Dr. Nobody™ Podcast
Dr. Nobody™ Podcast
Episode 13 - Perseverance Through Adversity
Have you been told "No" for things you wanted? What about things that you need? Did you try going to another person or place to ask for that thing you need? Well in this week's episode, Dr. Andujar indulges us on how only through perseverance can you accomplish your dreams and succeed. Many of us, including me, have trouble figuring out how to overcome the "NO" in our lives. Getting to the You that you want to be needs perseverance sprinkled on it. Sometimes, with a push and definitely becoming a bit annoying, you can get what you need, if it is reasonable of course.
00:00.00
drnobodypodcast
All right? Welcome everybody to the Dr. Nobody podcast today I have a very very good friend of mine. Dr. Marvin andrewhar we've been friends I think over 10 years now went to school together. And yeah, it's gonna be a great episode. So I'm gonna go ahead because I don't I think he's gonna have plenty to say about what he's done and what he does so I'm just gonna pass it over to him and let him just speak go ahead. Marvin.
00:28.34
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Yeah, good to be here. Thank you for inviting me this is actually exciting stuff. Ah so yeah, I'm Dr. marbing andduhar um I'm currently a an assistant professor. Ah the university of south florida in the yeah permit in tampa florida i'm. The computer science and engineering department and my research area is on brinkpeer interfaces. So I lead the research lab I called it the neuromachaging interaction lab so I have a team of ph d students some masters some undergrads that we work on how to control drunks with the human Brain. How can we build video games where. Ah, people can interact with them with brain and also in immersive environments like virtual reality augmented reality and and yeah, glad to be here so we can talk more about this and ah tell you more about some of ah the secrets of Dr. nobody.
01:23.98
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, oh boy ah that well that was a lot. Um, and yeah let's not do that. Um, that was a lot and I think it was a lot because. There's the stuff that you do and I know because you know we're friends and we talk about it but the stuff you do. There's people that have never heard about it. So can you break down each component of your research and what you do in lab like if I was a 5 year old
01:40.88
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Ah. And.
01:52.89
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Yes, definitely um to a 5 year old it's going to be hard even college will be like what are you talking about Ah, but yes, but the but the idea behind it of my work is pretty much we look at every every machine I exist. And I'm going to use drones and guess saying example as drones is a new tech that everyone you can see you see that everywhere in team. So drone racing drone life shows ah being done in the olympics. And then the other side of this technology is brain devices what we call them brain computer interfaces or even Neuroal technologies. So these devices that they can even look like a headphone that you just put on top of your head you get to think. Of and ah of a muscle movement. They say you imagine yourself moving. Ah walking forward and then the drum will move forward. You imagine yourself, let's say ah walking to the left and the drum will walk to the left I mean well move fly to the left. So ah, that's pretty much what. In in a nutshell what we study right? So how can we make that more efficient. How can we control all their machines that just not just drunks and your neuroprosthetics wheelchairs I love drunks. That's why we shows drs in my lab. Ah now also is virtual reality environments. So like oculurift ah created by the company Facebook now known as Meta um, so and of course we had the whole nfds that is part of vr so and ah, we always wonder. Okay, now that all these virtual reality environments exist.
03:21.97
drnobodypodcast
Um, yeah.
03:35.61
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
And technology. How can we have people ah interact with these environments with their brain data right? is is it by controlling environment ah like their their avatar with their brain or even had the environment that they're in change based on how they feel. So if I'm wearing a brain computer interface and I'm feeling upset or sad the environment which probably change to an environment that's more a happy environment so I can feel more relaxed and happy. Right? So ah, that's the way so we can use brain computer interfaces and previously a nushell while we study on how can we incorporate Bci eyes as brain up your interfaces in different technologies in different environments.
04:20.16
drnobodypodcast
Um, for someone who doesn't know that much of your field that sounds terrifying and all I can think of is will Smith's movie I robot and like and and just seeing your your drones taking over. Um.
04:31.15
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Oh yeah.
04:39.37
drnobodypodcast
Ah, is a dumb question but is there a possibility you know, do you work with ai technology with these and can these drones be weaponized in such a way.
04:48.40
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
I mean any technology can always be weaponized. It's always about concern that people have um I say that 1 of the most dangerous technologies out there right now that people don't realize is the phone smartphones.
05:03.87
drnobodypodcast
Um.
05:05.47
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
So from a ah privacy perspective right? So you can be tracked. Anyone can listen to your conversations with are you noticing Um, and we share so much information online that you never know who's reading this information. You hope it's your friends or family boy. It's always more than that. And when it comes to drones. Of course they can definitely be weaponized and ah can be a challenge for people. But that's where the like you mentioned ai or artificial intelligence where ah, these drones should be able to be programmed to be able to fly within constraints. Based on the environment where they're flying. Also what the humans want them to do at the same time people always when they when it comes to bci people always think about the matrix right? especially that matrix new matrix movie is coming out. Ah yeah, so.
05:51.14
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, oh yeah.
05:57.56
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Ah, or Pacific Ram right? So Any brain related. Um, and now you see these even Tv shows like the flash or super girl where they have brain devices right? and those actually exist in real life. Um, those side devices that they use in those Tv shows and is made. Ah so. It can be terrifying for people. They start thinking about the term terminator when disease wrongs but and that's something where I call the Hollywood effect right? that Hollywood effect that I remember there was having ah a very bad movie where a drawing they have a drone that has a ghost within the drone and the drone.
06:20.90
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
06:36.52
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Hunt people right? I'm like see this is why we can have these movies First of all I'm like what do you mean? a ghost scan to a drone and started huntunting people right? So ah, but then people get scared right? So but he's part of the hollywood effect and is something that. We definitely have to we researchers how to always educate people saying you know, ah from an ethics point of view. Ah from an applicability usability point the view. Ah they are definitely always across and cons to the technologies that we create. We always try to go with the pro right to the growth from the goose side of things. But ah, their whole purpose is to improve people's daily lives. Yeah.
07:16.15
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, definitely sounds like it has a lot of applications I know I worked with virtual reality systems and burn victims and how much that benefited them just the way the mapping of the brain works and distracting.
07:22.89
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
And. Are.
07:31.18
drnobodypodcast
You know I learned very early on in boy scouts that when my eagle scouts would punch me on the thigh when I had a cramp. They always told me you can only feel 1 pain at a time and it was so true I didn't know how true was but it was true. That's why virtual reality systems and these drone. Um. It helps it helps these patients and the applications are so endless but beyond that actually before that Dr Andrew Hart I Don't think you were born wanting to work with drones. What's your story. How did you get into this like it doesn't seem such a.
08:02.79
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Ah, so ah when I will see my mom's belly I had a drawing within me already. So so yeah, right? So how did that happen.
08:04.78
drnobodypodcast
A thing that someone will be thinking about at an early age.
08:13.85
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, well, that's ah, that's concerning. Yeah.
08:21.72
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Um I had no idea when I was a kid or a ring in college that was going to work with drunks I mean you and I went to college together right? So we did our undergrads in the same University and I never talked about drunks when were at that time. So.
08:33.53
drnobodypodcast
No no.
08:38.62
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
I Even bring up your interfaces I started talking about that more towards the end of my undergrad. Um, but yes, so Dr sittinging exist like that when we're but undergrads right? So they started to to come up but they were They weren't even be mentioned that drunk racing didn't even exist. Um.
08:50.23
drnobodypodcast
No.
08:58.43
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Ah, when we're undergrasd I was back to when graduated 11006 I'm sorry I'm sorry not actually ah to 7 ah 12 to thousand and hip. We're not that old. Ah yeah, so we started we started doing 2000 7 yeah so
09:08.69
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, yeah, place. That's right.
09:18.50
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Ah, but yeah, so I mean when I was on undergrad I got to um research as a freshman just like you did um as we both got to the Magnet program and and that's where we both met and I remember we both were. Ah, living the same apartment at caine university in Union new jersey and I remember I slammed the door on you the first day. Yeah yeah, I wasn't on purpose I was like yeah I got super smash. Yeah so I closed the Door. Ah.
09:42.72
drnobodypodcast
Um, yeah, yeah, you're air a big turk. Yeah.
09:51.43
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, yeah I think the listeners need to hear a little bit before that just because now they're just gonna think you're just so mean do do it.
09:54.11
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Yeah, but.
09:57.72
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Yeah, no so the the thing is I didn't know you back then right? So ah, my roommate. Ah who's ah Dev Eric La fo and which is a good friend of ours. Ah as well. I already know knew him we bought new each other from another program I came. And we have a Beta game of course a super smash backing we if I'm not mistaken and of course you you told you from afar you say hey you guys Scott Super spsh here I'm not yes but I didn't realize that I closed the door on you but and that you proceeded like.
10:20.28
drnobodypodcast
Four.
10:26.90
drnobodypodcast
Um.
10:34.96
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Wow was like you just closed the door on me like that. But I just closed the door because I guess I You know we just about to make some noise and they don't want to disturb anybody. But then you knock on the door and a can I come in and play up like yeah for sure and that's pretty much.
10:36.54
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, yeah.
10:46.11
drnobodypodcast
And then that's I kicked all your butts in the game. So that's why you're like yeah, that's right I show I showed you what it was like yeah and and that's how also you knew you're like you know what? I'm gonna be I'm gonna work on drones and mine.
10:52.91
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
That's why it I What did this lab the door gang after that. But you know yeah that didn't It couldn't happen.
11:05.55
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Yeah, yeah, that's I'm like yeah I cannot be a pro game of the programga. It didn't exist but exist like that before either? yeah, um, even streaming. But yes, so even then right? So ah.
11:05.72
drnobodypodcast
And brain stuff that's loving. And did not Know. No.
11:21.17
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
I wasn't thinking about drawings I was I didn't work on brink of your interfaces. It was until 2010 that I went to calamson university as ah, ah for a summer research program for undergraduates and that's when I met. Actually that's when I started working on my ph d advice or his name. Dr. Juan gilbert um, he's a professor now university of Florida in Gainesville as an undergrad I saw this topic right? He's in this list of topics of that we could choose from before I went to cleamson. And then 1 of them was brain computer interfaces I was like what in the world is that again I'm I had no idea what did that mean so I googled that and I saw it was very medical and things like that. Um, now right? I was interested I was always interested about but the human brain. Always was curious about it because it's the strongest organ that we have and we barely know how to use it. But I love technology more so that's why I decided to do computer science right? So that's that was my bachelor. My bachelor was in computer science and mathematics to to double major I hated biology.
12:31.40
drnobodypodcast
Hey hey hey watch yourself. Yeah.
12:32.13
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
I still do yeah the fact that I had to sit there read books and just memorize stuff is it was not my forte so I was like I love tech I'm going to do computer science I was curious about the brain then I see brink pure interfaces I'm like that sounds interesting. So once I get to clemson I and they started talking about brain peer interfaces and the ph d students who in charge of these project start saying well bci I is moving more inside. The medical field is the right time to get into it I was like I think I found what I want to do as a researcher. Because I knew I wanted to go and do a ph d already right? after my undergrad and then I decided to do human computer interaction because it was ordered to be r a r and all every other new take out there and the whole purpose of human computer interaction is pretty much how can we make technology more useful for people. user friendly right so and that user experience ah key ah ah keywboard came out from like Apple and ah google having like working with all these technologies so by see it needed a specific area within aci. Hum be interaction to be able to work. Ah I wanted to work on so I saw Bri be interfaces started are working on it and then I they showed me that I'm able to control my skin through my brain I would just like whoa. Yeah I was like what do you mean you're telling me that I'm able to do what now. And then I tried it myself I would just like I fell in love with brink at this field right? So it was just like this is my calling I mean it's a very difficult area right? So it's something that you there no many universities out there ah offering brain be interface classes. For computer science at least in the non in the non medical side of the field but I started reading a lot of research papers and and working to that. But again I'm talking about bci right? I have not said anything about drones at all of course like I graduated from undergrad.
14:38.28
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, yeah.
14:43.59
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
I got to clemson university to to start my ph d and because my advisor called me ah for anything he's called me ah 2000 ah eleven December to something eleven and he said Marie what are you doing next summer I'm like well ah, right now I'm a applied for graduate school and I applied to cleson too. Ah, so I'm hoping to be as a ph d student somewhere else I'm going to be doing some working in the summer like why don't you start in this summer with me as a ph d student and work on brain computer interfaces I'm laugh. Oh yeah, for sure I was actually be sitting my father in Tampa at the time and I would actually. Be a funny correlation later again I was in Tampa visit my father I'm a professor now at the university south florida look at it in Tampa my goal was never to live in Tampa. Yeah I just want to leave that there on how life just go so crazy right? so.
15:34.32
drnobodypodcast
Hey yeah yeah.
15:41.77
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
That was never my goal so I'm in new jersey moved to south carolina clemson south carolina um, I'm work and I saw work on brik period interfaces the fall of that 2012 this a colleague of mine called Dr. Chris crafford he's ah now a assistant professor at university of Alabama. And he I knew he had to work on drunks as an undergrad be much um, ah drunk. Ah and people work in kinematics and things like that and ah obstacle avoidance and all that type of ah ah, drunk work. So I approached him and like chris what are you working on? No really not much just some ah task that where I advice forgave me. And okay man I I heard that you work with drawings before I think'm under agrad its like yeah I did de and down and stuff and then I said what do you do? I'm now I work on brain computer interfaces and then I told them I what if we partner up and work on. Brain control drawings I want to control drawings with a human brain then he was his face was so confused and he looked at me. He literallyly paused for like a second and literally started asking himself. Why in the world. He's marving smoking like that. What is he drinking around the year I want some of that so that's what he was thinking about and I was like yeah this is actually real. We can actually control machines with the brain and that show him the science behind it how he works and things like that and he just.
16:57.76
drnobodypodcast
Yeah.
17:13.67
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Um, pretty much we both started working on this area together brain control drawings. Um, and and pretty much we combined both of what we have been learning both drunk pci and and we convinced of our advisor to work. Ah, we we wanted to work on this and um. Afterward a few years later once we once we move to unit of fluideide in Gainsville um, because my advisor got that position there. We did the brain drawn race which was the worst first brand and race ever doing in history and ah yeah, that's how pretty much I kind to pretty much.
17:43.89
drnobodypodcast
Wow! yeah.
17:49.52
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
That area.
17:51.98
drnobodypodcast
That's so world first and what how does that? How does that even happen like there were I feel like there were drones around but no 1 just put it put 2 and 2 together.
17:52.43
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Yeah, yeah.
18:01.13
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Well yeah, so again, there are no many so when you think about brainmear interfaces many people work ah mainly in the medical side of things right? So I see they are either helping somebody with a new ah with a prosthetic. Okay, let's control your prosthetic or a wheelchair.
18:09.99
drnobodypodcast
You.
18:18.39
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Ah, there have been of course simulations and it it has been mending in the medical side of ah of those ah of of the area. So and then so you needed some people from outside medicine to start working on brain computer interfaces and also started working on drones and know also about computer Science. Right? So and that's where it's important to have a very diverse team of people with different backgrounds and knowledge because if you only have the same people people from the same background they say Okay, we all do medicine here. The Brand new ideas would not come in.
18:51.83
drnobodypodcast
Sure. Yeah, so.
18:53.26
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Same thing if you have only people from computer science or let's say bioengineering or so on you will only always hear the same exact ideas and ah, that's pretty much how ah the crazy ideas happened and ah my colleague and I were were pretty much were thinking we need something new. Brain control drums. We know we can make it happen. We can work in the algorithm side of things but we need something exciting. We we wanted to find a way also to make our work more visible which at the same time will be teaching people that this stuff is real and there's no science fiction. So and. Drone racing started at the time right? So we can raise drones ah like the drone racing league and pretty much with um, remote controls and things like that and there were simulations not as many as we we have today of course but there were some and we're like what if. We do a brain drawn race where people raise strongs with their Brains. So the controller is your brain and his hands free. You sit there you concentrate and that drunk is Goingnna move and that's gonna be the race. And that's how pretty much it happened. We started working on it. We face a lot of adversity a lot it was I don't um so I don't know how.
20:16.22
drnobodypodcast
Why because it was a weird thought It's a weird thing that they just didn't understand or scared what was it.
20:24.55
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
It's mainly the the skepticism of this the fear of drunks. You mentioned that in the beginning right? So every time people hear drunks. They start thinking about? oh you're talking about Military drones and I'm like no military drones cost millions of hours and they don't fit in a building that's number 1 so let's put that out there and every time we go to any buildings within the university to see if we can host our brain our our race we will got no no, no, no, why not? because no right? So and and this is the advice I give people.
20:42.70
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, yeah.
20:54.78
drnobodypodcast
Um.
21:01.28
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
You go ask a hundred people if you can make something happen to see if they can support you ninety nine you're going take a ninety nine nos at times you're going to get if you got as a hundred people you're going to get 1 hundred nos that means you had to go as state 1 hundred and 1 1 hundred and 2 you had to keep going. Number 2 like you said I said this is the worst first brand drawn race people have no idea what I was talking about so that which that means is you asking a lot of people many times. Don't even have a bachelor's degree right. And they had thought that they have that day is what am I going to eat. So the reason why I say that is because many people cannot really comprehend what you're trying to do is out of the norm.
21:42.98
drnobodypodcast
And here.
21:54.94
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
So They're just waiting for 5 o'clock to hit so they can go home to their families with story. Okay, so they they are not thinking about how can I host a brain drawn race and that's where you had to adapt you had to be patient. Trust me, my patient is not my strongest self skill so it has it has gotten better.. It definitely has gotten better now than before but trust me when I say that you had to be extremely patient and the fact that I wasn't the only 1 you need a good colleague as Well. A good team.
22:16.76
drnobodypodcast
Ah, yeah I personally know that 1
22:31.89
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Had a good team that were persistent right? So if I guess if ah when you's by yourself. It becomes more difficult because then you start doubting yourself your motivation goes so Lifts ah lift your body goes away and you feel less motivated. But when you have and a good team. You have a good colleague. It helps a lot. To be able to make it happen but until so 1 person said which was in the women's studies building I you I usually Florida said that sounds so cool. You can use our facilities to host this race I was like oh you are the go.
23:01.26
drnobodypodcast
Weird.
23:06.61
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
You're the Mvp of this race already. You're the nvp you're the real and nvp and you're even competing. So um, yeah, so that's ah and that was just adversity of finding education right? So and then we have adverse adversity to be able to find the prices.
23:07.34
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, yeah.
23:24.88
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
To be to funded to go through the rules and all the regulations within did the University but we also have a lot of support from the college of engineering at the University at the time the department of course. Um and after we able to like pretty much burly sleep for months. Trying to figure out how we're going to make this event happen because again it hast never been done before ah it helped that we had funding I can talk more about that later is we got funding from Intel which we acquired from a meeting with ah with a former Ceo of intel.
23:58.92
drnobodypodcast
Finency.
24:02.53
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Helped a lot that at least we also had the the funding so there were there are people who believe in your idea and believe in what you do, we just had to find them right and we did right? So after we asked a million people we did find them and that's how we to host the the worst first brand ah Brand on race were the social press.
24:10.34
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, yeah.
24:22.10
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Um, was there and cover it. Ah the funny thing about that they send me ah an email 2 days ah before 2 or 3 days before the race and they this was this was the email went guys I'm gonna we're gonna be honest, we don't be leaving this. We are seen. Yeah I keep in mind we did a um, a segment with Fox news a day among everything and and that's what we send them a bit and they like we saw the videos we saw the the media release. But you know nowadays that stuff can be faked and.
24:55.57
drnobodypodcast
Wow. Okay.
24:58.24
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Ah, we and they even have the audacity to say we went to mit went to harvard and we talked to them to to make sure the stuff is real. Keep in mind this is the worst first brendon race meaning that even mit and harvard had never done this before right? So I'm like I'm like why you even going there. They haven't never done this before.
25:12.31
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, yeah.
25:17.70
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
I mean they know about the size behind it so they would say that yes, it's possible to control my sins with your brain. So what else? do you want? So my response was which was the funniest thing ever. So my advice was like that's the best response I have everything you write in email. Ah, he was like alpima said well. If you think about it when planes came out for the first time people were skeptical about planes right? They they prem much they didn't think it was real that you're able but to actually fly because we humans cannot fly at all, right? you we can't. Unless you go get into and a plane and be able to fly to a different location so it's the same thing with this technology this race brain control drone brain drawn racing. We are in the same situation with when planes came out for the first time when cars came out for the first time. People didn't believe in cars they believe in their own horses. They said there's nothing wronging my horse. What do I need a car for that's too expensive. So that's that's only for rich people right? So the only way you're able to see these tough works is if you come here on saturday.
26:14.87
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, yeah of.
26:27.39
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
And try out yourself. Their response was sounds good to see you on Saturday thing so they try that? Yeah, so they try themselves and they recorded themselves doing it. They're like oh this stuff is real I'm like you think so ah yes, and then after that I was ah.
26:32.46
drnobodypodcast
Um, ah.
26:45.35
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Chalkcase in more than six hundred meter outlets worldwide talking about new york times associated press fox news all day pretty much even hispanic news like Muni viion telemundo for the Latin people. Um I remember it was receiving the way in germany ah pretty much it's. Ah, we got emails from it everywhere. Um, even japanese a school from a university from Japan emailed us as well saying we would like to be part of something like this. This is very innovative so it worked out a definitely. Yeah.
27:15.54
drnobodypodcast
This is this is incredible. This is and a really I mean there. There's so much to I mean I should I should have you back and just have just talking about this because there's so much to unpack how how has this affected you After. You know has this increased your funding so funding to your lab meaning you get money to do more research. Have you found more collaborators collaborators people that help you um, are you just smothered by how famous you are now or anything like that.
27:36.34
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
And.
27:41.95
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
And. Yeah I Definitely hate the other emails I get every single day I always joke around I Want to have your as an assistant just to do my emails Out. He helped in in many different ways. Ah 1 I did that race before I joined.
27:56.28
drnobodypodcast
Ah.
28:05.10
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Ah, my current position as a professor right? So the fact that I'm able to as a Ph D student show that I'm able to help the University um be as so so visible in a good way right? So their good visibility and of course is.
28:18.10
drnobodypodcast
Yeah.
28:22.10
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
They always say press is good press other way, especially for universities. But you know there's also the negative side of things but this is it helped we help with that part of us of course of finding a job. Ah, the fact that 1 of the questions that came up in my interviews was. How can you help the university become more visible I'm like okay ah this I did this is what I did Brendon race 600 meta alice ward wide new york times etc I can do the same at the university if I'm young as a professor right? So I was able to speak with credentials.
28:53.10
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, yeah.
28:57.78
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Ah, the funding I got from intel I was able to go back to the to the company in silicon valley and say this is what we we did with your money. Oh by the way, do you see that corner of that. That's that intel flag that we handed so you got that viibility as well. Thank you for the funding. Ah, so I also helped I did a second brand and race here in Tampa um is which um was also the worst first brandon race ah under the brand and racing league which is a nonprofit that I created with my colleague to see how can we hate a host. More ah brend and races around um and ah it helps also to be able to show that well I did this before in 2016 I'm able to do this again and I allowed your scale which were but to do that in a larger scale. We highlight hundred of people show up around tampa area. Um, a company called gay fpb which is the sale. Um, first person view drawings where we to show up and do I also ah ah like a youtube live of the race. So ah, which start shopping magazines. Um, ah discovery channel with the the. Documentary. So um, it helped with the visibility of our work and that's what we wanted to so to show to do right to be able to show people worldwide that this type of technologies is possible. It's real It's not your science fiction. Although 2 people think ah I'm speaking about a movie every time i'm. Saying about this? Um, so it definitely help in there of funding for my lab. Ah ah have being in ah pictures of my Brendon race as being ah used by the National science foundation in washington d c. Ah, for the presentations I was a national science foundation graduate research fellow. So 1 their fellows was able to do that so they're able to show the kind of work that I did and um it has helped also with ah now that some people in the agency knows who I am so I'm able to. Get some extra funding when I grad applied for research grants of course. So yeah, so it definitely helps to do events that never been done before and keep scaling from there.
31:15.10
drnobodypodcast
So what I want to understand and you've mentioned that you mentioned it before so I just want the listeners to hear it more because there's ah, there's episodes that we talk about it and you know it is the focus on the theme of the podcast. How much.
31:22.19
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Ah.
31:28.14
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Ah.
31:31.50
drnobodypodcast
How much mentoring did you get from people was there. You know a single person that really guided you in your life or did you do it on your own or did you do your own research or a dabble here and there or stuff but you know first let's start with there like was there a mentor or advisors that really helped you get to where you are now.
31:44.24
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Um, ah.
31:50.41
drnobodypodcast
So successful.
31:52.51
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Definitely there's always people that ah touch your life in different ways. Of course it always starts with your parents. Um I say my parents because especially my mom she was very strict since I was a kid. Indicating that education was extremely important and if I ever want to have a better life I need to study right? Um, and this is coming from. Ah my parents I didn't even have did even graduate from high school from a third world country I was born the dynamic american republic so it's. Um, backing even back in the days he was even the opportunities were not even as good as it is today but he had that mindset of you to hustle you into study afterwards. Of course we had I mean at the university you have people that believe in you. Um, even if you haven't proven yourself. They want you to succeed right? I mentioned that if you took to a hundred people mostly you get ninety nine people who will not prima support you at all but you get 1 or 2 that will and. And I mean we had of course the director of the Magna program. Ah her name is wendy albarado see she supported us right? Ah when if we need a funding to go to conferences. Um, she was deaf always there listening and ah if we had any issues right? So she was a good director good. Like a good friend to ah she he was able to advise us about ah life ah, pretty much what? Ah what we needed to do and then of course I had more specific mentors like ah Dr. patricia morai she's the chair of the computer science department at caine university. Calling another position so I'm just showing the chair so she might be another position. She has now and of course drjo shank. So he's at deing now the college of science over there at cain so they were but to sit with me 1 or 1 and tell me I pretty much work with me a plan of. What kind of classes you are you going to take? Um, what's your goal 1 I I didn't know what to research I and knew I wanted to be a researcher but I didn't know what to research on. Ah the criminales helped me and se me different areas like oh you may want to think about these think about that. And I was able but to go to conferences with the help with the magneta program and find that area that I I was able to talk to different people I was talking to ph d students I was talking to faculty at conferences to find what I wanted to do within the research.
34:37.21
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Then of course when I started pursuing my ph d ah my adviser Dr. Juan gilbert he of course is still a mentor even today he takes me randomly house life or he will say a random link like oh you may want to look into this right? so Ah, this always ah mentors and advisors. So that's this is what I recommend everyone and like I'm going to repeat this again just because you ask 100 people 1000 people to give you an advice or mentor you they. And they say no or they just say that I don't have the time or whatever it is that they say that's fine. You'll find somebody will help you out. You need someone who will be able to actually give you some? Ah ah some advice now there if you find mentors so were. Always busy, but they still find at least thements of their time to meet with you make sure you buy them a good cup of coffee from Starbucks from time to time because they if you think about it. It's a time we never get time back right.
35:38.37
drnobodypodcast
Ah, perfect.
35:46.26
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
So if they deate thirty minutes of the time that thirtyment they indicate with the family or a meeting or working towards like some sort of ah towards their promotion or so whatever project they're working on but they're taking the Minutes of their time to meet with you so they can give you some advice or a mentor you. And that's pre preciousious. So that's why I always thank my mentors even today. Um, ah I always try to keep them around ah in in a good way and in any way I give it to help. Ah, sometimes my bos will ask me for recommendation data when he's applying for awards and stuff and I'll make sure that so submit those letters on time so because he he was exactly exactly so you so he he comes around right? I needed them.
36:28.24
drnobodypodcast
Now you give back.
36:38.37
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
And still need them at times but they also will need me at times as well and it's always um, it's always good to get back to to those so they they definitely play a good role. Um in terms of my success right? So It's always good to surround yourself with with those type of menors that. Ah, will be there for you at any time. Um, So I Highly recommend you to find them and also keep in mind of something if if you complain because this is a typical complaint if somebody complains says well my main turn never has time for me. I tied to me with that person but he says that he's Availabl the next 2 weeks and he has hour telements to me with me again. That's like if you find the mentor that's always free. That's a terrible mentor.
37:31.19
drnobodypodcast
Why is that.
37:33.23
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
I say that's a terrible because that means that that person probably has not done too much in their lives or probably don't have too much going on right? So it may be they may be a good mentor for 1 thing but I want my mentors to be busy I want my mentors to be to tell me. Marvin I cannot meet with you today or next week because I'm traveling I'm 1 in Washington d c meeting all these researchers in the national science foundation or the national institute of health or any other board meeting or oh I'm at Google or I'm a ah Apple or Microsoft meeting. Be able to establish new connections I meet with me with you in 2 weeks to discuss or whatever or oh I don't have twenty minutes but I do have 5 ten minutes to I can talk to you on the phone real quick I won those type of mentors why because 1 ask them about their experience of what the reason why they couldn't meet with me. I can learn from those experiences in the case I'm able to get have the same opportunity that they have yeah so that's why I like my mentors to be busy, not just busy because doing just random work because busy because they're always doing great things. So um. And that's but you always find good mentors for different purposes and you always need to kind of find what is it that you need them for right because no every mentor can give you the same advice or be good for you because it's not good Match. Ah maybe they have good advice but what you're looking for is no way or the way they approach. The advice is no how you ah would like to is it benefit you so. That's my advice for people finding mentors on how to approach them.
39:20.42
drnobodypodcast
So this is my leading question. Do you feel like a lot of the stuff you've learned from those mentors you are emanating to the mentees you have now because you have you have a lab you have phg students and you have other.
39:33.75
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Um, ah.
39:37.53
drnobodypodcast
Students that are around you that you're now responsible for and basically they're responsible for their success eventually their livelihood How how has mentorship to you affecting has affected them now and how you emanate that mentorship to them.
39:52.28
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Yeah, so pretty much what? Ah ah the same model that my Ph D adviser had ah when I was in his lab I Pretty much using a very similar model in my lab and that so something that he always did with us was he was always. Very very honest and will tell us how things work and and ah teach us Also the politics behind things I'm not saying saying the policy about in Washington D C I'm saying the academic politics and you be surprised how how involved that could be.
40:26.17
drnobodypodcast
Um.
40:31.30
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
In life. You need to learn how to play the game right? So is is a game right? So it's a set of rules and there's obstacle to adversity and you need to learn how to come over with strategies to be able to go through those adversities to be able to reach reach your goal. So and that's what I ah teach my ph d students. I tried to teach them. Ah when something happens and they say well you know I didn't get this paper accepted I I I was depressed all day I'm like why 99 percent of the time you try to do something you're going to fail right? so. We had to get used to failing and that's what I tried to teach my ah my patients is that that's how it works that's how it works so what do we do? We take their feedback that we get the good ones with the bad ones we throw them to the trash. The the good ones we use them. We change the paper we improve it and then we submit another venue and we'll find a home for it. When they get stressed. Um, oh my god I'm not to do my dissertation defense or my proposal I don't know what to expect from the committee. That's fine I know what I'm going to be expecting from the committee I'm not the one'm going to be presenting but this is the type of question they may ask you. So I do spend 1 or 1 meetings with them when they need me. They know that I'm always peacey right? So but when they need me I say hey if you need me don't hesitate to ask to talk to me right? So I will tell you I mean I have time today but I may have time to say Thursday ah, this time this talk what was going on. And that would give them advice ah on how to pretty much face the adversity that they're actually confronting I like to have that 1 1 I think ah having ph d students just be a machine. Ah, you never give them advice. It's um. Just make any sense to me I do enjoy a mentoring my students that's 1 of the ah but let me be clear though I know I enjoy mentoring my students but I also tend to they need to produce they they need to put up the time right? because. I hate when people waste my time. So if I talk to you and I give you mentorship I advise you if you send me a message at ten P m at ah night and I respond to you at ten thirty p m at night you better, be working and making things happen. But if you're not producing. You're just complaining. You don't talk to me, you don't communicate with me and if I ask you how hard things and you pretty much said yeah things are ah well well I don't get anything back from you then don't be surprised if I refuse to just you know, be able to dedicate more time to you.
43:19.11
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Right? So Ah so that's you kind of had to also work for yourself and be able to um to succeed you can expect people to just give you stuff and that's the model that my Ph D advisor uses as a model that my undergrad advisor used as well as ah when I was a King I mean they. They will give me certain ah aids here and they're like oh look into this link look into this book but they didn't read the book for me. They didn't go like yeah go to the specific paragraph and that's the answer in that paragraph that I know this book is actually pretty Good. You should check it out all these research papers are actually you may want to look into that and let me know what you find. Right? So ah, that has to be clear that the mentors and advisors I know there to do the work for you. They are there to actually guide you to get you in the path so you can achieve the goal you're trying to achieve.
44:12.86
drnobodypodcast
That's really good advice I really love that. That's ah, really well said and I think that's really important for people to hear and understand because 1 people take advantage of the situations and you know, but personally for me I not take advantage in the term of. And a negative way but take advantage of your advisor like you're saying like you got to be patient with them but use them use your your sources your your abilities to go and reach out to people because if you don't if you're struggling. It's really on you. You know there's plenty of opportunities now with the internet and i. I make it sound like we're 4 years old we're not but now with the advent of like how well built the internet internet is and a lot of good resources that people can use and find you got to use it man. You got to use it.
44:58.10
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Indeed and there people are resources to you right? It's not just the right at the the your computer as a resource but they're also resource to you and this is this is the part that many people make ah the mistake. If you ask them? Oh have you talked to such and such your your this mentor or advisor. You'll be surprised how many people will tell you no I havent he or she has no reach out to me to talk to me or to me with me so I'm like wait. Is your mentor the 1 who need mentoring or are you the 1 who need mentoring I'm confused like we I mean it's fine if they reach out to you like once in a while but keep in mind they they are busyc. They had the personal life. They had a professional life. They probably had to do. Million things. They have a lot of ah unlimited amount of task to do? Why do you think and you're not the only student that they mentor. So why do you think they had to reach out to you all the time to meet with you I used to bother my undergrad advisor all the time. I'm surprised they didn't kick me out of their office I will just knock on their door. A I have a question if they cannot mean with me that's fine I'll come back later my ph d adviser I will bother him. Ah well not as much I there will be at times I wouldn't see him but I will bother him too. Because I don't I was like I need their feedback right there my resource and they have other things to think about and I need to make sure they notice me and um, um, they know who I am the same thing you 1 I did ah the yeah when where are they my name. Ah. Ah, program at cain university we bought the that director all the time. She told me that still until today she that you were my most annoying student because you always were asking for stuff but now she will look at that folder I said that oh you were actually our most productive student I'm like yes.
47:01.67
drnobodypodcast
The the.
47:09.75
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
That's why I was bother you all the time and look at what I'm doing now. So um, but I never waited and that you all I always advise people never wait for people to come to you and help you that doesn't make any sense.
47:10.46
drnobodypodcast
Hey yeah.
47:25.18
drnobodypodcast
Be proactive.
47:28.49
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Be proactive seek for the help. They cannot help you today. That's fine. can you help me tomorrow no can you help me next month ah thing next month I have forty five minutes great in the meantime I'll try to make some progress in whatever it is I'm I'm trying to do here I'll do my own. Diligence I'll go and do for stuff and that's what I did. That's why I tried to research stuff by myself. But then I talk to my ad mentors advisors to see what they think I make sure that I will end up where I am today.
48:00.47
drnobodypodcast
Nice now. Ah this is I have a couple more questions before we finish and I think the most important 1 of the most important ones that I want to ask is how do you juggle all these responsibilities that you have I feel like it's a lot. You know you're you're you're famous.
48:06.29
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Ah.
48:20.15
drnobodypodcast
You know in a relative sense. Not not Kim Kardashian famous but you're you're you're almost there. Um, you're you know you do your research, you're you're collaborating. You have your um.
48:22.36
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
And that's ah, a different level of fame so different different.
48:34.99
drnobodypodcast
Have your nonprofit like how do you juggle all those things and still keep your own personal life and look so young right.
48:41.79
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Um, pray every single night. Um, that's the only way to do it. Um, so something that I did when I was sung undergrad and you did this a lot too.
48:44.53
drnobodypodcast
Um, yeah, ah yeah.
49:01.46
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Was to we always had a busy schedule right? So we both were not born from money we had to have part-time jobs to be able to make some money to pay rent to pay for food. Um. Paid transportation. Um, so besides that to be able to do double major like I was doing and do research and things like that. So it helped shape my time management skills when I became a ph d student again. When you're pursuing a ph d as you already know Dr. Nobody a ph d if it if will be easy. Everybody will have 1 right? So it said less than 1 percent that of the population on earth I have a ph d there they can say you know I'm a doctor because I have a ph d i'm'm expressing x y z right? so.
49:45.70
drnobodypodcast
And yeah.
49:57.69
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Is not so much about being smart that makes your Ph D Of course you need to have the skills and and all these technical and soft skills and things like that. But you also have need to have the perseverance to make it happen. And it was a lot of late night to be able to complete the Ph D ah and be able to just keep in mind that adversity happens I mean I remember 1 was undergrad where I got marked and if you recall that. Ah and I didn't let that get to me I was nice.
50:25.49
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, remember that? yeah.
50:30.80
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Part of life I'm not the only person or the first person to get mocked in new jersey. Um, yeah, so it is part of you know the the culture and um, yeah, so and then of course as as a gra student when ah you know I was I remember I was.
50:35.18
drnobodypodcast
Ah. Yeah, yeah.
50:49.20
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Sent to the yeah er just like a month before um, my dissertation defense and I had a million task to do so when that stuff happens to you like life happens and all these things happens you have to all these to do you that you have you then you have. All the expectations that people have on you because that's ah something else to the more you do the more people expect from you it it is if if it is your boss your advisor your mentor your significant other your friends your family.
51:14.28
drnobodypodcast
Yes.
51:25.57
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
You say you're going to host the worst first brain drawn race they're like oh that's awesome. Okay, what's next now that only that's a day or a few days of celebration. But what's next after that so you always and then that means that. Saying more task is added to you as well. So how do so it was it wasn't just like I just learned well I got a ph d and I now am'm able to handle a million things at once it was it was just a constant improvement over time since I was an undergrad. Was taking a million classes trying to have a part time job trying to find opportunities to go to conferences and summer programs and so on so I already had that type of schedule when I was even younger went to graduate school. Nothing surprised me when I was doing my ph d. Many students experience that culture shock like oh my god wait I how do we awaken to five in the morning. Yeah, so try. That's how that's how it is at times right? So ah, that didn't surprise me at all. So right? I would be I wake a 5 6 in the morning still doing stuff. Ah and because also I was passionate about what I was working on. I wanted to see why will happen and now I have a professor ah something I do a lot is also to delegate a lot of I do at what I do can I work on all the projects that I have in my research lab now definitely not I'm only 1 person and like you said I need to have all these projects in my research lab i. Pretty much direct them I meet with my ph students every week they give me the report I give feedback I tell oh that might work that may not work. Um, let's see what happens here. Oh by the way we need to submit this paper to this conference. Make sure that we are track and so on then I need to teach classes and ah. I Manage a ta or 2 at times and then also like you say I have my personal life so I have personal goals like that could be ah I recommend people to have personal goals like ah investing or ah buying their own home ah doing this market. This market is crazy. But.
53:34.67
drnobodypodcast
Yeah.
53:36.34
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
And twenty into 1 put um, ah but all the personal on goal tap. You know people say you know I would like to have 2 or 3 kids Monday day and so and that's the personal goal that people established in their lives so you kinda need to manage need to like do that time management. What happens when you get depressed tired. Ah, you feel that everything's going wrong. This is the the model I live by I live life where I say 99 percent of the things I try is not going to work out. If I had that mindset I will and when things actually work out I actually will be happier than thinking that everything I do everything I tries to have to work out every single time and that's how people get depressed. They get anxious and they are like ah don't really know how to handle this situation right.
54:31.42
drnobodypodcast
Yeah.
54:33.51
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
You need to try it out. Always try take the risk and always keep in mind that 99 percent of the time is going to be a known It's goingnna be a fail and you work towards breaking that barrier where you get that? Yes or i's gonna succeed. Right? So you always need to always ah have that mentality. So ah, but yeah, so that's how pretty much it has been a Buildup so that's why I don't get overwhelmed. Um I mean I'm so human of course I so at some point it's like do I get really tired all the time.
55:04.59
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, yeah.
55:10.33
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
I Feel like I wish I can just put a red bull I think I be in my arm but that definitely is not recommended. Yeah, so ah, but yes, um, you need to learn about the mindset and take care of you and um I learned from entrepreneurs.
55:15.90
drnobodypodcast
Ah, yeah, yeah.
55:30.35
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
They're very busy people I read books ah from very successful people. How do they? How did they succeed how can a ceo of a 500 fortune company can manage hundreds of thousands of people still have a personal life.
55:37.28
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, so.
55:49.58
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
And also be as famous and amb busy as they are so I try to learn from people by reading books by asking deb questions if I had the opportunity to and this I'm able to manage different things all the time and ah and and take care of your health too. There's something I didn't do before. And definitely do that way more now.
56:11.70
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, that. Thanks for sharing that. Ah, that's really important. You actually also came into the territory of my question I asked all my interviewees. Ah what are 5 things up to 5 things is that I realize that some people have a hard time getting to 5 especially to know. Promtu question but 5 things that are so essential or have been essential in your life and your career and I think you you've really covered all um, actually more than 5 throughout this interview but are there any additional ones that you're like that's ah, that's a definite 1 that i. I Need to say yes.
56:48.79
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Oh man, um, definitely I think I need to repeat patience is key right? and again I'm a very impatient person and it's good. A dimension that I'm extremely impatient. Because I'm literally saying patience is a really good thing to have and because I said like I said before if you apply to ninety nine jobs and a Hundred jobs ninety nine probably would be known right? You're not going to get it right? So and then you looking for that Hundred to get um so that means you need to be patient. If you're impatient. Then that means that may lead for you to giving up and that's why you need to do the second 1 never give up ever give up the biggest regret you're going to have when you grow older when you're like 135 if we make it there. Hopefully and when you look back and you had the regret that you didn't even try that would be my biggest regret I would like to try it out I try things out and if I fail great I fail and learned on how to know something how it wouldn't work. Ah, try come with a different strategy. So um, definitely never giving up um, be person you know without the ah persevere. Ah don't think don't take things personal. Ah, the reason why I say that is because. Um, again, if somebody doesn't have time for you at the time it doesn't mean there's something wrong with you? Um, bad things happen to everyone every single person and most likely Dr. nabar you have been in that position where you ask yourself? Why me.
58:43.14
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, all the time.
58:43.46
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Why nobody else like I'm a good person. Yeah, like oh yeah I know like you wake up like white me. It's like right? you we ask our said that why me that why is that happening to me like I am a good person I you know try to do good all the time bad stuff happened to everyone. Right? So we are not the center of ah our own bubble or universe right? So everyone bad things happen to everybody now. Even successful people right? So very rich people. Also bad things happen to them now or before it's just that we don't many times we don't see it at times they use. Chair many this success, especially social media. So ah, that's something that we need to learn how to like always sleep with mindset of you know life is a game right? I'm not saying that is a joke I'm saying it's like when if you categorize a game is. Message simulation with a set of rules where you have obstacles where you need to overcome these obstacles and so for you to be able to beat the game life if you think about it life is the same way just that in this in the physical environment. There are rules established by humans from back in the days. Or even now there are obstacles life throws at you wish you need those obstacles for you to grow as a human being and become better at what you do and become more savvy I'll be able to solve Problems. So once you grow older you don't your seat in your chair. Ah, you don't have any idea how to tackle life you need adversity. You need the obstacles so take takes things personal um make sure you always never never give up take those risks. Don't listen to that. Ah. I call it the that voice in your head called fear fear is the biggest enemy of any human being right? So every time you want to try something and then you feel like what if this doesn't work out what if I'm not good enough. What are people going to. Think right? So they always It's like what people are going to think that lead to my next 1 I mean I know this 1 is controversial but I'm like who cares? What people think don't read like honestly who cares. If you really are the type of person who cares about what people think great. This is what you can do draw a circle and a piece of paper and other people in that circle that you care what they say if they're not in that circle you should know.
01:01:34.85
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Care at all why that person that random person in the street said about you, you should have that right? so because the thing is if you always listen to what about somebody else say if I say well I want to get I remember I say oh you know I want to get my ph d. But ima't send me an email that would like to interview me when I was under undergrad and when my stepfather said you never said no to an interview. You never said no to to a potential job. He doesn't have a ph d. He never. He only graduated from high school instead of working he doesn't even have a bachelor's degree. He doesn I'm understand how this stuff works he doesn't even know how to use technology. Well imagine if I will have listened to him taking a job and I wouldn't have done my ph d I wouldn't have accomplish even half of what I have done now. So again, you need to listen to the right people. So I mean yeah, listening a Nushell that's the main things that people should always ah lead by state set that mindset right? right? Ah, you know take risk you know, always um, try to improve yourself. Ah physically Mentally. We don't leave forever. There's a deadline. Out there. We don't know about so always improve yourself achieve your goals else. You're gonna have that regret when you're older saying oh I wish I could have the wrong x y and z I didn't do it just because I was afraid.
01:03:02.38
drnobodypodcast
Thank you for sharing with that. That's those are really great values to live by and it really encompasses a lot of points in people's lives and different aspects of their lives because the you know the goal of this podcast is not just for for. Teenagers or for adults this is for everyone to hear and how important is different aspects of your life. So thanks for sharing with one last question what and he already gave me the best moment I feel like I really want to hear I want our listeners to hear from our interviewees here at the doctor. Nobody.
01:03:27.44
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
A a.
01:03:38.95
drnobodypodcast
Podcasts that you're human too Just like you said, what's the worst moment you think you've had in your career or in your life that you can share with us and it seems like there's a lot. Ah.
01:03:46.49
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Um, oh man can I say that every single day guess. So that's just I said Ninety nine percent of the time. Um, um, um.
01:03:58.15
drnobodypodcast
Nice. You could take a moment to think about it.
01:04:06.70
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Yeah, it's I honestly I would say I want to say I have a worst 1 that can I think it's just a. Collection of things right? So so the way I see the worst moments in life or the bad moments in life is at the moment they suck right? So you feel. Terrible. You feel sad you feel you feel confused on like why do these things happen even 2030 years later you can ask yourself I still don't know why did that moment happen. Um, so. But at a many times those things happen you look back and and say um, you know that happened for and now we see why that happens because now I know how to work on this or become a better person right? So and. I can give you I guess I can get a little bit personal I guess here and ah go back to when I was sent into the er a month before my dissertation defense I mean I woke cop with ah a massive pain in my chest. So. I didn't not know what was happening so I was sent to the yard and of of course I called the ambulance sent to the yard that was the first time that I ever being in a hospital like that again that was this was a month before my dissertation defense which means I shouldn't be in Hospital. I should be writing my dissertation and I couldn't postpone my dissertation defense date because I had the job already lined up. So if I wouldn't complete my ph d my salary wouldn't have been the same or. Ah, pretty much. Ah, you know they were waiting for me so then he did that paperwork saying hey I got this person got this his ph d he can start us a professor so at the time I was like why is this happening to me now. Why didn't happen years ago. Ah but things work out a year later ah, got the same symptom even worse this time I was it would just keep happening and this time I was sent to the yard twice when I was a professor teaching. Um that was of course this happened pre covid times. Um.
01:06:45.31
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
And of course I had to go through surgery and couldn't even finish the semester as a professor that semester. Ah so I say that those are my worst times and then at the time of course I was in pain and just laying there where um, that's when you start asking questions like I'm young. Why this thing happened to me. It makes no sense like of course I I kind of made some bad ah choices in my food habit when I was on undergrad but I was also broke so I needed to I I was just eating whatever was in the streets. So yeah, whatever we were to find. Yeah, so.
01:07:14.81
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, yeah, yeah I remember.
01:07:24.68
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Like oh I have 5 bucks. What can I buy with 5 bucks that I can eat right? So right? exactly? so and I remember my first week of undergrad I thinking if you know this as a freshman I didn't have money to take the train to go off school that was the first time I started living by myself I have my my.
01:07:28.69
drnobodypodcast
I've I've y castles.
01:07:43.67
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Food was cheaps and coke because that's like 2 bucks right? there every single day that was my launch I ate like once a day so eventually that catch up to you right? So when you get into your thirty s and so ah, but yeah, so I pretty much I feel that that's my worst moment in life because um. I Never I I couldn't see it at the time like why am I going through this. Why am I going through the surgery and so long. Um, but honestly now that I look back I'm glad they happened and this is why I say that if it was going to happen regardless in my lifetime. When I'm 6050 whenever at the coreing edge that I have I can hand my body can handle those type of events. So if I go through ah 2 or 3 surgeries. My my body can handle it as Seventy or Eighty that may not be the case right.
01:08:41.49
drnobodypodcast
Yeah.
01:08:42.55
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Number 2 this at this happened before covid I didn't happen in Covid during covid times in 2020 so when I started thinking about that in 2020 I say if i. Will have me sent to the er now the way things were in 2020 I don't know how that will have worked out right because at the time they were in the hospital by yourself. They wouldn't even allow people to be there with you right? so. That's where I say that sometimes you look backwards and you can say things happen for a recent at a specific time right? So ah I'm glad they happened before 2020? Um, and that's why I always say that. When bad things happen to you they happen all the time and they it will still happen. You always, you shouldn't you sit back and say you know about this is part of life. It's an obstacle I I'll go through it and ah you know I wasn't by myself. So how people will to take care of me and so and so. E it worked out career wise I gain. Um, ah I feel the worse is always the fact that I hate when people tell me no say.
01:10:08.59
drnobodypodcast
Ah.
01:10:09.88
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
I guess that's the worst part is like when people tell me no, that's not gonna happen and they ask like how come right? So they like no I don't think it's gonna happen. They don't have a reason they didn't even try to make things happen. They just want to tell you know because they don't know how to make it happen and they't. We want to try. Ah, that knows me all the time. But that's something that I realized that just part of the process. Every time you try to do something big. You just had to pretty much ah, go around it find somebody else who has some sense and ah and that will actually support your ideas and and what you do.
01:10:41.28
drnobodypodcast
Okay.
01:10:48.22
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Ah, but in terms of career I will say I have had good mentors and advisors and ah all the time that ah, nothing really bad has happened in that way I Always always. Ah um, try to. Ah, push forward. Ah, but yeah.
01:11:08.41
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, you don't let it sounds like thanks for sharing your story sounds like you don't let adversity hold you down. That's that's the key point I feel like people let adversity as a crutch and use that as an excuse to try to move forward, but that's not the right way to do it.
01:11:25.30
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Exactly adversity is always gonna happen. Um, and I always tell like I tell my students it's like it's just bound to happen. It's hard to predict at times. It's a personal adversity or career adversity and if if you want to rent. To a friend of yours like ah you know opening a bottle of wine and just ran to somebody do that. That's fine. Get it out of your system and but what you cannot do is give up and just blame other people or something else or karma or whatever just because and you stop doing it. You to always need to keep trying I could be that you need to come up with a different strategy for you to be able to succeed and ah go around specific people that just are in the Middle. So always don't don't that adversity and fear get in the way.
01:12:17.67
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, agreed. Um, so I'm gonna off script. So at this point I'm goingnna wrap it up is it Okay that I say that can the viewer listeners reach out to you on social media I'm not gonna you don't have to name them because you have a bunch but I'll just say if they could reach out to you for any questions or follow up or.
01:12:37.47
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Yes I.
01:12:37.66
drnobodypodcast
Learn more is that? Okay, okay, all right? Well thank you? Dr Andrew Har for your time and your stories and a lot of words of wisdom I Really appreciate that. Um I Just want to let the listeners know that you can reach out to Dr Andrew Har on his social medias. If You have any questions or want to learn more but I really appreciate your time and you being here in this interview and is there any parting words of wisdom that you'd like to leave with our listeners. So.
01:13:08.50
Dr_ Marvin Andujar
Now Really, This was fun ah to be able to share with everyone a little bit of the story. Um, ah, it's always good to share the story. So when if you're going through a very bad moment right now in your life. Um, just keep in mind that just keep trying and you'll see how. Things will turn around for sure I won't happen overnight. It will take years. It just need to keep trying and keep working and network and you know build your credentials and get better playing these game we call life.
01:13:41.78
drnobodypodcast
Yeah, agreed, thank you very much Marvin for your time and your story listeners I hope you gained plenty of insights today. This is the beginning of becoming a someone but specifically the someone you always wanted to be I hope you enjoyed this episode and if you did. Please do give me a like review and subscribe and of course visit our website. The Dr. nobodypodcast dot com where we turn nobodies to somebodybodies talk to you all very soon.