The Expanding Circle: Embracing Responsibility and Nurturing Success

In this introspective piece, the author, a professor at Sungkyunkwan University, explores the profound concept of 'the radius of responsibility' that grows with age and experience. It's a journey from the self-centeredness of youth to the expansive care required in adulthood, particularly within the demanding world of scientific research.

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As a PI, you have to secure funding for the personnel expenses and build the infrastructure so that graduate students and researchers can focus on their research.

The author vividly recounts the transition from a deep sleep, jolted awake by a crying child, to the quiet focus of a lab meeting. Each scenario underscores a widening circle of care: first, the immediate family, then the research team of fourteen individuals. This expansion isn't merely a matter of time but a fundamental shift in one's role and purpose.

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Many PIs agree that the postdoc period was the happiest. It was the time when they had honed their skills through doctoral studies and were actively engaged in the global arena.

Becoming a 'Principal Investigator' (PI), or research lead, is presented as analogous to becoming a parent. While a doctoral student or postdoc focuses on their own research ('playing the game'), a PI's primary role shifts to securing funding, building infrastructure, and creating an environment where their team can thrive and succeed. This often means stepping back from hands-on research, a transition many PIs fondly recall as the happiest period of their postdoctoral years.

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Now, instead of scoring goals myself, I have to secure research funding and create good opportunities for these friends, and help them grow through repeated failures within a safe environment, and wait for them.

The article beautifully illustrates this shift through the convention of scientific authorship, where the first author (the student or researcher) is celebrated, while the PI's name appears last, signifying their role in enabling others' success. The author embraces this position, finding a deeper joy in facilitating the achievements of his students than in his own past accomplishments. This perspective highlights a uniquely Korean or perhaps East Asian emphasis on collective achievement and the quiet dignity of mentorship, a stark contrast to the more individualistic recognition often prioritized in Western academic cultures. It's about learning to 'step back and let others shine,' a core tenet of mature leadership and a deeply rewarding aspect of life's journey.

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The name of the student or researcher who actually conducted the research comes first (first author), and the name of the PI who is responsible for the entire research comes last (corresponding author).