Because sometimes the most radical thing you can do is stop talking—and start truly hearing.
In the world of environmental science, there’s so much urgency that we often forget to breathe.
There are deadlines. Protests. Reports. Papers.
Everything screams Act now!
Fix it fast!
Be loud!
But somewhere along this journey, I realized something that changed how I show up as a young scientist:
We don’t always need more voices in the room. We need better listeners.
🌿 Learning to Listen in Science
When I started working on research projects—whether genomics, water access, or urban safety—I thought my job was to explain.
To show what I had found. To back it up with evidence.
To sound certain.
But with every poster, every policy draft, every project presentation, I kept returning to one uncomfortable truth:
There were so many things I didn’t know.
And even more things I hadn’t yet asked.
That realization didn’t make me weaker.
It made me more human.
It made me better.
Because science is not about having all the answers.
It’s about asking better questions—and being humble enough to wait for answers you didn’t expect.
🧠 Listening as an Act of Equity
I once spoke to a girl in my PG building who had no idea what groundwater depletion meant.
But she knew the tank ran dry every week.
She knew the water tasted strange.
She knew her skin broke out when she bathed too long.
And suddenly, I understood:
She didn’t need climate terminology. She needed justice.
And to get there, I needed to listen to her world—not just mine.
That moment changed how I approach science communication.
It’s not about simplifying research into slogans.
It’s about meeting people where they are, with dignity.
Because when we ignore the lived realities of those around us,
we risk turning science into something extractive.
And I don’t want to extract.
I want to engage.
✨ What Young Scientists Often Miss
There’s a lot of pressure on youth to be “innovative,” “impact-driven,” “solutions-oriented.”
And yes, those things matter.
But I think what matters even more—especially for those of us entering policy and climate fields—is this:
Can you listen deeply before you intervene?
Can you hold space for stories you don’t relate to?
Can you let silence speak, without rushing to fill it with answers?
This is what ethical science begins with:
the art of not knowing—and still showing up.
📚 What I’m Carrying Forward
As someone who hopes to work at the intersection of environmental governance, systems thinking, and youth leadership, I’m learning that real influence isn’t always loud.
Sometimes, it’s the person who waits.
Who notices the child walking barefoot across floodwaters.
Who listens when a community says, “We don’t want a smart city. We want clean air.”
Who admits, “I don’t know yet—but I’m here to learn.”
That’s the kind of science I want to practice.
That’s the kind of environmentalist I want to be.
Not the loudest.
But maybe—just maybe—the most present.
— Sneha 🌾