Wissenschaft verbindet

When my best friend got married, the photographer wanted a picture of all the friends the bride had met through her scientific endeavors. I remember posing for that photo and looking around at the people near me - it was 90% of the friends in attendance at that wedding. Only the couple's childhood companions were excluded. The caption for that photo online was "Wissenschaft verbindet" - "Science connects." 

I was reminded of that principle again this week when a dear friend came to visit in Woods Hole. I've talked about him plenty of times on this blog before - Andrew K. Sweetman, my mentor, friend, collaborator, and surrogate older brother. Andrew's family was on vacation and decided to spend some days in Massachusetts re-connecting with friends. My husband and I invited them over for dinner, and it was the single greatest evening I've had in a while. 

I thrive on community - that feeling of being completely accepted, connected, and part of a larger group. I spent several years thinking about what factors create and sustain a community, but I think it ultimately comes down to the people in it. Each individual has to buy in and decide to participate, and then magical things happen. 

As we sat around the table, my mind drifted back to all the evenings I spent at Andrew's house in Norway. I jumped on the trampoline in the backyard with his daughter - she's now nearly as tall as me. We discussed important scientific issues and engaged in meaningless banter. We drank way too much wine. Those nights shaped my Norwegian experience - and my long-term life trajectory - in profound ways. 

Now that I'm a PI - the leader of my own lab - I have the chance to pay it forward. I want to make a point of building a sense of community in my lab, shaping my students in meaningful ways, and instilling in them the power of scientific connection. 

I am so grateful for the scientific community I'm part of and the chance to reconnect with my mentor.