• Question: Would you ever consider studying another area of science?

    Asked by Lucymay12 to Laura, Rebecca, Matthew, Andrew on 13 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: Laura Schofield

      Laura Schofield answered on 13 Nov 2014:

      I nearly did Physics at Uni. Until I realised they wouldn’t let me in because I’d only done AS-level Maths and not an A-Level!
      Now I am so pleased that I did Chemistry though because I love doing experiments all day, every day! It is so cool and exciting! 🙂
      I love my area of science in particular (making plastic from fruit peel) because I feel like my work might make a difference one day! I’ve always been very passionate about reducing carbon emissions and making chemicals in a more environmentally friendly way and my work helps me to do that!

    • Photo: Rebecca Ingle

      Rebecca Ingle answered on 13 Nov 2014:

      Like Laura, I did apply to do Physics at uni too but decided to definitely do chemistry fairly last minute.

      I really like analytical chemistry as well as physical chemistry, there’s also a lot more funding for that kind of work in the UK so I did consider maybe looking to study mass spectrometry instead but sadly, I’m not sure mass spec is quite as cool as lasers so I think I made the right choice.

    • Photo: Matthew Camilleri

      Matthew Camilleri answered on 19 Nov 2014:

      I’m a chemist, and although I can see me do jobs that are not related to science I will find it hard to something like physics or biology, as I am not that interested in those areas of research.
      I will want to work in chemical engineering in the future though as I can relate that to chemistry, although it is done on a much bigger scale.

    • Photo: Andrew McKinley

      Andrew McKinley answered on 19 Nov 2014:

      I could study something else – I was torn between physics and chemistry – but then my PhD was in “photophysics”, and that led to post-doctoral research in laser physics. I taught physics undergraduates while I was there which meant that I had to study it first! A fantastic experience which essentially meant I studied for a physics degree ‘by proxy’!

      I don’t think I would change what I do though – I enjoy it too much. Maybe I might find myself back in a physics department some day, but I’d be doing work not to far removed from what I do now.

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