Exploring the Synergy of Research and A Cappella: The Role Music Plays in My Scientific Odyssey
Nathan Nguyen, an Engineering Correspondent at Princeton University, shares his unique perspective on the benefits of pursuing unconventional interests. One such interest that has enriched his academic journey is his involvement in the Princeton Footnotes, an a cappella group.
Joining the Footnotes during his first year at Princeton, despite having little prior professional experience, Nathan found that his time in the group has not only been musically rewarding but also significantly boosted his research skills.
The creative exercise of singing acappella is relevant and enriching to Nathan's time in the lab. Music serves as a creative outlet for his emotions, helping to ground his research. "Singing in the Footnotes is not just about hitting the right notes or keeping tempo; it's also about variations, improvisation, and blending voices to create something new and beautiful," Nathan explains.
Participating in an a cappella group can strengthen interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, cognitive functions, and creative collaboration, all of which enhance a researcher's ability to work effectively within teams, communicate ideas clearly, and approach complex problems with resilience and innovation.
Improved Social Cohesion and Communication: Singing in a group like the Footnotes promotes collaboration, teamwork, and social bonding. Group singing has been shown to reduce loneliness, increase interest in life, and improve social communication and emotional regulation, all of which are essential for effective collaboration in research settings.
Enhanced Emotional and Social Motivation: Music engagement enhances emotional regulation and social motivation, skills transferable to navigating complex research environments and interdisciplinary teamwork.
Cognitive Engagement and Brain Benefits: Active participation in music, especially learning and performing, primes the brain for learning by engaging attention, memory, and problem-solving areas. Group singing strongly benefits psychosocial well-being, which indirectly supports mental stamina and resilience in research.
Language and Communication Skills: Group singing often involves learning lyrics, harmonizing, and blending voices, which can enhance language skills, including pronunciation and listening.
Creativity and Collaborative Co-Creation: Engaging in a cappella requires creative collaboration and co-creation of musical pieces and harmonies, paralleling the collaborative iterative processes in research. This nurtures openness to feedback, iterative improvement, and creative problem-solving.
Nathan felt excited and nervous when he was bid by the Footnotes, but he quickly learned that every voice counts and every small detail matters. Each rehearsal and performance serves as a creative exercise for the Footnotes, teaching Nathan how to read and connect with an audience, and to sing with intention every time.
Balancing academic work, research, and a cappella has enriched Nathan's experience at Princeton. He encourages other students to pursue seemingly "unrelated" interests, such as writing, dancing, sports, music, or anything else. Nathan suggests attending events, information sessions, or talking to classmates about campus involvements to find unconventional interests.
Nathan's approach to presenting his summer research project involves telling a story and engaging with the audience, similar to performing music. He adjusts his focus based on reactions and questions in the room, viewing communication of science as a two-way task.
The Footnotes rehearsal room (the Shoe!) provides Nathan with a mental reset from his academic work. His experience in the Footnotes has elevated his scientific communication skills, and he believes that these unconventional interests can enrich an academic path at Princeton, as a cappella has enriched his.
- Nathan's involvement in the Princeton Footnotes, an a cappella group, has not only been a creative outlet for his emotions but also significantly improved his research skills, providing a unique perspective on the benefits of pursuing unconventional interests in the realm of lifestyle.
- The creative exercise of singing a cappella is relevant to Nathan's academic journey, as it enhances emotional and social motivation, which are transferable skills that support effective navigation of complex research environments and interdisciplinary teamwork in the field of education and self-development.
- Balancing academic work, research, and singing in the Footnotes has enriched Nathan's experience at Princeton, and he encourages other students to pursue unconventional interests outside the conventional field of fashion-and-beauty, as these can foster creativity, personal growth, and improve social cohesion, all of which are crucial for success in the entertainment industry.
