Modern Academics
What comes to your mind when you come across the word “Professor”?
Usually, the answer is an old white man in a brown tweed suit and retro reading glasses. When he is not teaching, he is mostly found completely cut off from the world, brooding in a quiet room with vintage furniture.
What if I tell you that the modern academics are far from this image?
That vivacious lady you saw on Instagram with a quirky sense of fashion and perfect winged eyeliner is also a promising neuroscientist. The biker with tattoos all over her arms, sharing a beer with her biker buddies is actually a tenured astrophysics professor. The preppy food connoisseur, who is vocal about LGBTQ rights is also trying to find cure for pancreatic cancer.
Until recently, such multifaceted academics were an anomaly. Academics were conditioned to believe that a deep interest in anything besides their field of expertise meant they were non-serious researchers. Many ended up underplaying their hobbies, passions, and personalities, pretending to spend all their non-working hours planning for work.
LinkedIn was the only form of social media, conservative academics were okay with indulging in. Everything else was off limits and a waste of time. It was considered fatuous to be active on any other mediums. What does a serious academic get from other platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc.? Turns out, a lot!
Lately a large fraction of academics has changed their social media game entirely. They are posting about anything and everything. Be it participating in political debates, human rights discussions, scientific communications to creative pursuits like fashion, art, food, and travel. They are expressing themselves more freely. They are cracking jokes, making poignant social commentary, reviewing their latest watch on Netflix, sharing their marathon strategies, talking about mental health and work-life balance. Academics aren’t shying away from showing off their personality, both online and offline. And most of them have a lot of personality.
Professors are using Twitter to connect with potential post-docs and PhD aspirants. The equation between PhD advisors and students isn’t exactly like the boss-employee dynamic. Understanding professors better beyond their research, professional accolades, and education can help PhD aspirants make better decisions. Twitter accounts offer a better view of what their professors are interested in, what their opinions are on things that matter, how they communicate their ideas, what kind of team culture they foster, and so much more that one cannot find on their yearly updated university website and research papers. On LinkedIn, professors are not shying away from sharing their stories of setbacks and how they overcame those obstacles. This can be immensely motivating for anyone experiencing a severe case of self-doubt.
Modern academics are using all the modern tools to connect, network, and express. They are as enthusiastic about their non-work related interests as they are about their work. They want to change the world, but don’t mind taking short breaks and appreciating their individuality while doing that. And that I believe is a welcome change.
So here’s to the modern academics. May they keep being themselves and show how awesome nerds can be!
