“Nothing to report!” — a familiar line I repeated yet again this week before trudging out of a meeting with my supervisor. I am a PhD candidate in the Department of Medical Biophysics, where I conduct research in a cancer biology lab at least five days per week. 

This week, despite the gruelling hours I spent in the tissue culture room hunched over my lab bench, all of my experiments failed. I slumped into my desk chair, wondering which of the 20+ steps in my experiment protocol I’d have to fix to see some concrete results.

If you’ve told anyone you’re a science student, chances are you’re met with a chorus of “So you’re going to cure cancer?” or “Will you be the one who gets us to Mars?” However, most of us know the stark reality of science: one tiny success story happens within a giant sea of failures, which can make us scientists feel like we’re drowning. 

Medical biophysics PhD candidate Vanessa Giglio understands this struggle firsthand. “At least one thing fails [in the lab] every week,” she said in an interview with The Varsity with a chuckle. “One thing is probably a really good week, honestly.”

Giglio and I are not alone. Burnout is common in a variety of STEM fields, careers, and even undergraduate classes. For example, a 2024 study from the Journal of Chemical Education found that of 139 students enrolled in a first-year undergraduate chemistry course, about 75 per cent were likely to associate their self-worth with their performance to either a moderate or severe degree. 

Despite the mental toll that science can take on students, I am adamant that joy can be found in science if we learn where to look for it. Receiving external support, changing how we think about failure, and looking outside of ourselves can give us the push we need to move forward.

The wind beneath our wings

The media often portrays scientists as solitary creatures who keep to themselves. However, in a real lab, you are surrounded by a team of experts who have experienced the same science-driven trials and tribulations that you have. In times when success often evades us, we can lean on those around us for support, deriving joy along the way.

Immunology student Catherine Djafar’s project stopped dead in its tracks when an experiment she’d done countless times failed. “What the hell happened?” she exclaims. “I didn’t change anything… but it just stopped working.” 

Instead of despairing, Djafar went to her labmates for help. “I love my labmates,” Djafar said in an interview with The Varsity. “Whenever I mess up an experiment, I’ll always come to them like, ‘I kind of messed up really bad.’ ”

If you’re working in a lab, a good supervisor is also vital to derive joy from science. “[My supervisor] never worries about anything,” said Giglio. “Having a supervisor that’s… excited about any progress you’ve made is something that’s… really helpful,” Djafar added. 

Rewiring your brain for joy

For me, a failed experiment can feel like the difference between publishing a paper and taking 10 years to finish my PhD. Once I’ve taken a deep breath, I remember that failure itself can be the answer to a scientific question — an indication of what needs to be fixed for my next attempt.

However, when joy is hard to find, thinking about how failure makes us stronger scientists provides comfort. Failing is as much a part of the scientific process as success and is a key component for learning problem-solving. As Giglio said, “Being a good scientist is [based on] your ability to problem solve.”

Djafar agreed. “Obviously, failure isn’t going to make you happy, but it’s also just what keeps you going,” she said. “I think I’m a pretty stubborn person, so when something fails… I’ll just keep trying to get it to succeed.”

This mentality applies not only to lab work, but to science courses. Memorizing chemical structures or physics formulas only to receive 50 per cent on an exam can be debilitating. During these difficult times, having the mentality of seeing failure as a stepping stone to learning can be a great way to not be debilitated by it. Additionally, celebrate yourself for trying. As Giglio put it, “Sometimes you need to have motivation in yourself and be like… I’m doing something extremely hard.”

Putting science in perspective

As students pursuing the sciences, we specialize as we progress further into our scientific careers. As the studies become hyper-focused, the blinders can go up, and, from my experience, we can sometimes forget what drove us to science in the first place: the way our discoveries may impact the world around us.

Stepping outside of academia to explore science’s applications in the real world can put joy back into our study. Giglio is involved in initiatives where she speaks to cancer patients, bridging the gap between research and healthcare. “Sometimes, I think [exploring science outside academia] is the only thing that keeps my outlook positive,” she said.

As I mull over how to change my experiment for the 18th time, I rant to my labmates, remember why I do science, and feel a bit better. So, future scientists, as you head into another exam season, remember that there is joy in everything, even in the depths of your organic chemistry exam.