Expert: Daniel Mazur - 5/10/2007

Question
hi!
I'm in 12th standard(INDIAN EDUCATION).I have a long cherished dream to become a nuclear scientist,but my parents oppose my decision & say that there is no scope for research in that feild.But i badly want to be a researcher.How do i convince them?!!
Please help me!

Answer
Hello Janani,

I am pleased to hear about your enthusiasm for science. I can tell you that of course there is a lot to research in nuclear science, as is in any other science. India has nuclear power and building nuclear power plants, so it makes a lot of sense that you can even find a job near home, when you graduate.

To convince your parents, you will need to think about, what it exactly is they don't like about your career choice. Do they really believe being a researcher has no perspective? Or do they think you should go earn money right away? Or are they afraid you'll leave home to study too far away? There are many questions like that, which have nothing to do with science or research as such, but which influence parents.

My parents are dental doctors in Europe, so it was natural for me to go get a Masters degree. It was physics for me and the parents didn't object, because I had showed my inclinations clearly during the 4 years of senior high... (Well, they might have been happier if I went to study medicine, but they accepted my choice.) After my Master's, though, I arranged to go to the USA to pursue a Doctorate degree and I must say I had to defend the idea. It was too far for my Mom, as you can imagine:-). And now I am about to go back to Europe and I have to defend this choice to my American girlfriend:-). Well, this is life...

Your strategy how to convince your parents to bless your decision to go study for a scientific career must reflect what they really think. If they think it's impractical, you can tell them it is not: I am an experimental physicist and as such one must be enough of a "handyman". I can build a computer from parts, program it, maintain it, I can repair electrical and electronic household appliances, etc. One learns enough during the physics lab education. If your parents feel they cannot afford to support you for 6 to 10 more years, you need to show your willingness to have a student job on the side to ease their financial burden... Or, if you're expected to pay expensive tuition, you need to consider a student loan. Shouldering the financial responsibility for your studies should be a convincing point.

Now, if your parents are most afraid that you leave home and won't be helping them, this cannot be argued out. But it is so in most parts of the world today that with a University degree you earn much more than without it, so you may try to convince then that later on you will be able to help them much more, with the degree and well paying job. Finally, if they are in favor of a university degree for you and only think that nuclear science (physics) has no perspective, you can appeal with the fact that it is the career of your heart and that you couldn't be happy doing anything else... :-)

I leave it to you to decide on your strategy. The fact remains that doing science is reasonably well paid, you get to work with people from all over the world, you have a job with a "mission" to advance mankind's knowledge and understanding of Nature, and so you have a chance to create something that will live much longer than you as a mortal human. These feats appeal to me greatly (apart from the fact that I enjoy doing physics, of course), so that's why I am what I am. Mind you, the college is hard, so you should be a really determined student, but as you graduate and land your first job, it'll start paying off.

I wish you all best in your endeavors and hope you'll achieve your heart's desire.
Cheers!
Daniel