Prof. Maya Bar-Sadan
Department of Chemistry
When I reached the middle of my doctorate, more or less, I experienced a long period of frustration. At certain stages I even feared that I would not succeed in completing my project. It seemed that everything I tried resulted in failure.
My advisor, Prof. Reshef Tenne from the Weizmann Institute of Science, tried to help, but even when I implemented his advice, I didn't succeed, and for months there was no progress. At first, the repeat failures caused a lack of motivation, but then the pressure began to build and I felt I had to find a solution that would allow me to finish my doctorate. I even swore to myself that I would just finish the doctorate and never deal with science again.
Eventually, after I despaired of succeeding with synthesis, I decided to concentrate on characterization, and specifically on electronic microscopy. At one of our work meetings, I discussed this with Reshef. At first, he didn't like the idea; he argued that he was focused on synthesis and I wanted to go into a field in which he could not advise me.
We had a difficult discussion, and I told him that I had to find a new, better and more rewarding path, and that electronic microscopy will allow me to reach achievements in places where synthesis does not work well. At first he disapproved, and then he leaned back smiled, and said: ' Now you've started being independent, and as an advisor, I prefer dealing with students who want to carve their own path. He promised (and did) to give me every possible aid – to finance almost every scientific fantasy I had, to push, make phone calls, make new contacts – but he told me that from now I'm on my own and have to finish my doctorate by myself. He also told me that I could do it and that I was starting a new path as a scientist. Since then, we've talked a lot about that day, and I always thank him from the bottom of my heart. It's not easy for a student to become independent, it's hard for the advisor to let the student go his own independent way, but the process leads to a sense of satisfaction on both sides.
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