They called our solar cooling system 'novel.' The press release went out yesterday. My advisor used that word three times in the interview. Novel. Like we discovered fire. I spent eighteen months perfecting airflow calculations. Eighteen months of failed prototypes, rejected grant applications, and 4 AM emails explaining why our 10% efficiency gain mattered. The data was clean. The innovation was real. So why do I feel like a fraud? Today someone congratulated me at the coffee machine. 'Must feel amazing to solve such a big problem,' they said. I smiled and nodded. But standing there, I realized I don't remember the last time research felt amazing. Just exhausting. The panels stay cool now. I wish I could say the same about myself. 🧪 #Science #LabBurnout #ScienceFatigue