• Question: Do you ever think that you shouldn't have become a scientist?

    Asked by emmamcmullan to Shane, Maria, Karen, Gabriele, Angela on 11 Nov 2013.
    • Photo: Karen McCarthy

      Karen McCarthy answered on 11 Nov 2013:

      Because I am towards the end of my PhD, I’m under a lot of stress in the lab at the moment, trying to finish up experiments and I also need to write up my thesis, which is basically a massive book about what I did! So at times, when I’m really stressed, I wonder why I bothered doing science, but then something works in the lab, and I just feel so happy then, it completely reminds me of why I love science.

    • Photo: Shane Mc Guinness

      Shane Mc Guinness answered on 11 Nov 2013:

      Well, sometimes its difficult yes because you don’t understand a problem or the work builds up. But I’ve always followed what I love and this has taken me to some amazing places and allowed to see some incredible suff. So whenever I get tired of what I’m doing I sit back, remember there are a lot of people out there not doing what they love (even though they might earn lots of money!) and remember that my skills and knowledge allow me to change the world, even in a small way.
      Doing what you love and helping people and animals at the same time; what’s not to love!

    • Photo: Angela Stevenson

      Angela Stevenson answered on 11 Nov 2013:

      Well, I get frustrated when I get horrible weather at sea and can’t deploy my robots to collect samples… and then I m left without samples. Or when my data is just messy and impossible to work with, then I start to feel like I could of had a more normal life outside of science. But to be honest, I would get bored very quickly if it wasn’t for these hiccups that I have to solve along the way, so in the end I alway love my science even when it gets messy!

    • Photo: Gabriele De Chiara

      Gabriele De Chiara answered on 11 Nov 2013:

      Of course sometimes, I fantasise on what would have happened if I hadn’t become a scientist, but I don’t have regrets! I love what I do and I think it’s one of the best jobs in the world. You meet a lot of people, travel a lot, research new stuff. And I love teaching students!

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