when did you first decide to be a scientist?

Harry Piper answered on 5 Mar 2021:

Great question! I first wanted to get into science during my GCSE’s (which seem so log ago now!)! The teacher’s really inspired me, especially my tutor (who was actually a religious studies teacher but he was the best!)! The important thing is though, it’s never too late to get involved!

Alex Baxendale answered on 5 Mar 2021:

When I was 18 and doing my university undergraduate degree! I wanted to be a chef in highschool, but decided to go to college – I enjoyed my Psychology class so figured I should go to University to study it because I liked the idea of being a Counselor so I could help people. Whilst in University I realized I liked brain biology and research WAY more than anything else, and that was when I decided I would become a scientist!

Dennis Relojo-Howell answered on 5 Mar 2021: last edited 5 Mar 2021 4:57 pm

I went to uni at 16; I didn’t really like psychology until I was 18. And then when I finished my degree, my first job wasn’t remotely related to psychology. I would say that on my early 20s, when I decided to do a master’s degree, that’s when I felt more decisive to have a career in psychology. But even now, my line of work is a blend of artistic, entrepreneurial, and scientific pursuits. Until now, I still have doubts if I can call my self a ‘scientist’.

Ellen Smith answered on 5 Mar 2021:

I started studying Psychology A level was I was 16 and really enjoyed it. I knew then that I wanted to go on to study it at university – although I thought I’d end up in a different Psychology area than I am now.

Myrto Efstathiou answered on 5 Mar 2021:

For me the decision came when I was 19 and I decided to go to college. I was not a very good student in high-school and I was mostly interested in Biology, but I did not have the grades to enter the university in my country. After I finished high-school I decided to go to college to study Applied Psychology and during my first lectures about Research Methods, I decided that this is what I would like to do.

anon answered on 5 Mar 2021:

Hi Olivia C,
I think before I/we can answer that, we need to ask: what is a scientist? Is it a title for those with degrees? And if so at what degree are we no longer students and become scientists? Is it a mentality of how we see the world? So things like being critical of what we read or looking for evidence to back up claims?
Having said that, I still get imposter syndrome (where you feel like a fraud) as a science PhD student and still not sure if I would call myself a full blown scientist yet!

Anon answered on 6 Mar 2021: last edited 6 Mar 2021 4:48 pm

I first thought I might like to be a psychologist when I was 16, but I didn’t make the decision to train as one until I was 26.

The first psychology essay I ever wrote was: “Is Psychology a Science? Discuss.”

I’m still not 100% sure of the answer to that question! I think that some aspects of psychology are scientific, while other aspects are less so. I am a psychologist who uses scientific research, but I don’t really think of myself as a scientist!

Lisa Orchard answered on 8 Mar 2021:

Hi Olivia. I decided to do psychology for an A Level, but I wasn’t sure why or what I wanted to do with it. When I finished my degree in psychology I was still undecided about what I wanted to do. Has luck would have it, I had two job offers in the same week – one of which was to work as a teaching assistant at a university alongside researching a topic of my choice. I think it was then that I officially decided that was where I wanted to be! 🙂

Christina Brown answered on 8 Mar 2021:

I suppose if you pick a science degree at uni, you’re already committed to be a scientist. However, it never occurred to me to become an academic researcher and to pursue a PhD until I was at the end of my 2nd year of university. I applied for a paid summer internship at the university to work in a laboratory studying connections between the spinal cord and the brain. It was a great experience in learning the day to day life of a scientist in an academic setting: we did something different every day, I learned some really cool techniques, I got to image sections of brain on a microscope, and then analyse the data for publication. I only worked 9-5 Monday-Friday, which felt so liberating because in summer I’d usually be working full time in a supermarket. I loved that it was not a public facing job! It really made me want to do a PhD and try this researcher career out.

Of course, I know people who did the same thing as me who thought they wanted to become a researcher, and then didn’t like it after all. If you get the chance to do a paid internship at university – go for it because it’s better to find out what you’d like to do during university and not after it.

Question: when did you first decide to be a scientist?

Comments