2 ResourcesThe Stories / Marco Santambrogio

The thing that I can tell you about being a postdoc at MIT, it's something like, you know, it's like being part of family. In the family, where you are still -- where you still have to understand exactly your position. Because you are no longer a student, therefore other guys are not looking at you as a student. But at the same time, you're not a faculty. Therefore, you have to try to find your way of being at a postdoc. 

I think that every postdoc is trying to be, to move as fast as he can from this position to another one. Or at least, a faculty position instead of being a student again. My feeling is that this situation is not going to be very helpful in trying to create a community, or in trying to work towards the, the postdoc. 

And the MIT is doing a great job here. Because as far as I know, this is one of the only university where I've seen such a postdoc community, or someone that is trying to create a postdoc community, and trying to help postdoc in being involved in the MIT community. 

I was a little bit scared at the very beginning. Because, you know, I'm foreigner. I spent three years in Chicago, but at the same times, I'm not the language. Therefore I still have some problem with my English and these things. But in a way, I mean, I had no problem communicating with other guys. They were very sensible. I mean they really tried to help me whenever I get stuck on some words and these things, and also doing the work. 

I heard about, you know, being competitive here at MIT, which is very true. But it's the sort of competition which is really great and positive. Because here, being competitive means that you are trying to do your best, to prove that you are the best. And no matter what. So the point is that, if someone is better than you, OK, that's fine. That means that I have to work harder.