Center for Relativistic Laser Science

http://nanotube.skku.ac.kr/weekly.html 에서 옮김

2013.01.03 00:25:25

2012 has passed even without realizing it. From the laboratory point of view, a heck of events has happened. Yet, personally, I am heavy and feel so low to send away 2012. Nevertheless, I cannot drop off or avoid this. I have to face 2013. This is obligation and burden of all the living species. Until we stop breathing….

2013 will be an another meaningful year to all of us. New research Center has been initiated. This is challenge to us. Either we leap up to highl level or sit back to old days. What is a key word to face a new year?

I like to say this is ‘focus’. Our laboratory has been driven so far by Master’s and Doctoral students. It is expected that the main mass of new Center will be postdoctoral fellows and upgraded by them. Yet, I personally do not think that way. The main work force will be still students. Unless the students are upgraded in the depth of research, unless they fill up with new ideas, it is difficult to obtain high quality data. So what has been our problems so far?

Dr. Lim’s opinion who spent his time with students is for sure ‘focus’. Those students who lag behind in their research performance has one common fact: cannot focus on their research topics. These students have at least one thing to spend more time other than research. I actually do not understand this situation. I presume that those who came to graduate school made up their mind to take an opportunity in the research through their life. If so, I am wrong. I am definitely wrong… Even if those students made up their mind to take an opportunity in the research, the modern young generation cannot easily overcome temptation of internet, the best devil in distraction. Numerous factors not to focus on the research exist in particular among many Korean students. Of course, this is not particularly to the case of Korean students only as a matter of fact. For last two days of end of the year and new year’s holiday, I had a chance to stay at the laboratory. I noticed that some students came to the laboratory and checked their experiments which usually took long from time to time. Still many students never showed up but I noted that is independent of the domestic or foreign students. After all this is just a working habit of individuals.

A habit of focus is very important for scientist. Someone (smart guy) works very efficiently by focusing in a given limited time of working hours. One working ten hours but still cannot focus can be even less efficient than one working efficiently one hour. Still one does not have to be a genius. In such a case, one can work longer a few more hours. Research is a competition of ideas and logics and therefore we need more time to think. Therefore, one does not have to come to the laboratory all the time. One can simply drink in the bar with friends or watch TV or enjoy sports. I come up with many good ideas during sports or driving. I once brought recorder with me. In order not to forget my ideas whenever it comes up… Now, I don’t use it because I trained myself in such a case to memorize ideas by simply repeatedly thinking. I still come up with ideas and keep those in mind by repeating many times the concept. This year to leap up our Center, it is important to work hard but more importantly working smart and having such habits is more important step. Therefore, the key work 2013 year is ‘focus’. It would be better if we put a slogan of ‘focus and work smart’ in front of our desk.

In addition, having a good habit is the most important. Even if we have the best thing, it does mean anything if we cannot sustain it. If you have good thing, try to keep it and having to be a habit to be yours. If it becomes habit of yours, it develops you further. Watch out your fellow who is doing better than you. You will find he has something different from you. You need such an attitude of learning. To do that, you need to respect your colleagues and learn how to communicate with them. Needless to say, I emphasize too often, a habit of wring lab notebook, a habit of recording, a habit of writing ideas in the notebook.. Without such habits, we cannot be a good scientist. When we record a series of thinking, a logic is developed and this logic can be further developed during writing. In the new Center, we will have a coffee room at every other floor. Think more, do more discussion, and with those, we develop our logic more strongly. Cheer up!

But remember. I need all you guys! No failure….

He may be a fool but he is mine.

Cheer up for 2013!