I’ve heard that the best remedy for overthinking is writing, and believe me, I’m an expert overthinker. Here I am, writing, even though I feel I’m not good at it. The last few years have been chaotic; I had to abandon my PhD due to harassment from my principal investigator, which took a toll on my health, leaving me no choice but to step back and heal.
Quitting isn’t in my nature. Throughout my life, I’ve never given up on anything, perhaps because I was selective, only taking on challenges I knew I could complete. Living with myopathy, a condition that weakens muscles, taught me early on to understand my physical boundaries: how far I could walk, which activities I could join, and which stairs I could manage. This awareness has been a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s been empowering to know my limits. On the other, I’ve faced bullying, molestation, exclusion, all while needing to work much harder than my peers to achieve my goals.
From a young age, my frequent visits to hospitals and interactions with doctors who couldn’t clearly explain my condition sparked a deep interest in science. This passion led me to pursue a career in Biomedical Sciences. Despite the setbacks I’ve faced, my journey in this field is far from over. I’m not one to give up so easily.
- Navigating the Toxic Waters of Academia: A PhD Journey Marred by Harassment and Misconduct part IIAfter enduring harassment and mobbing, several of my colleagues and I decided to report our Principal Investigator (PI) to the university. The man in charge listened to us with great care as we shared our stories, crying for over an hour and a half. We made it clear how serious the situation was, explaining that… Read more: Navigating the Toxic Waters of Academia: A PhD Journey Marred by Harassment and Misconduct part II
- Navigating the Toxic Waters of Academia: A PhD Journey Marred by Harassment and Misconduct part IWhen I decided to pursue my master’s degree, I knew I wanted to look beyond the borders of my own country. I found an incredible program at one of the top 100 universities globally, which seemed like the perfect fit for my ambitions. My ultimate goal was a PhD, so my master’s was just a… Read more: Navigating the Toxic Waters of Academia: A PhD Journey Marred by Harassment and Misconduct part I
- Embracing My Limits to Transcend Barriers in ScienceI’ve heard that the best remedy for overthinking is writing, and believe me, I’m an expert overthinker. Here I am, writing, even though I feel I’m not good at it. The last few years have been chaotic; I had to abandon my PhD due to harassment from my principal investigator, which took a toll on… Read more: Embracing My Limits to Transcend Barriers in Science
- From Shadows to Sunlight: A Journey of Strength and DiscoveryI was diagnosed with congenital myopathy—multi-minicore disease—at five. To this day, I’ve never met anyone with the same condition, since it’s quite rare. This myopathy isn’t progressive; it causes generalized muscle weakness, making me tire quickly. I could never run, jump, swim, or engage in other fun activities kids do. For a growing child, this… Read more: From Shadows to Sunlight: A Journey of Strength and Discovery