Biophysical Society Bulletin | April 2020

Biophysicist in Profile

amount of knowledge about all of the research techniques employed in her lab. But I think, as a personality she balances her fast thinking and very active engagement in scientific dis- cussions with a laid back and jovial attitude which is a difficult balance to strike.” Her favorite thing about biophysics is “the elegance and simplicity that it brings to complicated biological questions,” she says. “With the amazing tools that are constantly being invented by engineers and biophysicists, the sky is the limit. I don’t think there is any part of the biology nano-world that we will not be able to tackle over the next 20 years.” “Over the years,” Dalal shares, “I have admired colleagues past and present, especially those who came from non-sci- ence backgrounds, or who were the first in their families to go to college while working two jobs. These colleagues have succeeded by sheer dint of will, effort, perseverance, and grit, and they have done beautiful science. That’s what I love best about science — that it is egalitarian, not aristocratic. It’s not about pedigree, it’s about accomplishments. The break- throughs can come from anywhere — or anyone.” The discovery process can be a slow one, which is a difficult truth for any curious scientist. Dalal says that her biggest challenge has been “coming to grips with the reality that it takes years for experimental work to catch up with intuitive leaps that turn out right sometimes, but just as often turn out wrong. It can be frustrating to have to wait months or years

to get to the answer. But it does have the benefit of keeping one going!” She hopes to contribute knowledge to the future of the field, but also to lead by example in “making science a more wel- coming place for others from diverse backgrounds and skill sets, but united by a common passion to really chase the hard questions,” she shares. “I hope that well-trained scientists from my lab will go out there and break new ground and make even more critical discoveries.” Being relatively new to the biophysics community, Dalal has found the Biophysical Society helpful in meeting people who work in diverse topics, learning about new tools, and reading literature beyond the scope of her own work that reminds her of the larger picture. She has been excited about “meeting scientists whose work I’ve admired and read for years, learn- ing about the chromatin biophysics community, and having two graduate students who taught me a little bit about real physics!” She advises trainees to follow their true interests. “Take the time to figure out what those are, because it will motivate you throughout your life. In the meantime, acquiring skills is its own reward — learn a skill and own it!” she says. “Finally, have a sense of integrity about who you are. I like a quote from the poem “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley , which gets this point across far more elegantly ‘I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.’”

Call for 2022 Biophysical Society Conferences Proposals Proposal Deadline: May 11, 2020

The Biophysical Society sponsors small (100–150 attendees), recurring (biennial to triennial) multi-day confer- ences on focused topics within the broad realm of biophysics. These meetings, held primarily in the United States, between the months of May and August, aim to bring together senior researchers, postdoctoral researchers, and students working in similar scientific areas to discuss the latest cutting-edge research. The Society is now calling for proposals for the 2022 BPS Conferences. Complete submissions will be considered by the BPS Conferences Committee and, pending review, organizers will be contacted for additional, more detailed, information. The Committee’s final recommendations will be submitted to the Society Council for approval in early November. For criteria and submission requirements, visit www.biophysics.org/meetings-events/bps-conferences/criteria-and-submission-information Proposals must be submitted at www.surveymonkey.com/r/MXTDZBX

April 2020

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