Question: How are you ed, i like the work you do, i would love to use a synchrotron it sound really cool, you saiid it was big but how big. if i wanted a job like yours how would i get to the position your in now. Is it very interesting doing your job, do you enjoy it?

Ed Lowe answered on 20 Jun 2013:

Hi! Synchrotrons are big machines – but how big varies. The Diamond synchrotron in Oxfordshire is about 550 metres in circumference and the ESRF in France is about 850 meters around – it is possible to make them much smaller, but when they are large we can use them for lots of different things at once.
To do a job like mine you would need to get a PhD level qualification – the route to this normally is to get good science and maths A-levels, study for a relevant degree that interests you at University (most Biochemistry courses will include some structural biology). During all of this, try to get some experience in a lab doing the sort of research you are interested in and learn to read up to date research papers – these to things will put you in a good position to apply for PhD studentships. Hopefully some time during your PhD you will start designing your own experiments and from that point on you’re a working scientist!
Yes, I find the job very interesting which is the main reason I keep doing it!