Bio: Dr. Trupti Kotbagi presently works as a Process Development Chemist at BASF, North America and has several years of experience working as the VP of a chemical startup company. She has completed her Ph.D. in Heterogeneous Catalysis from the prestigious CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India and a postdoctoral stint at the University of Alabama, USA. In addition, she is an active YouTuber (https://www.youtube.com/user/checkmeout8889) and talks about several topics concerning careers, stories in STEM.
Tell us bit about yourself, your educational background and current job profile
I did my Masters in Inorganic chemistry from TC college, Baramati, Maharashtra and Ph.D. in chemistry with a focus on Heterogeneous Catalysis and Materials Science from CSIR-NCL, Pune Maharashtra. This was followed by a couple years of postdoctoral experience at The University of Alabama, USA in the field of ultra-porous materials for catalysis. I transitioned to ThruPore Technologies, USA (a technology-based startup company) as Chief Scientist in 2016. Three years ago was promoted to Vice-president of Technology at the same organization. Recently, I transferred to BASF as a Process Development Chemist.
Tell us about your journey to your current role
Let me put it in short. It has been a battle played against my own mind. It has been a tug-of-war between choices at many levels –
Complete masters and take up a job or go ahead and get a doctorate? Complete doctorate and pursue postdoctoral research or complete doctorate and get married? Academia or industry after postdoctoral research? Choosing hasn’t been an easy task, however, when I look back at my decisions I do not have a single regret. People and the situations in life are the driving forces to help you make decisions at many stages in life. It worked out pretty well for me; at times I did not listen to people’s advice and accepted the situations in life and many times the situations in life made me listen and act on people’s advice. My professional journey so far has been pretty satisfying. I have authored and co-authored almost 20 research articles and 4 patents and contributed to projects that mattered. To mention a couple – “Developing a COVID-killing (anti-viral) catalytic material for PPE and HVAC filters” and “Developing the 1st scalable catalysts for US Army for degradation of munitions wastes”. The feeling of fulfilment surpasses all the difficult times faced throughout my journey.
I was with the startup for a little more than 5 years and I was an integral part of the company and had seen the ups and downs of it very closely. I learned the hard way that it takes a while for small technology-based companies to set up, grow, establish and become profitable. While it was a great roller-coaster ride with the startup, I felt like I had gained enough experience and realized it was time to switch to an established organization to expand my horizon of industrial R&D experience and learnings and offer my transferable skillset to a larger company than the startup. So far so good! However, this can’t stop here, because I have miles to go before I sleep.
What are the attributes in your present job that attracted you in deciding for this role?
I was intrigued by the idea of working for a startup/small business. In my last job, I practically learned the process of starting a business to growing it and became an integral part of it. My inclination towards an entrepreneurial mindset, pivots involved in the technology-based business and zero tolerance to mundaneness drove me in my previous role. However, as I mentioned before, the kind of financial stability, health and retirement benefits, bonuses and perks MNCs have to offer are like the cherry on the top, and are zilch in case of startups, which was also a driving factor for me to make this transition.
How different are the working styles in an MNC than a startup?
Working styles in an MNC and a startup are worlds apart. While startups are more staggered, MNCs are defined and streamlined when it comes to R&D and business. Startups have a more pivotal approach, while MNCs have set goals and targets. But in the end both are striving towards generating more revenue and making more profit. On a personal role level, your work is highly defined and focused in an MNC unlike in startups where you are a janitor one day and the technical lead the next day. Whatever be it, working for both these cultures, I feel they have their own flavors. I find myself extremely fortunate to have been exposed to both these worlds.
How do you navigate the difference of work style in an MNC?
There is no specific guideline to navigate the work style. Navigation in any different environment is a continuous process and moreover, a company’s culture/style is defined by its values, assumptions and beliefs. When it comes to me personally, I go to any place/face any situation with an open mind and an accepting attitude. A hard-core scientist should be extremely adaptive to any type of environment.
What learnings can be translated from a startup to an MNC?
Startups make you a very seasoned worker. A few learnings worth mentioning are: preparing you to wear several hats without limiting yourself to a fixed work profile, understanding the core business and business values of a technology-based industry, being ready to challenge yourself and take risks with a positive attitude and to be able to continually pivot. This entire package of learnings turned out to be very valuable when I was making this significant transition.
How did your previous training in STEM help you in deciding upon this career?
My Alma mater has a lion’s share in where I stand today. Ph.D. teaches you the way of life, which has been so true in my case. Becoming a better person and more of an independent and proactive researcher is what my early stage research training gave me. Asking questions and figuring out the solutions without waiting for someone else to answer also significantly helped me throughout my training. This attitude greatly helped me decide to pursue research as a career. I am very blessed to have great guides and mentors throughout this journey who let me be unstoppable and supported me in achieving my goals in a timely manner.
What do you love and hate about the different roles in your career at a startup and MNC?
As a VP of Technology in the startup, I loved being a point of contact for any technological innovations and problems. I loved the fact that I could offer customized solutions to client’s problems which is a rarity in such businesses and I loved being responsible for the technology based developments. I actually hated the above at the same time. So many responsibilities sometimes get overwhelming. At times it leaves you sleep deprived with severe anxiety. At BASF, it’s so far so good!
What are the major challenges women face in your field?
Acquiring a stable and high ranking position in the industry is never a cakewalk for women. As a matter of fact, the number of women is typically low. Women’s physical and mental capabilities are always doubted and become the reasons for not being offered higher positions or promotions. Discrimination and unequal pay are very rampant in the industry.
What are the challenges you faced in your career and how did you overcome them? What/Who was your support system?
Although I loved working with the startup company, it was the biggest challenge in my career. The everyday changing priorities and uncertainties in terms of financial security and professional stability have been extremely challenging throughout. But that did not stop me from forging ahead. I have learnt three life-changing lessons from my mom, my senior Dr. Neelam and my Ph.D. advisor Dr. Dongare. 1) My mom said – “Accept what may come and keep going or turn back and fail, life is yours to shape” well I had no option but to keep going; Dr. Neelam said “Always keep your eyes and ears open”, helped me work to be better at every stage of my career and finally my favorite was when Dr. Dongare once said – “If you think you are smart, always remember the person in front is smarter”. The last one definitely made me profound in my thinking. Keeping all these life lessons in mind and being clear and vocal about my choices have helped me overcome many professional challenges. Of course strong family support, who thinks I am their Shero and not differentiating between me and my brother have been my biggest strengths. And I have come across many great people like my research advisors who have been a source of constant support to me throughout my research tenure.
Is work culture different in industry/startup compared to academia? If so, what are the differences?
Working in industry and academia is a world of difference on many levels – responsibilities, flexibility, collaboration, work-place culture, individual impact, intellectual freedom, salary, and career advancement. It will take a while if I continue going through every point I mentioned. But choosing academia or industry as a career path can be easily decided if you determine your priorities, think about how you want to control your time, spot your strengths, factor in your personality, consider long-term goals by keeping an open mind, and most importantly “be honest with yourself”.
What changes in the work environment would make it easier for women to succeed (survive) in industry/startup?
There are two things for women in industry, surviving and thriving. Anyone ready to settle for mediocrity can survive in the industry. On the contrary, someone with a drive for success should know how to nurture her individuality to thrive in the industry. A work environment where individual differences are nurtured, no information is suppressed, the organization adds value to the employees and not just extracts from them, and stands for something meaningful and is rewarding irrespective of the gender of the employee; such would be an ideal workplace for a woman or man to succeed.
In your opinion, what are the means of finding a job in industry/startup (recruitment agency, contacts, etc)?
Process of finding jobs has immensely changed over recent years. LinkedIn is a great platform for finding positions suiting your qualifications and experience. Recruiting agents working for respective companies/organizations can be the best bet for finding jobs at post-Ph.D. level. However, needless to mention, networking in conferences or meetings and tactfully staying in touch (not showing our neediness), definitely helps to grab a deserving position.
While making career related decisions, who did you consider as role models? And did you have any mentors while deciding to switch careers? Rephrase: Did you receive any mentoring while deciding upon career options?
Honestly, I did not have any official mentor to help get career guidance. I did listen and learn from my seniors’ experiences. However, at the end of the day you have to make decisions for yourself. No one wants to take responsibility for the decisions of your life. And my advice would be to analyze your strengths and weaknesses, your interests and dislikes and decide accordingly. It is helpful to take advice from your seniors, but not a good idea to entirely rely on what they have faced. Every story is unique, I believe in making my own.
How do you unwind after a hectic day/week at work? How do you balance career and personal life?
It is a tough task for any researcher to totally drag themselves out of their work. Science becomes a way of life. So complete unwinding is next to impossible. I have learnt that the hard way. I am a catalyst chemist and it is said that, “Making catalysts is an art”. I thought the opposite for once, why can’t I use art as a catalyst for changing my lifestyle and having a work-life balance. I tried my hand in art and craft and it has been going just fine since then. I find mental relaxation through painting, craft, cooking, and singing and at times I also help students with their topics in Chemistry.
One tip for young women at the beginning of their career?
Know your worth and do not undersell yourself, however don’t forget to do your homework thoroughly.
If you have to summarize your career in one sentence, what would that be?
“Miles to go before I sleep”
If you had to give up science, what would you do (in terms of other career options)?
I would be an Entrepreneur. That’s the plan!
Since you must be extremely busy with your work, do you find time to mentor young people in STEM?
I definitely make time to help young students and aspiring researchers, which is one thing I love. I do not just venture my career adventure pills to the youth, but it is very crucial for me to interact with them to learn from their approach and perspectives towards situations. It helps both of our personal and professional growth.
You are also an active YouTuber and interview people in STEM from different perspectives, how is your collective experience? Anything interesting that you would like to share?
Becoming a YouTuber (https://www.youtube.com/user/checkmeout8889) came from the desire to give back to my community (the young researchers and entrepreneurs) by donating my time and sharing a few experiences. Giving back is a great way to know your community and volunteering offers a sense of purpose. Interviewing and talking to STEM peers from varied fields has been a very fulfilling experience. My idea of interviewing young researchers and entrepreneurs was to make it relatable and real to the viewers. It is easier for the audiences to comprehend when they hear it from someone like them. I encountered astronomically talented scientists who figured out their strengths and brought value to their skill sets by choosing the right career paths. They are just normal people living normal lives with a humongous amount of talent bundled up in them and have the right knowledge to encash the opportunities coming their way. I can proudly say that the guests on my show have been a right source of guidance to many. It’s an effort to give what I never really received
Anything else that you may wish to add as a parting note?
Before concluding, I would like to share this conversation I had with someone:
I can’t forget the time I had accepted the offer at my present company and was in my notice period at my previous job. Someone who is an owner of a very early stage startup said to me “Startups are not for everyone”. My immediate response was “Startup-owners have to put up with it; employees at the startup are not married to it and have to up their game after a fair bit of time at the startup” and then he realized what he had said.
In the end, you have to be self-aware and analyze the stagnancy in your growth. You must decide for yourself, because there is no right time to make the right decisions.