Kaitlin P. McCreery, Ph.D.

Science has an infamous reputation for being difficult. Science was detested in grade school by most of my friends, and sometimes, also by myself. Science is a massive discipline that takes a combination of theory, practice, logic, and memorization to be considered a master. Certainly, this contributes to the intimidation factor that keep people out of careers in Science. I have been fortunate enough, through a variety of internal and external factors, to have pushed through the intimidation and made Scientist my profession.

Now, Science is different. I have completed as many science classes as The Academy would allow. I’ve gone broad and deep in many disciplines from physics, biology, and engineering disciplines. Science was Hard then, and it hasn’t become any easier. I can tell you the real reason that Science Is Hard: it is just as much of an emotional journey as it is an intellectual endeavor.

But Kaitlin–you may object–I thought that science was all about logic and reasoning, about pushing the frontiers of what we know and understand about our world and our universe! This is precisely what is so emotionally draining. Every day is fully scheduled for asking questions that no one has answered. At the apex of innovation, Science exists outside of history, outside of the documented. At this inflection point, the scientist is met with a cloud of feelings–passion, motivation, belief, and to a degree, reluctance and fear.

But why fear, why reluctance? If an idea or a question is truly innovative, truly original, it distinguishes what is known and what is not. Every step is in new territory, whether or not it is in the “right” direction. And so, Science is Hard because there is a high chance of failure, for your idea and for you personally. You can always be wrong, or headed in the wrong direction, and your peers will not hesitate to criticize every detail. Or, the path you have discovered is in fact the right one–and right beside you, there are others that are pushing and shoving (or spending a bunch of money) to get there before you do.

Here is the silver lining: Science is a verb, and the practice is highly rewarding, even addicting. At this point in my career, I’d say the hard days outnumber the easy ones. But I am still here because of those rare, quintessential moments of connection, between disciplines or people or ideas. I stay in Science because of the rush I feel standing on the ledge, outside of the comfortable. Those willing to balance on this ledge, to persevere emotionally and intellectually, grow daily as a thinker and as a person. If you’re doing Science right, it doesn’t get any easier.