• Question: When did you know you wanted to be a scientist? (Yr9, college)

    Asked by lisaspencer to Hayley, Daniel, Andrew, Natalia, Peta on 15 Nov 2011. This question was also asked by annabelisamazing, oliviacam, ra1n, rebeccacarey.
    • Photo: Daniel Scully

      Daniel Scully answered on 14 Nov 2011:

      During my A-Levels.

      Until then I was hell bent on becoming an engineer and working in motor racing.
      But half-way through my a-levels I suddenly decided I wanted to do particle physics instead. I’d always been interested in it, but it hadn’t been my career plan until then.
      I had an enthusiastic and encouraging physics teacher too,which helped a lot.

    • Photo: Hayley Smith

      Hayley Smith answered on 14 Nov 2011:

      I didn’t have any idea what I wanted to do for a very long time. I always kind of liked science so always took those options and ended up studying physics at university.

      Being a scientist was always a possibility, but there were so many cool things I could have done with science A-levels and a degree in physics that I didn’t really have a clue.

      I wouldn’t say I finally decided upon becoming “a scientist” during my final year at university.
      I still didn’t really know what I wanted to do then but I applied for a variety of jobs and the job working on the particle accelerator (which I do now) just seemed amazing – so I’m pretty glad I did well at the interview!

    • Photo: Andrew Cairns

      Andrew Cairns answered on 15 Nov 2011:

      I decided I wanted to study academic science during A-levels, mostly because of my Chemistry teacher who really inspired me. Through my degree though I always thought I would go into a job afterwards – then I did a research project in my fourth year, and decided that that might be fun for a few more years! So I guess I have never really had a plan, but I am enjoying the work at the moment.

    • Photo: Peta Foster

      Peta Foster answered on 15 Nov 2011:

      I think i knew i wanted to be a scientist when i was about 6-7. My dad bought me science sets for treats and i used to love growing my own crystals, making little radios. I actually had a little lab book that i took notes in for challenges my dad set like ‘find out how far a frog can hop’ .. not terribly far was my answer and i think it was something around 8cm.

      Then when i did science at school i thought it was great that now i had access to much better equipment and things than i ever had at home. Microscopes that i could look at my hands under… (your nails look pretty frightening under a microscope)… kit we could build motorised cars with. I thought it was great!

      I was not as happy about reading and studying from books , since i learn much better by testing things practically rather than by memorising, and even now i am at my happiest when i am in a lab playing with the kit and testing something to see what happens.

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