Janganlah kita berbicara mengenai tujuan akhir dari hidup. Jalanilah hidup secara ‘baik’, dan berusahalah menjadi orang yang ‘baik’. Janganlah dengan mengejar ambisi di dunia kita menjadi orang yang ‘tidak baik’. Insya Allah.

Secara jujur, saya banyak menemui ‘penulis hantu’ (ghost author) dan ‘penulis kehormat’ (honorary author) yang saya ketahui disekitar saya !

Ini data yang diambil dari majalah Nature terbitan 3 November 2011.

Ini artikel yang dirujuk oleh Nature: http://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d6128

Since I was promoted to a full professor last year, a lot of my friends call me “professor”, a title which sometimes makes me embarrassed and think: “Do I deserve to be called professor?” I am still embarrassed because I feel my mentality does not reflect the professional quality of a ‘real’ professor. This article aims to describe the attitude and mentality that need to be possessed by a professor. I will strive toward it, Insha Allah.

█ Quality Mentality

This is the main characteristic of a professor, which is concerned with quality than quantity. Please read my article entitled Quantity or Quality? (in Indonesian). I tried to explain the important of quality in research and teaching in that article. I think someone is not worthy of being a professor if he’s just relying on quantity of his/her academic works only – although he/she has had a long teaching experience.

█ Altruistic mentality

This is the second mentality that must be possessed by a professor – after he/she meets on the quality mentality. This mentality is driven by a dedication to teach and dissemination of his/her knowledge to others. According to Wikipedia: “Altruism is a concern for the welfare of others. It is a traditional virtue in many cultures, and a core aspect of various religious traditions, though the concept of ‘others’ toward whom concern should be directed can vary among cultures and religions. Altruism is the opposite of selfishness.“. This is very important, because the professors are always dealing directly with the scientific community and students.

█ Educating mentality

Educating is not the same with teaching. In educating, a professor is expected to be a role model for his/her students. It can not be said “educating” if a professor told that plagiarism is a disgraceful act, while he/she did not appreciate the hard work of students – such as by putting his/her name at the forefront of scientific publication – although all the results in scientific publications based on the result of hard work of students, from idea, making proposal and writing publication.

█ Learning Mentality

Professor should always update his/her knowledge all the time. Do not let students said he/she is not feasible as a supervisor. I once met a student who told me about this. It was very embarrassing.

█ Devotion Mentality

Devotion to science and knowledge is professional mentality of a professor. There are still many “administrative professors” that who do not have this mentality – where a person was appointed as a professor not because of his/her academic and scientific achievement, but based on to his/her administrative position. For example, a person is promoted to the rank of professor because his/her administrative positions such as dean or deputy rector.

█ Creativity Mentality

Creativity does not only belong to a professor but also by everyone. However, if the professors are not creative, there will be no new discoveries generated by them.

█ Ethical Mentality

In this age of materialism, ethical issues are rarely addressed. Please refer to my article on this subject with the title: Scientific Ethics in Research and Higher Education in Indonesia (in Indonesian). Since the professor working in higher education, the ethic is the most important aspect to be considered and noticed.

Why overselling is not only found at sidewalks drug sellers, but also in people who are highly educated? There are several reasons.

The first reason is because there is a feeling inferior. This feeling causes people to act to exaggerate and “overselling” of their achievements, which sometimes is not remarkable achievement.

Secondly, perhaps because very high confidence, so that one felt he is the most wonderful, clever and knows everything.

Thirdly because the person misunderstood his abilities, so that he misjudged himself and the situation around him.

One advice to myself is: Be honest with yourself and humble – Do not oversell! Overselling attitude will harm ourselves, because eventually people will judge us by our words and actions.

Pertama, untuk barang yang akan menjadi busuk, iaitu makan dan minum.

Kedua, untuk barang yang akan menjadi lapuk, seperti rumah, mobil, pakaian, perhiasan dan lain-lain.

Ketiga adalah untuk hal-hal yang abadi, yang bisa menolong kita di dunia dan akhirat, seperti infaq, sesekah dan amal jariah lainnya.

Baru saja saya menemukan artikel di wikipedia yang menarik mengenai kehidupan yang seimbang dalam hidup (work–life balance). Manusia perlu hidup seimbang. Dalam artikel tersebut disebut bahwa keseimbangan kehidupan kerja adalah konsep yang luas termasuk memprioritaskan yang tepat antara “bekerja” (karir dan ambisi) di satu sisi dan “hidup” (kesehatan, kesenangan, waktu luang, keluarga dan spiritual) di sisi lain.

Dalam bahagian lain di artikel tersebut juga dinyatakan bahwa institusi haruslah menyadari betapa pentingnya keseimbangan hidup dan kerja untuk menghasilkan produktivitas dan kreativitas dari karyawan mereka. Penelitian oleh Kenexa Research Institute pada tahun 2007 menunjukkan bahwa institusi yang memperhatikan keseimbangan antara ‘bekerja” dan “hidup” tidak akan ditinggalkan oleh pekerjanya. Manusia itu bukan robot: bekerja, bekerja dan bekerja. Apalagi bekerja untuk kepentingan individu atau atasan, bukannya untuk kepentingan institusi atau komuniti.

Scientific research is enjoyable. Of course it seems difficult when progress is slow and there are no results of our efforts. Serious mistakes can be made through lack of consideration. However, the joy that comes from making a new, unexpected discovery can not be compared with any other. It is like climbing along, steep mountain path: as you finally reach the top, the clouds part, and you are greatly moved by the spectacular landscape that appears before you. Furthermore, the suffering of not being able to explain the results of an experiment on the basis of past experience and the joy of finally being able to solve the problem by coming up with a new idea are just like mountain climbing.

So, the question is, if you are a scientist, have you seen the beautiful panorama from the top of the mountain which we struggled to climb?