Hilton Barbosa de Aguiar
In this installment of Senior Member Insights, OPN talks with Hilton Barbosa de Aguiar, a CNRS Associate Researcher at the Laboratoire Kastler Brossel (LKB), France, in the Complex Media Optics group, which focuses on studying and harnessing complex light to develop optical microscopy tools for tackling questions in complex biological and chemical systems.
De Aguiar holds a Ph.D. from EPFL, Switzerland, jointly with the Max-Planck Institute, Germany. He has performed two postdoc terms, from 2011 to 2013 at Stuttgart University, Germany, and from 2013 to 2016 at the Fresnel Institute, France.
De Aguiar’s first independent research activity was as a junior research chairholder in the physics department at ENS, France, from 2016 to 2020. During this time, he focused on establishing a new concept in Raman bio-imaging: compressive Raman microspectroscopy. His group developed new methodologies in this field, with all research activity culminating in a recently published book chapter.
De Aguiar has authored and coauthored 44 publications and one book chapter, has been invited 22 times to deliver presentations at worldwide conferences in physics and chemistry and also served twice as a special issue guest editor.
What first interested you in pursuing science?
“Wow, this is so cool!” That is the first thing I thought when I did my first experiments during my scientific internships in undergrad. The experiment actually did not work at all. What I found fascinating about science was the fact that I could make something big by assembling small parts and simpler trials (which worked out). There I realized science could give me the freedom to be creative on small things to achieve a higher-level goal.
I realized science could give me the freedom to be creative on small things to achieve a higher-level goal.
What aspect of your current work do you find the most interesting or exciting?
I always love to be in between fields. My research orientation is highly interdisciplinary, and the latest thing we have been working on is a blend of computational tools with optical development. I was always passionate about coding and setting up optical experiments, but I never realized that when I blend the two, something better than each separate part emerges: computational microscopy.
What tips for successful networking do you have for early-career professionals?
Don't be shy—go out there and get in touch with others. I say this because this was my biggest mistake: it took me too long to reach out to other researchers. Obviously, conferences are there to fill out this part, but conferences do not happen on a monthly basis to help develop some continuous dynamics as does the daily life in a lab. I think sharing your thoughts to learn from others, and also sharing your knowledge, is a good way to start networking.
What professional resources do you rely on to stay active and engaged with your field?
I mostly use research networks, such as Optica Technical Groups, but also the classic ones like LinkedIn, Twitter, and journals’ RSS feeds. These are quite active in my research field.
What skills do you think are most important for someone interested in a career like yours?
Nowadays many can have access to high-level education, so you have to think out of the box if you want to strive. Developing independent thinking is the first step for that, but that is not enough. Particularly in Europe, where the biggest grants are aimed at high-risk, high-gain profiles, incremental thinking won't help you much. So you have to spot what others, or the research field, have been missing or lacking, and dive into that to find an answer or solution. I think for most other things, like writing papers, giving presentations, coding, math calculations, etc., there are always good resources to help you.
Make sure you get background information about the place and people you will work with because working at great science places does not mean you will have the best support.
What advice do you have for young scientists who are discouraged about their current work or career path?
I have been there—for quite some time! How did I get out? I was forced to follow a path where I’d be surrounded by cool and supportive researchers. It turned out that they always told me not to give up, but also advised me of the hard path academic life can be. My tip: Make sure you get background information about the place and people you will work with because working at great science places does not mean you will have the best support. Finally, researchers are often preconditioned to earn rewards quickly, but patience is a virtue that is hard to learn. And if you want to succeed in science, you have to be patient (but not passive).
What is one piece of advice that you wish you were given as a student/early in your career?
Get in touch with others! I was into my science and I wish someone had told me, “You should tell others what you do,” instead of expecting them to find my work by themselves (as done before the age of the internet).
What has been the most motivating factor throughout your career?
The possibility to exploit my creative thinking non-stop. I have worked in other, non-academic jobs and different academic positions. At each step of my academic life, I felt I had gained a bit more freedom to choose what I wanted to research. Be aware that this creative freedom comes with more responsibilities.
What habits do you frequently rely on that help you to succeed?
I try to separate my social lifestyle from my working lifestyle. One example is that my partner notices I cannot multitask at home, whereas at work people may find me too much of a multitasker. I leave the “researcher” at work. This allows your mind to disconnect and relax, which is of paramount importance for most people who can feel affected by stressful situations. Apart from that, practicing sports (aikido, soccer, biking, jogging, in my case) easily helps you to improve your work–life balance.
If your ten-years-younger self was looking at your career now, what would he be most surprised by?
I always had my mind set that I wanted to do research, but I certainly wasn't expecting to end up in Paris in one of the coolest labs (science and social-wise) in the world, in my experience.
