A Journey Back to the Birth of - Meet Odette -
The Syrian Women’s Academic Network (SWAN) focuses on supporting and empowering Arab and Syrian female academics, particularly in their academic and professional research journeys. It provides solutions and ideas that encourage them to achieve excellence for their communities. SWAN emphasizes connecting them with Western societies, specifically the German community, both academically and in other aspects of life. It creates an inspiring environment for female academics, providing them with the support to overcome the challenges they face through its diverse activities.
SWAN draws its strength from the Arabic language, a fundamental bond uniting Arab and Syrian female academics from around the world. It encourages them to freely express their opinions and ideas without linguistic constraints or difficulties in formulating their thoughts. This platform enables them to exchange knowledge, solve problems, and easily communicate their feelings and concerns. It allows for a deeper level of detail and facilitates a comprehensive exploration of challenges and issues, opening up a space for valuable and enriching suggestions, ideas, and solutions. Arabic, as the mother tongue of all members of the network residing in various parts of the world, serves as a unifying force, allowing for shared goals and aspirations.
The network brings academics together in one space, opening up the opportunity to support one another, provide advice, exchange knowledge and expertise, offer guidance, share inspiring stories, and create networks, relationships, and activities that help them flourish academically and professionally. This approach ensures wider reach and engagement among Arab and Syrian academics, regardless of their location in the world.
Looking back to Saturday, March 25, 2023, we witnessed the launch of the “Meet Odette” project, organized by the German-Syrian Research Society through the Syrian Women’s Academic Network.
The “Meet Odette” project emerges from SWAN as a cornerstone of its current and future initiatives. The core idea behind the project is to host a Syrian female researcher specializing in a particular field, holding a PhD in her area of expertise and actively pursuing scientific research, as a guest speaker. She shares her journey, encompassing all its details, highlighting the effort, struggle, and knowledge gained throughout her path. This serves as an inspiration to many who face challenges in their research endeavors. It also presents a valuable opportunity to connect with “Odette,” seek advice, and exchange information essential for navigating the path of scientific research and achieving academic excellence.
Bushra Yousef, the Executive Coordinator of the network, emphasized the importance of this aspect, adding: “As a person, I used to believe that I disliked history because of the traditional teaching methods we grew up with, methods that limit students’ thinking and force them to choose between literary and scientific fields, believing they could only excel in one. I discovered that there are ways to present history in a captivating and rich manner, revealing a world of fascinating and inspiring stories and profound expressions that encourage personal growth and reflection on past civilizations and their achievements.”
Dr. Zena answered numerous questions from the audience, opening a dialogue about the significance of archaeology, its role in preserving the culture and identity of people.
A key takeaway for the participants was Dr. Zeina’s insights into the relationship between scientific research and mental health. She highlighted the crucial role of mental well-being in navigating the research process and its impact on life in general, particularly academic paths.
Dr. Zeina shared that she encountered numerous moments of frustration during her PhD journey, even reaching a point where she considered stopping altogether due to the immense effort and fatigue. However, she presented a range of solutions and tools to address this common challenge faced by anyone in research or any life path, particularly when feeling exhausted, discouraged, or inclined to give up. She stressed the importance of taking breaks, engaging in enjoyable activities to recharge, and returning to work with renewed energy and vigor.
She also emphasized the need to reward oneself with things we love after completing milestones, maintaining a sense of vitality essential for achieving goals. Dr. Zeina highlighted the importance of finding mechanisms to cope with anxiety and stress that may accompany this stage. She assured the audience that we inevitably encounter periods of negative emotions during our journeys, whether due to research difficulties, challenges, language barriers, or changes in our circumstances. However, we can overcome them if we prioritize our mental well-being. She stressed the need to avoid overworking ourselves, pushing ourselves beyond our limits, or constantly feeling pressured to finish quickly. Instead, she advocated for taking sufficient time to enjoy every detail, caring for our inner selves and mental health throughout any experience we go through.
She shed light on the linguistic challenges she faced, particularly since her research focused on the historical and literary fields, which rely entirely on language, deep research, extensive reading, and thorough analysis of purely theoretical research. This differs from applied or practical fields that might facilitate understanding and research integration. Her dissertation was incredibly lengthy and demanding, requiring significant effort and extended breaks to recharge. She ultimately persevered and completed her PhD.
The meeting was highly enthusiastic, especially as it marked the first realization of the “Meet Odette” project. Everyone agreed that the meeting was excellent, and they were all filled with enthusiasm for future gatherings of this kind.
At the end of the session, diverse questions arose. There was considerable interest in how to incorporate the findings of these research projects into educational curricula and how to develop approaches to presenting these areas, as the topic was highly engaging for the participants. It brought fresh and inspiring perspectives, shifting their views on the field, particularly since most participants were from various scientific and literary branches, somewhat removed from the realms of history and literature. They also inquired about her research, academic experience, and how she navigated the challenges of being in a foreign country pursuing a PhD in a foreign language.
Dr. Zeina encouraged participants to never give up, regardless of circumstances or location of their education. She emphasized that opportunities for growth always exist in other countries. Despite the differences between foreign and native cultures and the variations in research methods, there’s always a chance for success when we strive, research, and remain focused on our goals. Nothing is impossible, and success becomes a constant companion when we believe in finding our opportunity.
Boshra Yousef concluded the meeting by sharing her own experience, stating that she was currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Law and facing similar challenges to those mentioned by Dr. Zeina. She was grappling with the same decision of whether to continue or stop, overwhelmed by the demands of her program, including the immense effort required for reading, research, and work. She resonated with Dr. Zeina’s points about the difficulties of working with theoretical research, especially given her situation in Syria, which placed her under significant pressure and presented numerous challenges. She juggled work and studies simultaneously, requiring intense focus and dedication to achieve satisfactory results. Even when she contemplated giving up, the potential consequences, such as feelings of failure or judgments from others, alongside the difficulties within the university and academic relationships, added to the burden. She shared that amidst all this, the meeting had been a lifeline, providing exactly what she needed to hear to press on, confront her fears, and regain the energy to continue. She was at a point of losing hope that she could successfully navigate and complete this phase of her journey.
The audience was particularly touched by Dr. Zeina’s grace, simplicity, and humility. She preferred to be addressed without titles, believing that titles neither change nor add to her as a person. On the contrary, she felt that experience and acquired knowledge were what truly defined her as a human being. Everyone lauded her collaboration, her insightful knowledge that enriched the attendees, and her immense love for her field, which inspired all present to cherish their passions and dreams. The hope she kindled in their hearts resonated with their own fears and instilled the will to continue their paths. The meeting concluded with heartfelt gratitude for Dr. Zeina and her contribution.
The event demonstrated a tremendous response and reception, piquing the curiosity of numerous researchers who, upon hearing about the meeting, sought to join the network and attend. If you are also interested in joining us, participating in our activities, or have any questions, you can reach out through our social media channels or via email at swan@ds-fg.com. We invite you to engage in our activities, share inspiration, and grow together. Become a part of our family as a PEN (Network Member) and join us for our upcoming events.