Webinar: Am I good enough? Learning how to deal with the imposter syndrome

Am I capable of being a researcher?

Look at the amazing contributions others have made to this field! How can I ever compete with them?

My advisors will soon realize they made a mistake by choosing me.

Am I worthy? Oh no! I am not!

I am not good enough. I don’t deserve to be here.

I am an imposter! I bet they’re all thinking about it right now.

I feel so demotivated. What do I do now?

Do such questions haunt you as a researcher? Have you ever, at some point in your academic journey, stopped in your tracks and wondered if you will be able to measure up to the success achieved by your peers? That you don’t belong? If yes, then you are a victim of the dreaded imposter syndrome.

What is imposter syndrome? Imposter syndrome refers to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt that lead you to believe that you are a fraud who doesn’t deserve any success and who is incapable of achieving anything. It can be debilitating, especially for researchers who have to deal with the intense demands of academic life.

Can you overcome this feeling? Yes, absolutely!

We have invited the charismatic and knowledgeable Dr. Fanuel Muindi to talk about the imposter syndrome and his own experience dealing with it; explain what it is; and how it can severely affect your life, mental health, and performance as a researcher. This brief session will not only help ease your anxieties but will also make you realize how you are not alone out there and how there are several researchers who are dealing with the same stress as you are and are questioning themselves.

Attend this free talk to know how you can overcome your feelings of self-doubt and realize your true potential as a researcher.

About the speaker

Dr. Fanuel Muindi

Assistant Director, Graduate Programs, The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University

Dr. Fanuel Muindi grew up in Tanzania and finished his high school studies in the UK. He completed his undergraduate degree in Biology at Morehouse College, and his PhD in Biology with a focus in Neuroscience at Stanford University in the USA. He then completed his post-doctoral fellowship in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT. Since 2016, he has served as the Assistant Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University. He is also the Founder and Co-Director of the non-profit think tank, STEM Advocacy Institute (SAi), which conducts research and builds new programs, tools, and databases that characterize and strengthen the network of access between science and society. Dr. Muindi likes meditating, plane spotting, and is an avid photographer. He is a fan of black and white photography and is the curator of the Reflections book series.