• Question: is their any days when you wish you weren't a scientist

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      Asked by 842drud32 :) to Sinead, Neil, Mark, Florence, Anne on 6 Nov 2015.
      • Photo: Florence McCarthy

        Florence McCarthy answered on 6 Nov 2015:

        It can be quite dispiriting when something you have worked on for ages fails but the best thing about science is that you can always try a different experiment.

      • Photo: Mark Collins

        Mark Collins answered on 8 Nov 2015:

        I can honestly say in my ten years working in industrial chemistry, I never once felt that I made the wrong career move. Everyday is exciting and a challenge and I feel good that I know I am making a real difference. I always think, what if this was a member of my family receiving this treatment and that spurs me on to keep working hard.

      • Photo: Sinead Balgobin

        Sinead Balgobin answered on 9 Nov 2015:

        Sometimes… It can be really difficult when things don’t work, or your research is so challenging it seems impossible. Sometimes I get sad when I have a bad day and think “What’s the point, who will use my reaction anyway?” but that’s just one side of research. It can be long and difficult. When I ask myself “what’s the point” I have to remember that all research is important, no matter how small- I am adding to the knowledge we have as humans. Maybe someone will be inspired by my work to come up with their own Nobel-prize winning idea, maybe I will get my reaction to work really well if I work extra hard, and it will turn out to be really useful. Sometimes being a scientist means dealing with failure, and using your creativity to come up with new solutions, or to ask new questions.

        I really like science, and I when I think about not doing it- that makes me feel even more sad!

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