Advice to young scientists: E.O. Wilson on TED.com

This video rings true for me.

Even though I am trained as a computational cognitive neuroscientist, my math skills are not strong. I routinely apply linear algebra to solve problems but have flunked out of the formal class!

While training young scientists, I try to spark a curiosity for understanding the world, followed with rigorous, systematic investigation.

As I make my own transition from young scientist to young investigator, I am seeking a niche to make my a contribution. One possibility is the study of category learning via magnetoencephalography (MEG). It is a small field. There is only one other person conducting similar research (to the best of my knowledge). Despite its size, it is ripe with possibilities. The ability to study brain signals on the order of 100ms has the potential answer long-standing questions about this fundamental human capacity.