Every year, India celebrates the “National Science Day on February 28”, to mark the discovery of the Raman effect by physicist Sir CV Raman. This year, I interviewed T Sivarani, an astronomer and professor at Bengaluru’s Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA).
Her work is mainly focused on the spectroscopy of stars, exoplanets and astronomical instrumentation. Besides work, I also asked her questions to do with her personal life; and about what it’s like being a woman in academia in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
Prithvi Vatsalya (PV): To start off, can you tell me a little bit about your childhood and educational background? What was school, college and university life like?
T Sivarani (TS): I was born in 1970 in Pillaiyarnatham, a small village in Tamil Nadu, located about 80 km southwest of Madurai. I am the last of my parent’s four children. My father worked as a clerk in a nearby town called Srivilliputtur, but farming was the main source of income in my family.
When I started my schooling, my village had a primary school with two teachers for the entire school. I went to this school for a short while and finished the rest of my schooling from a Tamil medium, Christian missionary school in a town nearby: Sacred Heart Girls Higher Secondary School.
Mathematics used to be my favourite subject till the 10th standard. Physics took over in the 11th and 12th. I was excited to find a physical explanation to the things which were happening around me.
My father wanted me to study either medicine or engineering, but my marks wouldn’t let me. I ended up pursuing a B.Sc. degree in physics at a women’s college (VV Vanniaperumal College for Women).
For the first time, I had to learn all the science subjects in English. Though I understood the concepts, my written answers used to be very brief. I loved assignment problems and laboratory classes in physics.
Later, I enrolled for an M.Sc. in physics at The American College, in Madurai. It was the first time I studied in a co-educational setting.
Girls and boys would sit together in the classrooms and labs. Girls had to do the same tasks as boys in the mechanical workshops to do with drilling, milling and sawing etc. We had a lot of freedom to explore new ideas in the labs, and design our own way of conducting lab experiments.
We were sent to different research institutes for summer projects. Back in 1992, this was not a common practice.
Many alumni were (and continue to be) at various research institutes in India. So, I decided to pursue research too. By this time, all my siblings were married and my family was a bit hesitant about me pursuing research, as it would take me several years to complete it and then get a job.
Eventually, my dad was very supportive and I applied for PhD positions at the Indian Institute of Science and IIA. And, I got through the latter.
PV: If you had to explain your work to a layperson, how would you do it? What are some of the larger implications of your work?
TS: I work in three main areas:
- Galactic archaeology
- Exoplanets
- Astronomical instrumentation
We know by now that during the first three minutes after the Big Bang, the first atoms formed in the universe. They came together to make elements such as hydrogen, helium and lithium. The universe expanded rapidly and then cooled down. Further nuclear fusion was not possible to make atoms of larger atomic numbers.
So, all the elements other than hydrogen, helium and lithium, were made in the stars, either during a nuclear fusion in their centre or during an explosion and enriching of the gas around them.
Stars of different masses make different chemical elements during their nuclear burning, and then explode and die at different time scales, depending on their mass. So, we can precisely date a star and also use its motion around the galaxy to understand its birthplace in a galaxy.
Studying the chemical abundances of individual stars in a galaxy, helps us rewind into their past. Because of the extreme conditions of stars’ interiors and explosion, some of the nuclei made in stars can’t be made a lab, or inside nuclear reactors.
Hence, the chemical abundances of various elements’ stars, and their evolution over time, help us better understand the physics of nuclear matter. Helium was first observed on the sun before it was discovered on the earth.
PV: Can you tell me some more about the journey of becoming one of India’s leading astrophysicists… How did that happen?
TS: Although I was already interested in physics, the exposure and encouragement I needed to pursue research came during my time at The American College. I was mostly interested in experimental physics and optics. Because observational astronomy was the closest to my interests, I took up the same as my research interest.
I spent most of the time at the IIA’s Vainu Bappu Observatory in Kavalur. During cloudy nights, I would calibrate with lamps, and study instrument (optical telescopes) response.
I was also able to spend considerable amounts of time reading books on various areas of astronomy, and techniques related to the field.
There was no internet connection and no distractions. The beautiful campus and its quiet atmosphere helped me develop new ideas, and gain a broader understanding of astronomy.
PV: Why don’t we see enough women in STEM disciplines according to you?
TS: There are social issues, such as families wanting their daughters to get married early or settle on a job as soon as possible. Nowadays, it is worse because the education system is very competitive and one needs all the support they can get from their families, so that they can spend their hours focusing on studying.
A liberal education, with a more hands-on approach, and the free time to ponder over the bigger goals of science, will definitely help. The current education system is more focused on tools than it is on ideas. Tools are growing at a very fast pace. Aggressive learners who are super focused, can succeed in such a setting, but most women are left behind.
PV: What kind of obstacles have you faced as a woman in a male-dominated field?
TS: I have faced imposter syndrome at every stage of my education and career. Due to being from a humble background and the lack of exposure that comes with it, I felt that my classmates and colleagues were smarter in terms of their language, social skills and awareness beyond physics.
Even though my father was very supportive of my education, he was also very strict. Till my Master’s, I had only seen a handful of religious movies and children’s cartoons. I had very little exposure to things beyond physics. For instance, I never read short stories or novels.
During my professional career in astronomy, I have encountered male domination. For example, there are fewer women at conferences and meetings. All the men tend to band together and it becomes tough for me to join their conversation(s). Even when you stand near them, people try to ignore your presence.
Things were even harder for me due to my lack of fluency in the English language. Also, I was traditional in that I didn’t drink and wore traditional clothes. Later on, I ended up changing the way I dressed because I found western clothes to be comfortable, easy to maintain, and they also helped me mingle with others.
I always thought that I needed to be much better than the men in astronomy—it’s the only way to get noticed, and survive, in the field. Indeed, it worked well for me!
Also, travelling and post-doctoral experiences helped me work on my language and social skills. However, it’s still not all rosy and cheery. Often, I find that people don’t take my questions very seriously, especially if they don’t know of me already.
These days, there are women’s groups who help graduate students and other women connect with others before international conferences and the like, so that we feel comfortable and less alone. Also, globally, there is more of a conscious attempt to welcome women in conversations and make us feel included.
In India though, things have not changed. The male domination and other hierarchies continue to exist. For example, during the hiring process, a woman needs to be distinctly better than a male applicant to be hired. Moreover, the concept of a “godfather” who will help you get a job is still prevalent, and many women do not have such mentors who can fetch jobs for them.
PV: After all that you have achieved, what keeps you going? What developments are you looking forward to?
TS: Astronomy is a more generalised subject, connecting all aspects of physics. There are several, unexpected, lateral connections between different observations. For example, one of the outstanding problems in astronomy is the astrophysical sites that make elements such as gold, silver, thorium and uranium.
The recent discovery of gravitational waves in an exploding, neutron star merger event, showed that the ejecta was rich in lanthanides and actinides. This indicates that neutron-rich materials can be made during such explosions and result in the making of heavy elements such as gold and silver.
Another aspect that I am interested in is applying technological advances to astronomical instrumentation. Studies of exoplanet observations require precise detection of planet signals within the starlight, which is about a billion times larger.
I find it very challenging and exciting to retrieve these signals and use appropriate calibration techniques to remove systematic errors. As this field (astronomy) is very young, there is plenty of scope for innovation!