My participation in the Fred Hutch Explorer’s Program was an invaluable experience, amplified by our close community built upon a shared dream to pursue research in the sciences. Gaining hands-on practice in a real lab taught me techniques that simply cannot be learned in my own home or in a school lab that lacks the required tools. The entire experience of this Fred Hutch Explorer’s program has been a series of discoveries and learning opportunities that have given me a clearer vision of the future I see for myself. However, one activity that notably inspired me was speaker Raabya Rossenkhan’s presentation on finding her journey towards her current career. Her story of shifting careers out of empathy and answering the urgent call in her country to address its AIDS crisis moved me. I find drive and purpose to work towards a similar career in hopes that it will ultimately help people; more than enjoyment or wanting to make use of a skill. She was met with many obstacles and hindrances that may have slowed her momentum – but never halted it. Inadequate resources and opportunities in the University of Botswana for HIV research, grueling years of schooling, and venturing into a new country all presented some difficulty to Raabya. But a fundamental passion for the sciences, coupled with the desire to improve quality of life for people around the globe pushed her through periods of struggle. She would go on to work in several different labs and divisions, such as educating the youth on vaccines, diagnosing HIV in patients, and studying virology as well as biostatistics. I admired how she drew motivation from her family and home country’s situation to fuel her research. Each word uttered about the victims of disease was laced with compassion and a desire to rid people of their pain. Moreover, building a sense of self and confidence in one’s field of study was a transition she mentioned noticing in herself upon going out of her comfort zone and really immersing herself in her work at Fred Hutch.
Photo by Robert Hood / Fred Hutch News Service
Raabya spoke of the Japanese concept of ‘Igikai’, meaning “reason for being”. Four main components overlap to create Ikigai (or life's purpose): talent, pay, love, and world’s need. We were implored to try to find our own Ikigai – a balance of following our passions, making use of our gifts, receiving adequate compensation for our contributions, and doing something that makes a difference. Allowing ourselves to be introspective and really analyze the different elements of ourselves will redirect us to achieve Ikigai, but not without the proper resolve or effort. In the back of my mind I’ve always felt as though I’d have to sacrifice one thing in order to enjoy another. For example, abandoning what brings me joy in favor of pursuing a career with a salary I could sustain myself comfortably off of, and additionally support my family with. If I follow a pathway that will lead me to find a reason for being, I believe I can achieve happiness while maintaining my own satisfaction within work.
BetterUp article explaining Ikigai: https://www.betterup.com/blog/what-is-ikigai