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| With SeqAcademy.org, anyone can be a scientist. |
I seek to instill the virtues of a scientist in everyone. Through my writing and research, I think about what values scientists use in their work and how I can share those with non-scientists. Sharing stories about what research is like while valuing transparency and trust, I hope to achieve this. As I browse reddit and other forums, I come across many people asking questions about what it’s like to work in the field of bioinformatics. The discipline bioinformatics broadly covers computer-based approaches to biology. Using the power of big data and software to draw conclusions from biological data, the advances of the digital age make bioinformatics approachable for many people. Curious students and researchers also ask me what sort of education or background you need to perform bioinformatics experiments. I’m never quite sure how to respond. If anything, anyone can perform bioinformatics research after simply reading about it and jumping in. Here’s how.
Bioinformatics has been booming at least since the 1990’s. I hope to use my efforts in launching SeqAcademy.org to share a bioinformatics education in such a way that anyone can understand – even people without a science background. This way, anyone can be a scientist. I hope to instill the courage and passion for learning in anyone. I frequently reflect upon what I do as a scientist to seek a sort of courage to make the world better despite what fears I face. These could be fears of being wrong or making mistakes. These sort of fears prevent anyone from becoming better at any skill, scientific or not. Performing scientific research is having the courage to call yourself a scientist and investigate the world with the freedom that comes with it.
As I reflect, I wonder what sort of courage it truly takes to be a good scientist. Until I figure out, I’ll keep writing.