• Question: how did you all get to be sientists

    Asked by anon-319720 to Jamie, Luke, DrAlexB, Alex H, Alex on 14 Mar 2022. This question was also asked by anon-314219.
    • Photo: Jamie Smith

      Jamie Smith answered on 14 Mar 2022:

      Hi! Thanks for your question.

      For me I went the University route – studied Science and Maths A-Levels, Electrical and Electronic Engineering at University.

      I went to a careers event (to get a free lunch) and learned about opportunities working in Nuclear Fusion research. I applied and ended up here!

    • Photo: Alex Headspith

      Alex Headspith answered on 14 Mar 2022:

      Hi everyone,

      My pathway for me was through an apprenticeship.

      After my GCSEs I started my apprenticeship, which was a 4 year apprenticeship of which I finished with a Level 3 NVQ and a HNC in Mechanical Engineering. I became a Mechanical Engineering Technician, and by working on a HND in Mechanical Engineering, and with my 5.5 years of work experience I became a Design Engineer.

      You don’t always need a degree to get in, and apprenticeships provide great opportunities. That being said I will be starting my degree later this which will all be funded by the company.

    • Photo: Luke Humphrey

      Luke Humphrey answered on 15 Mar 2022:

      I went to university, but more importantly watched lots of science & maths videos on youtube, here’s some channels I like:
      * kurzgesagt
      * vsauce
      * veritasium
      * minutephysics
      * MinuteEarth
      * TierZoo
      * numberphile
      * nottinghamscience
      * Vihart
      * PBS Space Time
      * 3Blue1Brown
      * smartereveryday
      * DoS – Domain of Science
      * Higginso physics
      * Pretty Much Physics
      * SmarterEveryDay
      * The Efficient Engineer

    • Photo: Alex Bainbridge

      Alex Bainbridge answered on 16 Mar 2022:

      Hi! I knew I wanted to be a scientist fairly early on, its the subject i enjoyed most at school. I went through the very traditional route, starting with studying Physics, Maths and Chemistry at A-level.

      That got me a place to study physics at university, and near the end of my degree whilst chatting with a lecturer about his research I thought it sounded interesting and asked if he wanted to take on any PhD students, he said yes so I applied and got the place.

    • Photo: Alexander Cunningham

      Alexander Cunningham answered on 16 Mar 2022:

      Thanks for the question! After my GCSEs I went on to do A Levels in physics, maths and chemistry. I then studied physics at university.

      During my final year of university I applied for lots of jobs in science (mostly renewables and nuclear) and when I got an offer to go into the job I’m in now after university I went for it (currently working as a scientist in the nuclear industry!). This is certainly not the only pathway into science though as the other responses show!

Comments

  • Photo: Lucy

    Lucy commented on :

    Hey Jason! This is a great question, and one I LOVE to ask other scientists too.

    At school I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do when I was older, I loved being creative but thought maybe i’d be an artist or a photographer? At stages I wanted to be Vet too, because I LOVE animals. But I’m too much of a softy for that, I cry when I see animals hurt!

    So when it got to A LEVELS, I chose subjects that I loved.

    When it was time to pick what to do at University, I picked something that I really like the sound of (biomedical science).

    And that set my path onto what I do now! I’ve been able to add the creative aspect of my role, so I do a lot of photography, science art, and interviewing people.

    I think you just need to choose subjects at school that you love doing, because you don’t want to be old and not enjoy your job.