We are almost at the end of 2010. And it also means I've been working with the agency for almost 9 years. We are the dominant group of 7 to 9 years' experience researcher that been recruited during the period that I like to call 'reformation'. Yes, that time we were young, freshly graduated and some of us had only 1-2 years working experience. And we had real huge gape of age from the dominant senior group that in 10 to 15 years' time they are on their retirement. The time is actually close, starting this year one by one of those experience seniors will be retired. My respectable guru will also join them in this coming December. Back to those young researches, they were the one that been pushed, forced, highlighted to learn everything related to research areas as fast as possible and to be in par with those seniors. Our presence had somehow reformed the research activities in the agency.
Fellow friends, we really have handy job to be done. One of the measuring criteria for a researcher is 'how expert you are in your research area?'. This can be shown by the number of publication, number of participation in national and international seminar, invitation to be a speaker for international conference, invitation from international organization such as IAEA to be in the expert mission to other country and so-on. One big question: Do you already recognize your area of expertise? In almost 1 decade, I think all of us should already hold their own 'steering'.
Just imagine; we are now choosing our favourite 'Camry, Accord, Merdz, BMW, Mazda etc' and holding the steering-wheel. Some of us had already put on the D-gear and pressing the fuel. How about those who still uncertain of their interest? Whatever the research nature; fully research or service cum research you are in, one can come across of their interest through daily laboratory work, discussion with colleague and superior, attending workshop, seminar, conference, meeting with well-known expert and do lots of reading. If all these may not help, probably one can put aside all your works and starting to put on a proposal to pursue MSc or PhD. I know that for doing so there are also challenge and obstacle waiting ahead…. never give up…… By carrying out an academic degree, this is also one of the strategy, mechanism, and pathway as well accelerates the researchers to become an expert in their area of interest.
