Research Philosophy
I believe that scientific research should be rigorous. This requires patience, effort, and skills. It is critical to apply appropriate research tools and techniques that fit the nature of the research questions being addressed. Researchers should not only be able to see the big picture but also address the finer details. For all the research projects that I have worked on, I always ask a series of “so what?” questions throughout the projects. In addition, it is important to ask
Why is it an interesting research question?
Who would be interested in reading this piece of work?
What would be the implications of my findings?
How does my research advance the field?
Only with relatively strong and positive answers to these questions can I be assured that the research questions are relevant and I am doing some meaningful work that will be a positive contribution to the field.
Mentoring Philosophy
As a mentor, I intend to make a positive contribution towards the overall development of the mentee. Hence, at the beginning, understanding the mentee's stage of intellectual and professional development is critical. Another important question to ask is what the mentee's career plans are. It is true that every individual is unique, so I aspire to help the mentee develop certain universal skills, such as recognizing opportunities, asking questions, acknowledging shortcomings, taking responsibility, and effectively communicating. I believe it is important to be capable of following; however, it is also important to have the courage and capability to lead when it is needed, regardless of an individual's given position.