‘Finding Out More About The Universe’: IISc, IIA Scientists On Science As Profession

The Sciences are a fascinating field. They are the gateway through which we comprehend and understand our material universe, and there’s always something new to discover. Truly, there is no end to our fascination with Science. However, when it comes to choosing a career in the Sciences, students often find it difficult to know which career options are best for them, and what to look out for in our constantly changing world. In our webinar on "Careers In Sciences", our guest speakers, Dr. B. Ananthanarayan, Professor, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and Dr. Jayant Murthy, Senior Professor, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru, spoke to students in detail about how to go about choosing a career in Science.

Q. What got you fascinated about the Sciences?

Murthy | It’s been 35 years since I got my PhD, and I’ve always been interested in Science. I went into Physics, one of the reasons for which was that I watched the moon landing of 1969 when I was a child. That really gave me an appreciation and interest in Space Astronomy.

What I think is really different about doing Science is that everyday you find a little bit more about the universe, something that no one ever knew before. There’s a lot of hard work; Science is a profession. And as a profession, there’s a lot of stuff you do that’s not exciting every day. Nevertheless, you’re always finding out something new. And that is what Science is: Science is finding out more about the universe.

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Ananthanarayan | Apart from having great Science teachers in school, Science was a big part of our family: my mother was interested in Chemistry, my father in Physics, and my sister was doing Biology. In those days, the information we received was limited. It was mostly whatever we read in books, newspapers, and magazines. But this foundation was very important as it made it easier when I moved into Physics. It’s challenging nevertheless but patience and perseverance, and the ability to learn constantly, and be able to branch out into different fields become important in the scientific career.

Q. Could you please tell us a little about IISc and its offerings?

Ananthanarayan | IISc is the 2nd oldest institution for Science in India. It has evolved greatly from what it was in the initial years. About 12 years ago, IISc started the undergraduate program. There are five majors that provide students with undergraduate training - Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Material Science, and Environmental Science. Students have to have Mathematics until class 12 to enter the undergraduate programs. The entry is through examinations like KVPY, JEE, NEET, etc. The first three semesters are common to all students, after which they start their courses in the major of their choice.

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Q. Please share with us a little about the Indian Institute of Astrophysics.

Murthy | IIA is a postgraduate institute only. Only students who have an MSc can join IIA. There is an MTech + PhD integrated program too for students, tbut the focus remains on Astrophysics. Students can come in through IIA’s own exam, GATE, NET, etc. Students have coursework that takes up 1-2 years, a couple of projects, and then they start working on a PhD. It takes about five years for a PhD after one joins IIA.

Astrophysics is a fascinating career choice for many science students

Q. Which are the other premier institutions for pursuing Science in India?

Murthy | IISc, IITs, IISERs are amongst the top undergraduate institutions for Science. Apart from these, there are also various private universities, like Christ University, St. Joseph’s, Ashoka University, etc. Public universities like Delhi University, BHU, also provide a good scientific education. There are also universities that are not strictly known for their Science offerings, but have some of the best Science courses. For instance, BITS Pilani has an amazing Pharmacy undergraduate course. JNU, too, though it is known for its Social Science courses, has various great Allied Sciences and Life Sciences programs.

Q. What are the career options that students of Science can take up, if they don’t want to pursue Engineering or Medicine?

Ananthanarayan | The current situation of the world makes it very difficult to give a precise prediction as to what kind of jobs will be in demand. But even then, there are a large number of jobs in all these fields; fundamental Science always contributes to the GDP. But more than that, students should be very open to conducting experimental work as there’s a real shortage of people who understand this.

Q. What are some of the career options in Science that your students are pursuing around the globe?

Murthy | Some of my students are professors at IITs, others are doing post-docs in Germany, USA, Australia, and South Korea. It just so happens that they’re all in academia. Those who studied with me, however, did go into non-academic fields, such as Law, because doing a PhD teaches you the ability to solve problems. So, if you’re open to other areas, you can really branch out later in life as well. And once you get that scientific education, you can really go anywhere and do anything you like.

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Q. For students who’ve taken Science at the undergraduate level, is there a way for them to take a break from their education to work, and come back to continue their studies later?

Ananthanarayan | There are various organisations like DRDO, ISRO, and BARC, that recruit students at various stages. Companies, both public and private, also require good Science students to become part of their workforce at the technical level.

As you know, India is one of the great producers of intellectuals, for neighbouring countries as well, because there is an insatiable demand for well-trained people in Science. On top of that, scientists today need to know a lot of things that are not strictly part of their field. Knowing how to work with computers, knowing programming languages, writing and communicating with others, etc. are all skills that one can learn through short-term courses that improve one’s employability. The world today is becoming flexible in that way, and there aren’t many rigid boundaries that were there previously.

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Q. If one pursues Sciences and doesn’t get a job afterwards, what should one do?

Murthy | Typically, companies do prefer recruiting Science students on-campus. A lot of universities also provide learning fellowships to do a master’s and upskill you for the future. On top of that, there are various scientific domains, such as Geology, that are experiencing a real shortage of experts. So it’s not all about pursuing what’s popular. As long as you’re doing what you love and doing it well, you will eventually get to where you want to go. Of course, higher education is important in that it opens up the world to you. With a PhD, for example, you’ll be welcome anywhere you go.

Q. Which graduate course is better for someone who wants to pursue a career in Astrophysics, BTech or BSc?

Murthy | I always say a course in the Sciences, especially Physics, gives you the right foundation for Astrophysics. So, go with BSc.

Q. Are both the options of pursuing MSc or MTech open to students after doing BTech? And what are other possible combinations for a PG that one can consider?

Ananthanarayan | At IISc, BTech students are eligible for our Integrated PhD, and post MSc level. If they score well in the entrance exams and they can convince the interview committee that they have the aptitude and the desire, they can be selected. So yes, having a B.Tech does make you eligible. Even the Biology department takes in BTech students. In fact, most BTech students can pursue MSc if they want. There are actually very few institutes that will stop BTech students from pursuing MSc.

Watch Now | Webinar: Careers In Sciences