importance of technical skills but
severely lack soft skills such as communication and presentation. This gets
neglected further as higher education progresses because students need to give
individual MCQ based tests, and study individually. While these are important,
this seriously hampers the social skills of students and impacts their
employability, and their ability to deal with professional problems confidently.
Therefore, through my start-up I talk to students individually as every problem and learning styles are slightly unique. I take time, listen to the problems, and both the students and I creatively try to sort it out as a team. This takes time because it’s not actively taught in schools or colleges, but I have seen amazing results once the student can navigate their own professional path.
Q. Personality
(Geoscientist/Philospher/Celebrity etc.) inspired you the most and why?
I can’t name one specific
personality. I do listen to a lot of podcasts, read interviews, and consult
mentors and professors from time to time, so I absorb bits and fractions of
their wisdom. However, when it comes to building a personality, I strive to
become the best version of myself every day and every passing moment.
Q. Please share your contact details and social medial handles so that readers may contact you, if they need to discuss or collaborate.
Ans: It's my pleasure. here these are: Emails: aditi.chatterjee@students.mq.edu.au
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aditi-chatterjee-1993teachingandresearch?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
PhD, Macquarie University - Cited by 92 - mineralogy - fluid rock interaction - petrology - microstructures - geochemistry https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=ySLOkoQAAAAJ&hl=en
Here are some glimpses of Fieldworks, Workshops and conferences attended by Ms. Aditi
In 2023, During ‘Natural Selection’ Workshop conducted at Presidency University Kolkata, India.
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Exploring Geology extends sincere Thanks to Ms. Aditi Chatterjee for sparing her valuable time and thoughts in 'Geo Dialogues Series" and we wish her all the very best!
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are personal of Ms. Aditi and All rights reserved to her and 'Exploring Geology'.
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