The Global Community of Scientists Who Study the Same Niche Topic

Every week, The Friendship Files features a conversation between The Atlantic’s Julie Beck and two or more friends, exploring the history and significance of their relationship.

This week she talks with two scientists, one from the U.S. and one from the U.K., who both study fossils of the same tiny plankton and bonded over their niche research interest. They discuss the competition and the camaraderie in academia’s social scene, building a global community of colleagues, and the support they offer each other as two of the few women of color in their field of study.

The Friends:

Rehemat Bhatia, 28, a geoscientist who lives in Bristol, United Kingdom
Raquel Bryant, 26, a doctoral candidate in geoscience at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Julie Beck: Tell me about your research.

My research focuses on the type of zooplankton called foraminifera. When they’re growing their shells in the water, they incorporate all the environmental in the atmosphere. I’m involved in science communication and diversity and inclusion initiatives as well.