- This morning, I reflected on the themes that have consistently emerged over several months. In November and December of last year, while finishing my PhD research application, I was also yearning to escape from a singular way of thinking about my scientific interests
- I felt quite stubborn, as if I had to hide my true self. I was compelled to express curiosity about using physics and simulations to understand the fundamental truths of how life develops and self-organizes. However, I knew that wasn’t entirely true or representative of what I believed was most important to work on at that time. I was questioning myself about the type of work or role that felt both important and enjoyable for me to contribute to
- During that period, I spoke with two mentors—one a graphic novel artist, and the other a scriptwriter. The scriptwriter, who is 25 years older than me, is learning theater, French literature, and how to draw as part of her own personal creative journey, as fresh as mine. Talking to them gave me a sense of belonging that I couldn’t find in science. They are women who embrace aspects of lived experience that resonate with me, like the yearning to become free and esoteric, and the common struggles in many people’s stories, not just those of very smart men .
- This resonance revived my desire to create and tell impactful stories. After December, I spent January and February enjoying myself, visiting research schools, and gradually becoming more interested in frugal science and community-based science. I revisited my desire to create comics in late February, around my 24th birthday.
- That week, I decided to submit a proposal for a nonfiction graphic comic fellowship. I developed a story about the native Hawaiian protest against the telescope construction on the volcano. I wanted to tell this story truthfully and honestly, as I have felt a connection to it since living there and experiencing a desire to study astronomy, alongside confusion and later understanding and sorrow for the Hawaiians striving to preserve their culture and land. Although I felt less confident in my visual delivery, as I hadn’t read many visuals I liked or practiced comic skills extensively, this experience gave me humility and a path to improve my visual storytelling.
- I found it to be a compelling, double-stranded journey—from feeling dissonance with research in November to discovering a potential fusion with the arts in March. The joy I experienced while preparing the proposal for the nonfiction comic has inspired me to continue pursuing similar projects. The conversations sparked by the proposal with friends interested in comics, storytelling, and the history and practice of science have been enriching.
- I want to keep exploring and learning in this field. For example, I want to deepen my learnings about making comics in a uniquely opinionated way that balances wild creativity with skill and freedom. It’s about providing a service to others and oneself. Another important aspect is exploring how to conduct science in collaboration with land-based communities, drawing inspiration from diverse knowledge sources. This focus on knowledge transfer, rather than just the current state of science, is my broader interest.