Bhavana Akilan

The labels that are put on you, based on the choices you make - limiting or liberating? The box that you are put into, based on the boxes you check off on someone’s checklist - confining or commending? As a leader, do you define the way someone perceives you, or redefine the way you perceive yourself?

At every step, this summer challenged me to break ground and blaze a trail in the face of adversity. I was pushed to my limits, and in the process, I learnt the importance of resilience and perseverance. I went through a rewarding process of introspection and self-discovery. I have grown to believe that not everyone is born to be a leader, but circumstances force you to awaken the leader within yourself. 

Over the summer, I had the privilege of working with two renowned researchers hailing from SASTRA Deemed University, Thanjavur, working at the forefront of AI in healthcare. I resided at the university-provided accommodation for the duration of the research period. I had designated working hours at the lab, 8:45 AM to 5:30 PM five days a week, along with take-home tasks. My research advisor helped me formulate a workflow for the research period well ahead of its start, thereby providing a means to stay on top of my work. 

I had the opportunity of networking with PhD scholars at the lab on a regular basis. Establishing connections and having fascinating discussions about the prospects in the field of AI encouraged me to put my best foot forward for my project. I visited several departments at the university and interacted with numerous researchers about their ongoing work. On a weekly basis, I was encouraged to discuss my progress and present my research findings to everyone at the lab. This process shaped me into an inquisitive researcher and urged me to think keenly about gaps in research. I was able to overcome my social anxiety to a certain extent. I received valuable insights into making slides for scientific presentations, which also aided in my other pursuits such as conferences over the summer. 

As someone who has always had difficulty conducting literature surveys and evaluating scientific articles, I experimented quite a bit and figured out a method that worked for me. I streamlined my own way of reading articles and identifying elements that could contribute to my ongoing work. I learnt to effectively use article databases such as ResearchRabbit, Zotero and IEEE. I was exposed to the Harvard format of citing references.  

However, the process did have its ups and downs. Visiting India after an extended period of time, I had severe allergic reactions during the second week of my research. I was disheartened by the fact that my health prevented me from working to the best of my abilities right when the research was picking up. I traveled back to my hometown for a short while. In the meantime, I arranged online check-ins with my research advisor and peer researcher to stay on track. Having to adapt to a different mode of work while simultaneously taking care of prevailing health conditions was something that I will respond to in a better way in case I encounter such a situation in the future. 

My project addressed the problem of effective early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease by proposing a deep-learning model as a solution. The most frightening aspect of this undertaking was my limited familiarity with the field of AI and Computer Science. To counter this, I completed online courses on Machine Learning and Data Science to help me prepare for the summer. I had immense help from my research advisor as well as my peer researcher who helped me in times of need. 

More often than not, I had difficulty understanding the dynamic I shared with my research advisors and other researchers in the lab, given the huge disparity in our levels of expertise and experience. Doing justice to my role without overstepping any boundaries and seeking help whenever needed was essential. Though it took me a while to adjust to that dynamic, I was able to find my balance and work within the dynamic without any conflict. 

Overall, this summer has shaped me into a more responsible, inquisitive and dedicated individual and researcher. Through several interactions and experiences, I was able to figure out how to alter my workflow to suit others, without losing sight of professional boundaries. I derived strength from my initial sense of fear and decided to put my heart and soul into my work. After endless hours of reading articles, implementing codes and taking constructive criticism, I am proud of not just the result, but of myself for conquering the process. After all, leadership stems from within.