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Asked by jakobsmith to Ben, Dave, Ed, Sam, Susana on 19 Jun 2013. This question was also asked by yasodar.
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David Briggs answered on 19 Jun 2013:
Work hard at school and uni, and find something that you are really interested in. Follow that as far as you can, and then think – “what would I do next if I was trying to figure out more about this thing” – then find a way of doing it. 🙂
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Benjamin Hall answered on 19 Jun 2013:
Getting good grades at school and university is needed. That’s an absolute requirement for getting PhD funding.
But when it comes to being a scientist what do you need? I’d say the most immediate thing you’ll need as a PhD student is an ability to solve problems. So as Dave says, think about how you would find things out! Any problem you encounter in your life, think logically and analytically about it and solve it for yourself. Don’t rely on a parent, a teacher or a friend to do it for you. Everything else, like being able to plan a big research project, will develop along with that.
The next thing would be to have something to take you away from science every now and then. It’s a draining and, at times, frustrating, profession. Sometimes you need a break so a something to keep you occupied away from the lab is a must!
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Sam Horrell answered on 19 Jun 2013:
Go for it! In my oppionon it’s one of the most interesting jobs you can have because you never stop learning. That being said it is difficult and stressful at times.
You’ll have to work hard in school and take, usually, at least 2 science A levels to do an undergraduate degree in science. To get onto a PhD position you’ll need a 2.1 (60%) or a first (70%) overall in your undergraduate. So hard work and enthusiasm are what you really need if you want to become a scientist.
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Susana Teixeira answered on 19 Jun 2013:
If you are thinking of becoming a Scientist work hard at School and also at University, you will need good grades and you may well find a special taste for a specific area in the process.
Keep talking to Scientists when you have a chance, and get yourself involved in trainings or summer courses or exchange programmes as soon as you can. Go see other countries, or even just other cities. Get different perspectives, it well help you develop independent thinking and this will help you decide not just if you want to do Science, but also how you want to do it.
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Ed Lowe answered on 20 Jun 2013:
Plenty of good advice here already, but I would add that you should start trying to get summer placements in labs as soon as possible. Many good research groups will take A-level students for a summer placement (we had one here last summer) and most will take undergraduate students.
This can be really important both because it is a huge help when applying for courses or studentships, but it will also help you to figure out if you really are interested in research.
Comments
jakobsmith commented on :
Thanks