Written by Mahima Sharma, Ph.D.
Sailing around the globe, sojourning in lighthouses and islands, inventing gizmos like they were a piece of cake – growing up, I lived in a world of books, and this was the life I conjured up for myself. Even though I wasn’t very sure what I wanted to do with my life or how to answer the ‘five years from now’ questions, I sought a life of adventure, curiosity, learning, and, most importantly, purpose and impact.
That sense of adventure, with a dash of cluelessness, drew me to the world of biomedical engineering. As an undergraduate in India, I dreamt of changing the world, as if with a magic wand. Life taught me otherwise. Progress often takes shape with patience and years of work. Every step added layers of learning. This opens up new possibilities and opportunities to serve society in little ways. This tide, however, did not come without muffling the chants of naysayers that women belonged in kitchens rather than labs. Thanks to the support of my amazing family, I went on to pursue a PhD in the coastal city of Chennai, the campus just a few miles from the beach.
I was soon introduced to the world of optics and photonics when my PhD advisor presented her research on light-based cancer diagnosis. Starry-eyed, I listened and began imagining this victory over cancer. My research focused on studying and exploiting the polarization property of light to improve the diagnosis of breast and colon cancers. As I embarked on the vastness of knowledge and discovery, I realized I had only reached the tip of the iceberg.
Still pursuing light and the potential it holds led me to Vanderbilt University as a postdoctoral scholar. Here, I have been exploring and building optical systems for identifying nerves intra-operatively, diagnosing infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, and probing the mechanisms of health and disease with optics, like uncovering hidden treasures. Like any good book, every experiment has its own share of adventures and, honestly, misadventures too. Nevertheless, I’m amazed by how much there is to learn, discover, and do. Vanderbilt has been that place that has enabled me to expand my horizons, not just within the lab but beyond, constantly shifting my focus above and around. I’m grateful to be surrounded by a community of people who help me grow professionally and personally. I hope to carry these lessons with me as I continue exploring the endless prospects of light, learning, and purpose.