Posted on by johanne_marais

The big bye-bye from the brain science blogger

Where I look, there I am: in the water or the window, or as the person I engage with.

Reflection has punctuated many moments throughout 2023 while writing as a blogger for the South African Young Academy of Science. More than just offering moments for reflection, this opportunity at blog writing has gifted me moments of visualization; moments of resistance; improved listening; learned knowledges and peace. These moments, on a continuum, have become the variety of power tools in my life-skills toolbox.

Communication is a skill that requires training. All the styles, methods and tones of communication have appropriateness for certain settings over others. This, too, is a soft skill that requires practice. Here are some ways that I’ve been refining that skill to become a stronger, more assured communicator this year:

Words are my reflective tools. As a scientist, I have consistently remained curious; often unphased by asking the “wrong” questions or clarifying what someone means if it does not align with my identity politics or views. My responsiveness and inquisition have not always been well received. This has created tensions – some subtle, others palpable. It’s okay to make mistakes. Write, read, edit, rewrite. Whether journalling as a daily practice; expanding on research for a thesis; speaking out; or creating a monthly blog, when I use words the world around me becomes a mirror.

Resistance met me along my path many times. When I was told that we will have to create not one but two vlogs as part of our series this year, I felt resistant to express myself through audiovisual media. I had never been challenged in this way (as I am far more comfortable behind the camera than in front of it), but in softening my resistance I realized that I have a passion for communicating this way, too. I thought it may even be fun to try make one science communication YouTube video every month. Though the “YouTuber” life was short-lived, my friend and I decided to start a neuroscience podcast! Keep an eye out for that – it’s called WENA.

I have BIG dreams, and vast interests. Dreaming, though not necessarily an external form of communication, is my tool for visualization. This experience as a blogger has allowed me to ponder and daydream outside of my current project. Oh, I have so many delicious plans for myself! Keeping these dreams vivid propels me into my future. I really, really like state-of-consciousness neuroscience – from active learning, to sleep; psychosis; seizures; dreaming; neuroethics… This is what I imagine researching in the years to come.

I have learned what peace means, to me. Peace is not simply conflict avoidance, but conflict resolution. Learning how to foster my own sense of inner and outer peace in academia is a direct result of blogging; engaging; sharing thoughts. Connection and community are things that I must stoke and kindle to feel supported. In academia, this sense of kinship isn’t a priority for everyone. Make peace with that. Communicate with compassion. Sometimes, just leave things be.

Lastly, blogging has reminded me to engage with knowledges (credit to The Academic Citizen for teaching me about knowledges in their plurality) wholeheartedly. Engagement amplifies knowledges. My life as a neuroscientist, a science communicator, an activist and a student is enriched with all the knowledges that surround me: from National Science Week trips to Venda, to JEDI in science and art exhibitions. Interaction is both auditory and perceptive. When we are attentive and acknowledge the knowledges (and their sources) that are being shared with us, we are savouring the ripest fruits.

I am tremendously appreciative to my fellow bloggers for their pieces and the work that they are doing “on-the-ground”. In parallel, I am exceptionally enamoured with our editor’s warm and concise style of leadership. I have listened actively and learned so much from the 2023 SAYAS blogging team. Thank you, Lonwabo, Ijeoma, Mukhtaar, and Prof. Jen! In working with you, my expression has felt affirmed, supported, and authentic. To the people on the other side of the screen who read my blogs – whether in full enjoyment or slight dislike – thank you for receiving me as I am.

Feel free to reach out! a.neuro.jo@gmail.com or @johanne_marais

Posted on by johanne_marais

Directing things differently: A Guide for the Undirected Learner

Do you ever think back to your choices and personal patterns that played out during an earlier phase of your life?

Though the lens of reflection may not be one of regret, I still frequently pull on those memories. While flipping through my mental album fondly, I wonder what may have been different if I saw my university life as a feature film.

It could have been my overwhelm with re-engaging my mind into calculus algorithms and learning about DNA replication machinery for the first time, but I found it really challenging to maximize my “first-year experience”. It was only during my academic third year that I felt like I had figured out how to do what I needed to do and balance what I wanted to do. Now that I’m a few years further in my learning, I realize there is precedent for consistency over perfection. For any future “firsts” – for me, or for you reading this right now – I want to reimagine life as a movie, drawing on these themes…

The Stage: Your mental health is more important than good marks. Be brave. Seek help.

The Protagonist: Participation is “so totally in right now”. It may be overwhelming at first, but you are likely judging yourself more than anyone else in the class is judging you. This falls away when you participate unashamedly.

The Antagonist: You’re here because you want to be, right? Be excited. Your course work isn’t a chore; it’s a choice. Attend every extra class, tutorial, workshop, or Q&A session that is available to you. If you still feel stuck, ask for more! Your success is in your hands.

The Set-Design: The library is your friend and your greatest resource. An unimaginable number of people have sat where you are now; reading the books on the shelf and soaking in the privilege of knowledge acquisition.

The Producer: There is always more work to get through, so try your best to stay on top of it. Do preparatory reading from the textbook or supplementary materials; consolidate with your given lecture notes. It almost never pays off to be writing furiously while you learn, so (vaguely) understanding the topic before you even enter the classroom will help you grasp where you get lost on the content.

The Director: You are a human being, not a productivity machine. Prioritize your rest, and rest well. Play frisbee with your friends on the weekend or join a mid-week poetry slam. Take up your interests! Join the society and attend the meetings. Want to rock climb? *Send it! Curious about ballroom dancing? Step into your salsa-self! Do the fun things that you convince yourself are less important than punishing yourself for not working 24/7.

The Distribution: Time waits for no human. You have enough time if you plan well and prioritize your tasks. Centralizing your resources and your to-do’s will be helpful, so that you know you don’t have to look around to find the hand-written paper notes from that lecture on Friday. I should have downloaded all my lecture notes onto one online- or hard-copy drive and used a task-management app to set more specific daily, weekly, and monthly goals.

The Hall of Fame: Be curious with your lecturers. They are primarily people with an intrigue so great that they committed to teaching younger people about it. Ask, “How did you get to this position in the faculty? What are your interests in this field and what advice can you give me for reaching these personal goals?”.

The Supporting Acts: Make friends with people outside of your course! The field you have chosen to study makes up a tiny portion of the student body. Challenges your views and your interests by dissolving boundaries between faculty niches; to encourage interdisciplinary thinking from an early stage of your “career”. Build a broad community that nourishes itself.

The Film: These years spent at university come with the full range of human emotions. Document these years – in journal-writings, or in photographs, or in a playful short-film made with your friends. There’s nothing like a little nostalgia to redirect your perspective. Rewatch the movie. Release an even better sequel. 

Ultimately, though, what wins the category for “Best Personal Project” is a project that I have poured myself into wholeheartedly.  Will we look back and say that for whatever we’re working on now?

*To “send it” is a rock climbing (and other extreme sport) reference that encourages someone to follow through on the next move, regardless of how daunting it may seem.

Photos of some “firsts”, from top left to bottom right: University of Cape Town from the field, in my first year; my first night out at The Waiting Room in Cape Town; my first lab coat, painted on by my friends; my first time rock climbing in 2018; my first visit to Wits Education Library; my first day as a Bachelor of Health Science (Honours) in Neuroscience student