• Question: Was it hard becoming a scientist?x

    Asked by sheannaoconnor to Aggelos, Andrew, Eileen, Naomi, Shane on 9 Nov 2012. This question was also asked by niall14, mccooey.
    • Photo: Aggelos Zacharopoulos

      Aggelos Zacharopoulos answered on 9 Nov 2012:

      it was hard at times, yes. But most of the times it was exciting and very rewarding experience.

      I feel so lucky that I had the opportunity to do it!

    • Photo: Shane Bergin

      Shane Bergin answered on 9 Nov 2012:

      Yes – it was. But lots of things are hard and doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do them. I’m sure lots of you train a few times a week for sports teams you play for or you might practice musical instruments. Just like these things, the thing about me becoming a scientist was that whilst it was hard work I enjoyed it and have something to show for it now

    • Photo: Andrew Jackson

      Andrew Jackson answered on 11 Nov 2012:

      Hi

      yes, its been quite hard at times, but then lots of jobs are hard. What makes it easier is when you find a job you really like – it makes working hard not seem such a big deal.

      I think im quite lucky. I absolutely love my job. I dont love every bit of every day, but getting to spend time thinking up new questions, finding out answers and sharing this information with others (like on this website) is such a rewarding way to spend the day.

      My advice would always be to do things that interest you. That way you actually want to get up in the morning and go to university, work or whatever you choose to do.

      andrew

    • Photo: Eileen Diskin

      Eileen Diskin answered on 11 Nov 2012:

      I think in some ways it was. In school I wasn’t always good at taking tests. Especially in some subjects, like Chemistry and Physics (ewww…I don’t even like to think about those exams!)

      But now, I have found the bits of science that I am very good at, and that I really enjoy doing. Doing science now is totally different to how I had to do it in school (when your teachers just tell you what to learn, and you have to memorize a lot of things for a test – that was SUPER hard for me). Now, I get to pick which things I want to research (even if its a totally silly question, sometimes!), and then I get to do it!

      And yes, sometimes finding an answer is hard, but because I like the kinds of science I’m doing now I don’t mind too much 🙂

    • Photo: Naomi Elster

      Naomi Elster answered on 12 Nov 2012:

      I think I’ve always been a scientist – I always wanted to know why things were the way they were. I did science in school and then a degree in science at UCD. At times it has been, and still is hard. Sometimes you have to struggle to understand something but there will be people to help you if you need it, and the satisfaction you get when it finally clicks is incredible. To be a scientist, you do have to work hard. But in exchange for hard work I get to do a job that I love, where I can meet and work with interesting and clever people, and which I can use to travel the world. I think that’s a fair exchange, and definitely worth the hard work. x

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