• Question: whats the best thing about being a scientist

    Asked by anon-352643 on 7 Mar 2023. This question was also asked by anon-361228.
    • Photo: Lucien Heurtier

      Lucien Heurtier answered on 7 Mar 2023:

      Hi case482she,

      Well, that’s a difficult one! As far as I’m concerned, the best thing is that I can be creative as much as I want. There is no limit to research for what you can imagine, and I really love that part. As I said in my profile, I really think more of myself as an artist than a technician. Every discussion I have with my colleagues about physics makes me dream about what I have not imagined yet. I try to design projects that really excite me, to try a new technique to calculate something that nobody has calculated before, to program a new code, to draw new plots, and charts, that can show great new results. It’s like painting something new on a brand-new canvas. You have no idea at first how nice the painting will be, but you’re so excited to try it out.

      I hope I convey well enough my excitement!

      Best
      Lucien

    • Photo: Zoltan Lipp

      Zoltan Lipp answered on 7 Mar 2023:

      The best thing being a scientist – especially an experimental physicist who I were – is that you could discover new things that no-one knows yet… it is very exciting to design an experiment, figuring out what measurement method to use, how to build the equipment, etc… to prove a theory. And the feeling when finally, after many unsuccessful trials, head-scratching and tweaks in the setup you succeed its an awesome feeling.

    • Photo: Stuart Clare

      Stuart Clare answered on 8 Mar 2023:

      Working with a great team of people to answer fascinating questions. Also the chance to meet people from all over the world and travel to share your results and learn from them.

    • Photo: Clár-Bríd Tohill

      Clár-Bríd Tohill answered on 8 Mar 2023:

      I love being able to work on research that I really enjoy every day! You get to meet so many different people from all over the world working on similar things that you might not have had a chance to meet otherwise.
      I am still learning something new everyday and it is never boring!

    • Photo: Barak Gilboa

      Barak Gilboa answered on 8 Mar 2023:

      I’ll reiterate Zoltan’s answer, the best things for me is seeing something new for the first time, and knowing you are the first person to see this. When an experiment works and you get some answers (or new questions which is sometimes better!) it’s a very satisfying feeling.

    • Photo: Ansh Bhatnagar

      Ansh Bhatnagar answered on 8 Mar 2023:

      For me personally, I love how international science is. It transcends borders and fosters collaboration between people all over the world! (and for this reason we also get to travel a lot!)

      I work with people from America and Australia and while that does mean having to wake up really early for meetings to accommodate their timezones, it’s worth it just because of how cool it is to be working with people from across the globe.

      That being said, it isn’t perfect. Many scientists based in the global south are excluded from taking part in international science because of how expensive it can be. As a community we need to continue to make science more accessible so we can truly be a collective endeavour of all of humanity!

    • Photo: Mia West

      Mia West answered on 8 Mar 2023:

      Hi there!

      There are so many things I love about being a scientist! If I had to choose I think what I enjoy most is how cool my colleagues are. Everyone brings a new perspective to the table; a new way to think about a problem.

      For example, some of my colleagues have a vast knowledge base about so many different topics. Some are really good at coming up with creative solutions (sometimes a little wacky! But that’s part of the fun). Some are excellent at programming. The list is endless!

      There’s so many ways to be a great scientist. It’s awesome to see how we all compliment each-other’s skills.

    • Photo: Vicky Fawcett

      Vicky Fawcett answered on 8 Mar 2023:

      You get to work with a group of amazing scientists from all over the world!
      For me, I also love that I get to travel around the world and most importantly, explore the Universe!

    • Photo: Nikita Klimovich

      Nikita Klimovich answered on 9 Mar 2023:

      On top of what others have said, one of the best things about being a scientist is the flexibility it offers in terms of work compared to other careers. Unlike most jobs, there’s not a higher-up boss that dictates everything from when you work, what you do, and how you do it. It’s extremely liberating to have the agency to tackle the problems you think are meaningful and the ability to take some time off whenever you recognize you need a small break.

    • Photo: Adam Steinberg

      Adam Steinberg answered on 9 Mar 2023:

      This morning, I walked into the office, made a cup of coffee, sat down at my desk, and decided to study something nobody else has ever looked at before.

      If that doesn’t make this one of the best jobs in the world, then I don’t know what does!

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