Interview with PlanetS Alumni – Kaustubh Hakim
Kaustubh Hakim is passionate about understanding the chemistry of exoplanets. He is currently a research staff member at KU Leuven and the Royal Observatory of Belgium. He did a long-term postdoc at the University of Bern between 2019 and 2023. Before that, he obtained a PhD in Astrophysics and Geochemistry from the University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He completed his Master’s in Astronomy from KU Leuven. Before switching to astronomy, he worked for an investment bank in Mumbai for a couple of years and has a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur.
What inspired you to pursue your current career?
Prof. Jayant Narlikar, a prominent Indian astronomer, was the inspiration behind my current career. When I moved to Switzerland, the University of Bern and PlanetS communities made me feel at home. It was a privilege to work with colleagues from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds.
Did you apply for and get a specific grant? Which one? How was the experience (easy, difficult, competitive, too long process, etc.)?
During my time in Switzerland, I was awarded a competitive PlanetS grant to work on challenging high-pressure high-temperature laboratory experiments to understand the interior-atmosphere chemistry of exoplanets. The application process was straightforward and the results were announced on a short timescale. I also applied for SNSF Ambizione and was invited to the interview, but was not awarded the grant. The Ambizione application process was much longer, but it was also an excellent learning opportunity.
Often people feel discouraged after a rejection, being this for a grant or for a job outside academia. How many grants (or jobs) did you apply for before landing in your current position and what did help you?
Towards the end of my postdoc, I applied for 6 grants/jobs before landing in my current position. For every position, I wrote applications from scratch after doing due research on the job profile, eligibility, background of potential jury members and evaluation criteria. I was fortunate to have received advice on the research idea and proposal from my wonderful colleagues.
Did you decide to stay in Switzerland or did you move?
I decided to move away from Switzerland because of an exciting career opportunity.
Did PlanetS equip you professionally (e.g., skills, mindset, networks) for your next career steps?
Besides scientific networking activities, I presented a business idea at the Bench2Biz program for PlanetS members. The interaction with a venture capitalist and participants was immensely fruitful in understanding what it takes to turn a business idea into reality. This also allowed me to understand which of the academic skills are transferable to start-up businesses.
Which PlanetS experience proved especially helpful in your current role?
The PlanetS General Assembly was a great platform to learn about active research areas in planetary science in Switzerland. Participating in PlanetS workshops and working group meetings broadened my knowledge. This is also what I miss the most. The opportunities for discussing science and having fun at scenic venues cannot be matched elsewhere in the world.
What do you enjoy most and least about your current job?
The best part of my current job is working with talented young researchers. This keeps me pushing to do better than yesterday.
How do you see your current work making a broader impact?
The biggest impact my work can make is by training younger researchers in scientific methods, specifically critical thinking.
What advice would you give current PlanetS members when planning their next career steps?
I do not have specific advice because everyone’s work-life trajectory is different. What helped me after facing some earlier rejections was to keep reminding myself why I chose this career path. I could start letting go of the need to seek validation through the success of my job/grant applications. This also pushed me to create Plan B, which I would also have enjoyed.
