Accumulation is a practical term, such as accumulating material, possessions, land, cars, etc.... and the list goes endless. However, in the context of doing science, what does an individual accumulate? Is it a bunch of degrees, research papers, laboratory infrastructure, awards, research funding??? Well, apparently, 'YES.' Indeed, it is a matter of great pride for having worked/working in the world-class research laboratories, having bagged a bunch of high rated awards, having a grand laboratory infrastructure, lots of money in the form of research funding. Moreover, fat salary is another option, but it is much less, as compared to high rated white collar jobs.
Scientists are crazy.................. Why do they spend their precious time doing something that is entirely incomprehensible to the common folk???!!! If you ask a scientist, who has been regularly doing science for the past ten years or more, they have something to say. The accumulation they look for is more than one can describe and comprehend. It is definitely not an accumulation, but a free flow of something. Something that increases gradually over time, the more you do it. It is none other than knowledge and perspective towards unknown. That is how scientific discoveries are made. Accumulation of knowledge builds up over a period, that improves the vastness of mind of a real scientist. Moreover, such wisdom is unfathomable to an ordinary man who passes his day in mundane daily activities in a not so attentive manner.
Hence, although it appears as an accumulation, it clears out the entire being of a scientist that is far beyond the intellect and the ego. The moment one is too excited about his/her scientific achievements and unable to balance the energies becomes complacent and egoistic, the stagnation starts setting in. This is the plateau most of the researchers or scientists attain that is very difficult to cross in the entire life after that. After this plateau, a scientist most of the times, exists, without further doing and the day, months and years fly away.
So, to, continue doing science for a more significant/subtler meaning with a sense of contribution to the field, and not so much for the sake of accumulating worldly pursuits is the key. With the right mindset of continuing doing science, the entire being of the scientist is uplifted with greater joy. The worldly accumulation is definitely the by-product that anyways comes.
