• Question: What is the hardest thing about becoming a scientist?

    Asked by haleemakhan to Iain, Anna, Nick, Jane, Chris on 11 Mar 2014. This question was also asked by , science1912.
    • Photo: Iain Moal

      Iain Moal answered on 11 Mar 2014:

      Hi,
      Research itself can be frustrating, and you have to be able to accept when your ideas fail, but I think the hardest part is getting the money to do your research. Only a small fraction of people who do a science degree at university will go on and do a PhD (doctorate), and only a fraction of those who get a PhD manage to get a post-doctoral research position, and then its even harder to get a more senior position. It is very competitive, and people often put in very long hours in order to make it to the next step in the career ladder, often working on a small salary and having to make personal sacrifices. On the other hand, you get to be a research scientist, which can be one of the most fascinating and rewarding jobs in the world.

    • Photo: Anna Middleton

      Anna Middleton answered on 11 Mar 2014:

      The hardest thing for me is getting funding to continue to do the work I do. Very few of us have permanent jobs, most of us write ‘grants’ which means we put together a strong case for getting money to do our research. Sometimes we get that money and sometimes we don’t. It means that planning for the future is sometimes difficult as I don’t know if I have a job or not.

    • Photo: Nick Goldman

      Nick Goldman answered on 19 Mar 2014:

      Iain and Anna’s answers concentrate on scientists who work in Universities and other institutes funded by the public or by governments. There are also a LOT of scientists out there working for other companies, like computer companies or engineering firms, car manufacturers, drug companies… The list is enormous. I think it’s not so hard for people to find jobs in those fields, and then they have a longer contract and don’t have to worry so much about where the money is coming from. Don’t think that you have to spend your whole life fighting to become a professor just because you want to do science!

      I think the first hard part is getting a good science degree at University. If you do that, you can get a good job. After that, life’s as hard as you want to make it—you can work hard for the ideal job, or you can take life a bit easier….

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