Whats it like being a scientist?

Question: Whats it like being a scientist?

Asked by cheesesneese to Andrew, Emma, Marianne on 17 Jun 2010 in Categories: Scientist. This question was also asked by dado93, custardcreams.
- Andrew Maynard answered on 12 Jun 2010:
  
  Pretty cool!
  
  Okay so it has its dull moments. But most of the time I get to do stuff that is interesting and exciting and might actually help someone. If you have an insatiable curiosity, enjoy solving puzzles, get a kick from discovering how things work, and like the idea of getting paid to do what you enjoy – being a scientist can be a blast.
  
  Of course, there are downsides to being a scientist. Sometimes it can be boring, frustrating, hard work, hard to get funding… being a scientist isn’t for everyone.
  
  That’s assuming you are thinking about a working scientist – someone who has trained as a scientist and gets paid for being one. On the flip side, I think everyone has a bit of “scientist” in them – the part of you that asks questions, pieces together bits of information to get answers, and then tests those answers out to see if they work. Which means that the clever answer is to ask in return – “what’s it like being you?” 😉
- Emma Pilgrim answered on 14 Jun 2010:
  
  Erm tricky to answer as I sort of always have been!
  
  I think the thing that really drives me is my interest in nature and ecology and this can help bring me the through the less than good times (experiments don’t work, I loose grants I was hoping to win to do more research with……..). I like working in teams as that way you learn more, particularly if there scientists from different discplines working together and you help each other through.
- anon answered on 14 Jun 2010:
  
  You would need to come and spend a day in a number of different laboratories to get an idea. I think if you read some of the profiles you’ll realise it’s a job that can come in all different shapes and sizes.
  
  I think it’s neat to be encouraged to have an enquiring mind, a healthy (sometimes unhealthy) degree of scepticism and the courage to pursue your convictions.
  
  However, i certainly don’t feel that i sit, god-like on the top of truth mountain telling it how it is to the credulous masses!
- anon answered on 14 Jun 2010:
  
  Hi Cheesesneese (great e-mail name!) and dado93. It certainly is interesting as each day can be different with regards to what you are asked to comment on – the environment is such a big topic area. You’ll also find in science that everyone has their own theory and opinion on something and they don’t always agree so you end up hunting around for what is accepted as the general opinion of the moment (which may change again tomorrow!). However, when you meet new people, it can be a bit of conversation stopper when they ask you what you do for a living but hopefully this competition might dispell a few myths about us scientists!:)
- Marianne Baker answered on 17 Jun 2010:
  
  I don’t really know how I’d explain it!
  
  Sometimes stressful, very rewarding, tiring, fun…
  It depends where you work, what your job is exactly – very much like any other career I’m sure, but I wouldn’t know as I haven’t really done anything else yet!

Question: Whats it like being a scientist?

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