• Question: "Does scientists have a good married life and can they enjoy their life just by researching lifelong???"This is the response of most people that I have told that I to want become a physicist and do research on something. Want do you want to tell to them?

    Asked by rajathjackson to Chris, Dave, David, Fiona, Jack on 20 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Dave Farmer

      Dave Farmer answered on 20 Jun 2013:

      Hi Rajath,

      Physicists are people just like anyone else! None of us are simply mindless research drones. I’d suggest you take a look through our 5 profiles above and see the range and breadth of hobbies that just the 5 of us have!

      I’m certainly aware of the stereotype of physicists that you speak of, I’ve heard it many times myself. Having worked in a physics department for a few years now, I can confirm that we’re just as varied as any other group, and many of us are happily married.

      At the end of the day, I think you should be very careful basing decisions about what you spend your life doing on other peoples opinions. Yours is always the most important, so if you want to be a physicist then go for it. Anyone who tries to wind you up because of it isn’t worth bothering about!

      Besides, you should see the look on some of my mates faces when they’re complaining about their office jobs and I calmly mention that I had a great week being paid to do something I love. Jealous doesn’t begin to describe… 😀

      Dave

    • Photo: Chris Mansell

      Chris Mansell answered on 20 Jun 2013:

      I think the majority of the physicists whom I have met who are over 30 years old are married.

      Whenever I meet physicists who are around retirement age, I am inspired by their enthusiam. They still really love physics even after having researched it for decades.

      I hope this brief answer helps.

      Chris

    • Photo: Jack Miller

      Jack Miller answered on 20 Jun 2013:

      Hi Rajath,

      Just like the others are said, physicists are people too! Moreover, if people keep on researching things well past their retirement age (and physicists often do), it’s a fairly good sign that they enjoy it. My main PhD supervisor loves the work we do, is married to a GP, has two young children AND manages to play korfball to a high level every weekend!

    • Photo: Fiona Coomer

      Fiona Coomer answered on 21 Jun 2013:

      It is ridiculous to think that doing a particular job means that someone is either more or less likely to get married. The one thing to be aware of with any job in academic research (not just physics or even science), is how competitive it is to get a job and how global the job market is. I know a significant number of academics who are married to someone who lives in a different city, country or even continent! These academics feel that this is a sacrifice worth making in order to carry out the research that they love.

    • Photo: David Freeborn

      David Freeborn answered on 21 Jun 2013:

      As everyone else has already said, lots of physicists have happy, fulfilling, satisfied lives. You get all variety of physicists, with all sorts of lives and hobbies. Just take a look at the 5 of us. We all have really varied intersts, and interesting lives!

      For me the great thing about physics is I love my work, and also the rest of the life. For a lot of people, work is a boring, 9-5 drudgery. It’s never like that for me. I love my work, and there are always new and interesting challenges every day. I get the best of both worlds: I love my work, and have a really good life outside of work too.

Comments

  • Photo: rajathjackson

    rajathjackson commented on :

    I know how scientists are dedicated to their work and how much they love their particular field. I just told what I hear from others when I tell them that I want to become a scientist. When I told them the same thing that’s posted above they don’t bother it. So, I wanted real scientists to answer them about this. That’s why I posted this question. Thank you for your answers.