• Question: whats the best thing about being scientist?

    Asked by emilymadden to Adam, Chris, Eleanor, Jessamyn, Sinead on 12 Nov 2013.
    • Photo: Eleanor Holmes

      Eleanor Holmes answered on 12 Nov 2013:


      For me it’s the training and teaching I received taught me to look at the world in a scientific way. You learn how to take and analyse data. Which can give you great insight when something might not be what it claims to be. Once you become a scientist you will never watch a shampoo or toothpaste commercial the same way again!

      (Well they claim the hair is shinier after use, but what kind of control group are they using?, how are they quantifying the shiny-ness?, what does that even mean?, what is their sample size?, 36 women?! well that’s statistically ridiculous!, etc.)

      It does, however, sometimes ruin your, or people around you’s, enjoyment of certain films. But that’s only if you don’t really enjoy being right!

    • Photo: Adam Murphy

      Adam Murphy answered on 12 Nov 2013:


      My favourite thing is the curiosity that comes with it. I don’t stop being a scientist when I leave the lab. I see things all around me every day and have to figure out how they work.

      If you take me to the cinema I’ll sit there with the 3-D glasses playing with them. (You should try it, turn and twist one pair while you’re wearing another, you get some cool effects)

      It taught me to constantly be curious, to always question what I see, and that’s one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever gotten!

    • Photo: Sinead Cullen

      Sinead Cullen answered on 12 Nov 2013:


      Hi Emily,
      I think one of the best things about being is a scientist is the fact you are always learning something new. I work with other biologists, chemists, physicists, engineers and mathematicians. This means we all talk to each other to try and understand the bigger picture of what is going on on our experiments. All of these people have really interesting careers and knowledge and I learn a lot from them. Its amazing.

      Sinead 🙂

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