Do I Build A New Career Now?

Thanks for tagging me. First let me nominate

 

It’s great to hear of your new career, @hrastro! You are always an inspiration.
It is good you are taking time to evaluate your options carefully. I would ask yourself whether you really want the PhD, whether it will increase your stature in the field and how it will add substantially to your existing career path.
I got my PhD right after undergrad, but I am in a field where it was necessary at the time, and this was before I had any family commitments. I don’t think I would have the fortitude to go through this now at my age.
In your situation I would continue with the work that is most meaningful to you. Publishing papers isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and there are many ways to contribute. Good mentors and teachers are hard to find and you would be doing a valuable service to your juniors.
I wouldn’t feel pressured to scramble and present at this conference. You can attend as a visitor just to listen and absorb, and then present when you are more confident about your body of work.
Good luck!

 

@hrastro,

I always admire your responses here in IL leave alone your value-add to your students! No wonder your husband is asking you to submit a paper personally and pursue Ph.D. I will first answer your questions and then end this response with what Sri Krishna would consider as Karma Yoga.

First of all, you are already adding incredible value to the life of many students in the school and that itself, in my view, is an outstanding contribution to the society even if you don't do anything further to pursue your passion.

1) I would definitely recommend you to register for 2024 conference and think of a topic to prepare yourself.

2) Even though it might appear overwhelming initially, once you find an interesting topic and create an abstract, many things will automatically fall in place with a person with your level of passion in what you do. In my view, an opportunity presents itself, you should puruse it aggressively without worrying about the outcome. Go with the mindset even participation is an experience.

3 & 4) You have a wealth of knowledge in your head and you need to channel them into a specific area by pursuing Ph.D. I would also recommend you to take that step to get admission into a Ph.D. program even if it takes 2 years. It is worth investing money, time and effort. At this stage, pursing a specific topic to right your research helps your already well-formed structural thinking. Sometimes, even pursuing something to research would help in so many ways even to how to lead the rest of your life meaningfully. Please look at it as the overall benefits you would derive from it more than having a Doctoral degree.

5) I agree with your assessment you are doing a lot to benefit the students. Honestly, it might be a lot of additional effort to prepare and work on your research to get a Ph.D. The intrinsic value of pursuing a research is not only limited to a career path but helps one think what information to look at and how to present them. You can begin writing research papers in the international magazines. Your teaching career will enhance significantly.

Sri Krishna loves people who make sincerely effort in whatever they do to be skillful (using their best of effort), selfless (with a motive and service mind to benefit others) and loving (not only in loving what they do but also deliver it to others with love) with no expectation of the fruits, then He considers them as a Yogi and helps them realize their dreams.

My best wishes to you.

 

Dear @hrastro ,

Happy Dasara to you! Let me get straight to your questions -

I think you should register for the 2024 conference and do your best to present a paper (even if hastily researched). I am sure, once you register you will do your best and more. And I do agree with your DH that if you can afford it, spend the 50k out of your pocket. It will help you see where you stand and help you prepare for your next presentation and I feel it will also help you understand if you need a Ph.D. or not. Attending will certainly give you direction especially when you feel you are not your best - I say this knowing well that you will do your best and you will be amazing. Just that when we feel unprepared, our lens of viewing is different, not only how we see us (ourselves) but how we see others as well.

Not needing any of those is a great position to be in. Very few people can say about themselves and their lives and perhaps most everyone else is trying to get to that place, even the CEOs and Ph.D.s. By saying that "all this seems to be too much effort" you do sound like Arjuna as he was feeling on the battlefield and what does Krishna say.....entire Bhagvadgita!

You know you are amazing and very insightful from what I read here from you. I will start off by saying listen to your gut and answer this question "What if" - what if I do it, what if I don't do it? Now I will offer my suggestions from personal experience - I am somewhat in a similar situation, nothing niche or anything like what you are doing but on the lines of being an enthusiast, sought after, content with what she is doing - I do believe that all that comes from not being boxed into a 'school of thought' and from not being 'taught to think in a certain way'. I love it, cherish it. That said, while many friends rely on my opinion, I make a huge difference to students, in a good place careerwise, as I observe the world around me, and even though I know my potential is high, the difference I make is far better, I feel I sometimes I might be undermining myself because maybe I think I am not qualified enough. That is the absolute truth. So I made an impulsive decision to pursue a master's and lo as I prepare paper after paper, and go through suggested readings, I constantly feel that I am aware of all that and have been implementing the same for years. This has helped me on two fronts - writing for courses is easy (I really don't have to put in that much work) and two it has shown me that indeed I can make a better difference as I continue to get feedback from professors and interestingly it has not been the knowledge or the content part but the presentation, writing, and approach parts! I may be a couple of years older than you, a similar situation with kids and I do want to pursue a Ph.D.! There I said it! My son in fact thinks I should race with him for our respective Ph.D's. I am afraid that will be your son's response too! And as for finances, things have a way of working themselves out!

I really don't know an answer to that question other than saying that it may make a difference to how all that you do (writing/publishing) will be received by others especially if published by an IIT Mumbai Ph.D. Something to think about and sleep on before you make a decision. I can tell you firsthand that it is not easy, I have had many sleepless nights because of work but the joy has been phenomenal. I have fallen off, pulled myself back up, and resumed, and coming to the end of my master's road soon and hopefully ready to pursue a Ph.D.

That said, you have to carefully analyze the answer to this part of your question -

Only you can answer if you are willing to put in that effort and if you will be okay if you ever felt after the two years that it was not worth it. Or if would feel like Robert Forst "And it has made all the difference" Really! A wise person recently told me that while Krishna himself was with Arjuna, and revealed himself as God, did not make a decision for Arjuna. He only guided him and Arjuna had to make his own decision. That my friend is yours and mine too! Making decisions and living with the consequences.

My gut says that going to this conference in 2024 will help you in more ways than one, one way or the other. That seems to be the only certain answer I am able to suggest.

PS: This was a timely post for me as well. It helped me think through my own struggles. So thank you so much! Happy Vijayadashami!

 

Thanks for the tag.

Honestly, everything depends on what you want.

I can see what exactly your husband wants here. What exactly the young colleague and your management want here. But it is still unclear to me whether you really want a PhD at this stage or not. I am not very sure whether you really want to present the paper at the conference or not.

Age is just a number according to me. You may be in your middle age, and your son may be in his adulthood. But that should not stop you from pursuing your dreams.

With dreams comes future plans. If you really want to do a Phd, I am sure you must have a proper plan after the Phd. Think about it, and it is a matter of prioritizing everything as per your needs and wants. The rest will fall in the right place.

However, if you are truly content with what you have, and feel not so motivated to pursue further in your academics, I wouldn't force you to chase anything.

Being successful does not always mean being rich and famous. It also means being happy, being content, being satisfied and more importantly maintaining social wellbeing.

Therefore, you don't have to force yourself on something you don't feel so attracted to. From others POV it may seem like a wasted opportunity, but what do you think about it matters the most.

 

Thanks for tagging me.
@hrastro, What do you want? What are your goals in life and career? What is the purpose of your life. The decision should be yours, based your interest. You can think about short- term and long term goals. You can pursue your dreams at any stage of your life if you are passionate and motivated about it.

I understand that you have interest and knowledge in the niche area. But, are you doing any research on a particular topic or problem? Do you like to go deeper in this subject and feels you can contribute new insights. Are you working on a specific project?

1 &2 ) Is it very important to attend this conference?
You can attend conference evenif you are not presenting. But, I am not sure about self financing. Any chance to get travel grant? If your work is in preliminary stages, then you can submit an abstract on overview of the subject and present a poster, if not oral presentation.Usually conveners decide based on submissions and it depends on the conferance. But you can opt for poster if you are eager to go and arrange meetings with experts or network to pursue your interest. This helps if you like to pursue PhD. But, if you are not that motivated to make use of the time there, it will be a waste of time & money.

Only you can assess if you can make progress in your research this year, go there with full funding next year to present paper. Not much time left this year for jan 2024 conference. Is it too late for abstract submission this year.

3&4) Are you ready to spend next 3-5 yrs for PhD program. Do you have to write competative exams to register for PhD program in IIT/ any University in India. Its a big commitment. You can explore possibility of funding based on your current work. You cant escape from writing papers as its part of the game. Its important to publish before submitting PhD dessertation and it depends on the institution Anyway its not the only factor. If you are passionate about pursuing research in this area, you feel capable/ motivated , go for it. Only you can decide. May be it will open new doors for you. Some of my teachers pursued and completed PhD in to help their career. But, they didn't continue research fieks as their focus was on teaching. But, ask yourself why would you like to go for PhD or not? I feel that you like to proceed but need some affirmation.

I suggest you to explore and assess all aspects of this new challenge on your life and career. Then, go from there. I would like to encourage anyone who like to pursue a research career as I am also working in the same field.

If you feel that you are content, passionate about your current work and not motivated to pursue to PhD, then move with caution.

Take a decision only for you. Only you know whats best for you. You should pursue your interests and passion. Then, only you can be happy and suceessful.
May all your dreams come true. Never give up.