Soumendu Boral, 31, is a biochemist and post-doctoral research associate at the Advanced Science Research Center of the City University of New York (CUNY). He has recently decided to shift from the US to Graz in Austria. Here is what he had to say in an email interaction.
q What are your early impressions of Austria?
For my new role, I was interviewed via Zoom so I am yet to experience Austria for myself. But conversations with colleagues and friends have given me a hugely positive impression. Austria is widely regarded as a beautiful country and Graz, in particular, stands out as one of the most scenic cities of Europe. I shall be working with Tobias Madl at the Otto Loewi Research Center of the Medical University of Graz. Madl is professor and head of the division of medicinal chemistry at the centre. My project is on the role of the protein beta-catenin in cancer patients. Austria has much to offer — modern infrastructure, stable funding and a good work-life balance. Its geographic proximity to other leading institutes of Europe fosters a vibrant environment for collaboration.
q Did you have to learn German or any other European language?
I wasn’t asked to. It’s not mandatory for post-doctoral researchers in Austria or Germany. But I have started learning basic German through language apps.
q What sort of opportunities are there for post-doctoral researchers in Europe and beyond?
Europe stands out for its robust research infrastructure and generous funding — particularly in biotechnology and bioengineering. Canada offers a great academic environment too, but tends to have constraints in terms of research funding, salaries and infrastructure. India is also taking impressive strides.
q You have a BSc from St Xavier’s, Calcutta, master’s and doctoral degrees from two top IITs. It would have been easy to be a researcher in India. Why did you choose the US?
I have always wanted to see myself in a leadership position at a research lab in an institute in the league of the IITs, IISc, TIFRs, IISERs and NITs. I want to serve as principal investigator and mentor PhD scholars, master’s students and undergraduates. In India, to apply for such a position one must have two to three years of experience in international post-doctoral research and that is why I applied abroad. Initially, I didn’t have any particular preference as to which country. Then, days before I submitted my thesis, I met someone at a conference. It turned out that our research interests were aligned and he encouraged me to apply to his lab. And that is how I landed up in the US.
q You mean to say you never actively pursued the American Dream? Not even in high school?
Not during high school but since the time I joined St Xavier’s College in Calcutta. When I moved to IIT Roorkee for my master’s, and IIT Kharagpur for my PhD, the dream became more robust. The opportunity to work in the heart of Manhattan, New York City, was indeed the cherry on the cake!
q Your post-doctoral work at CUNY seems quite significant going by your papers. Why did you leave the US abruptly?
When I joined CUNY, it was with the understanding that I would be there for two to three years. I successfully completed the assigned responsibilities, including my primary research as well as collaborative projects, well within that period.
qAre researchers having to leave the US given all the new rules that have been introduced?
I believe any post-doctoral role depends solely on research funding and contracts. Sometimes your funding gets renewed and your contract gets extended, sometimes it doesn’t. Basically, it is out of your control.
q Any advice for post-doctoral researchers aspiring to careers in the US?
My message to all colleagues navigating the application process is — if you find a lab that is aligned to your research interest and expertise, don’t hesitate to apply. Whether the response is positive, negative or altogether absent, don’t let it shake your confidence. You have every reason to pursue your goals with conviction — you deserve to succeed!
q Will you return to the US after the political turmoil has resolved itself?
I would prefer not to return to the US, irrespective of the situation. As I have already mentioned, my dream is to lead a lab at one of the reputed Indian institutes in the near future.