In a time when the challenges of academic life are widely discussed—from unstable funding to increasing job insecurity—it can be easy to overlook what still makes this path deeply rewarding. In this post, researcher Freddy Suarez Rodriguez shares a more personal perspective on why, despite the well-known difficulties, he believes a career in academia remains meaningful and worth pursuing.
When I was thinking about what to write for this blog, I went through different news articles exploring the current situation of academia in the world. As it is easy to expect, I found a plethora of critical problems to be addressed from the precarious funding landscape to harsh working conditions. At the same time, I noticed an extreme deficit in positive news about taking on this career. I felt that there is very little out there to keep us grounded on why we are still willing to work so hard to stay here and help make academia a better place.
This, and in all honesty, my lack of direct expertise in those big problematics, motivated me to write this blog on why I believe a career in academia is still a path worth pursuing. My hope is that you can identify some of these positive aspects in your own academic life and, with that, maybe help to bring a more positive outlook to our common situation.
As an immigrant from a much less wealthy country, researching human cell biology, the possibility of doing research in Finland was completely life changing. In this field, access to very expensive, high-quality equipment and reagents makes a massive difference in what questions you can pursue. Doing research here, I have had the opportunity to use cutting-edge technologies to pursue ambitious research questions normally unattainable for a PhD researcher in my home country.
Additionally, the fact the doctoral researchers are considered workers has meant getting paid for my work, paying taxes, and accessing the social security system, which is almost non-existent in my country of origin. The fact that PhD researchers are considered workers has allowed me to integrate and eventually naturalize as a Finnish citizen to continue my life in this country even now as a postdoctoral researcher.
Regardless of background, working in academia offers some significant privileges. First and foremost, there is the immense satisfaction in being at the forefront of knowledge and contributing to solving some of humanity’s biggest mysteries, with the hope that our work will positively impact the world. Despite being limited by funding and time constraints, we enjoy freedoms that are rare in other professions. We have the autonomy to choose the subjects we want to explore, identify the questions we believe are most important to answer, and select the methods we wish to use. Work flexibility is one of the most noticeable advantages of our line of work.
We get to influence our world around us. We engage in teaching and mentoring the next generation of research professionals, and in some cases, we influence public policy by providing insights and producing research articles that decision-makers rely on. Each year, we have the opportunity to travel and meet with peers at conferences centered around our areas of interest, sharing our latest advances with one another. There is also a sense of pride in being recognized as the authors of our own work and in knowing that our contributions help advance the work of others in our field.
While these experiences come with their own challenges and limitations, many of us have had the privilege, even if briefly, to enjoy most of the perks of this profession. Academia is undoubtedly demanding, as the pursuit of a scientific career is highly sought after, with more individuals wanting to enter the field than there are positions available. While it is crucial to strive toward making academia a fairer and healthier environment, it is equally important to remember the reasons why we committed ourselves to this path in the first place.
Freddy Suarez Rodriguez
Freddy is a member of the board of Research Professionals and a researcher in biochemistry and cell biology at Åbo Akademi.