• Question: what age did you become a scientist and when were you inspired by science?

    Asked by angel1996 to Daniel, Jon, Louise, Sharon, Zoe on 22 Jun 2010 in Categories: . This question was also asked by scientist124, sugarskies77, yatesy, shonagregory, spongebob, bcamp.
    • Photo: Sharon Sneddon

      Sharon Sneddon answered on 21 Jun 2010:

      I guess I became a proper scientist when i got my first science job after university, so I was 21 years old, however, i’ve been interested in science from a very early age, and i loved doing experiments as a child! I don’t think I really knew what science was back then! I think when I started secondary school was when i really got inspired as I had a really great biology teacher, who really went out of her way to encourage us. We got to do really great experiments such as hatching hens eggs then watching the chicks develop until they were big enough to go into the school farm!

    • Photo: Jon Copley

      Jon Copley answered on 21 Jun 2010:

      I guess it depends on what we define as “becoming a scientist”. I finished my first science degree, in zoology, when I was 20 (I was a year ahead at school, so I went to university a year early). For many people, getting a degree in science makes them a scientist.

      But in research, your “apprenticeship”, when you learn how to do research and show that you can do it, is your PhD degree. I finished mine when I was 26 – and in some ways, perhaps that’s when you really qualify as a scientist, because you can then put “Dr” in front of your name.

      But I’ve always been a “scientist” in that I’ve always been interested in the world around me, and interested in science because it can tell us more about the world around us, since I can remember. I think that everyone is born a “natural” scientist, because we’re all curious about what’s around us when we’re little.

    • Photo: Louise Dash

      Louise Dash answered on 22 Jun 2010:

      Hi Angel

      I started to study science seriously when I started my Physics degree when I was 22. I had thought about becoming a physicist when I was at school but found it really hard to decide between science and music when I was choosing which A levels to do, and eventually chose music. At that time it was very difficult to mix science and humanities subjects for A level, so I was forced to choose one or the other! Now that there are separate AS and A2 courses, I think it’s much better because you can choose a broader mix of subjects.

      I didn’t know, or meet any scientists when I was at school, which may have affected my decision. I’m hoping that by doing I’m a Scientist some of you may decide to become scientists after “meeting” us! What do you think? Are you planning to become a scientist?

    • Photo: Zoe Duck

      Zoe Duck answered on 22 Jun 2010:

      Well, the age depends on what you count as a scientist. I went to university to study natural sciences when I was 18 and graduated at 22 when I started my PhD. I will (hopefully) finish my PhD next summer when I will be 26.

      I think I was first inspired by science when I was about 3 as I was very interested in space and dinosaurs, as most children seem to be at some point. I was also inspired when I started secondary school and my science teacher told me I was very good at science as I was able to think logically. I think this is what eventually persuaded me to study science at univeristy and to become a scientist.

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