What is it like being a scientist?

Question: What is it like being a scientist?
- Keywords:
  scientist
Asked by angelbeliever3 to Suzie, Adam, Geoff, Rob, Sheila on 21 Mar 2011 in Categories: Scientist. This question was also asked by bradleyglynn, victoria5, dinardingly, sufyantalib, anisha96, hellok234.
- Adam Tuff answered on 17 Mar 2011:
  
  Fun! I really love what I do because no one has ever done the work I’m doing before! I get to spend my days using some really modern equipment, and talking to some of the most intellectual and inspired people in the country about all sorts of weird and wonderful things! It is hard work sometimes, but it’s always worth it, and the rewards are great!
- Suzie Sheehy answered on 17 Mar 2011:
  
  It’s pretty busy being a scientist. There are so many things involved, from doing things like calculations with a pen and paper, knowing how to write computer programs to do things for you, running experiments etc.. then you also have to know how to communicate your work by writing papers, giving talks and chatting to people. It’s quite an international field so you get to meet and work with people from all over the world, which I think is a really good thing!
  I can sometimes find myself being really busy (especially this week with i’m a scientist!) but I try to be well organised so I always know what i have to get done and by when.
  It’s certainly not your average day job where you do the same thing every day – so if getting to travel, talk to interesting people and maybe make the world a better place, you should think about doing science too!
- Sheila Kanani answered on 17 Mar 2011:
  
  It can be ace being a scientist and then somedays it really gets me down and I wish I had a ‘normal’ job!
  
  The reason it sometimes gets me down is because things don’t always work the way you want them to, and the job situation can get a bit hairy because generally contracts are 3 years long rather than permanent. But when you do get a permanent job its amazing (or so I’m told!).
  
  On the positive side, it really is amazing being a scientist. Seeing brand new data that no one else has seen before that came all the way from Saturn, presenting your work to the masses, travelling around the world, meeting new people all the time, seeing the reactions of people when you tell them what you do….can’t beat the rush of being a scientist!
- Robert Simpson answered on 21 Mar 2011:
  
  I think its lots of fun. You get to learn new things every day, working with interesting people and talk to others about science.

Question: What is it like being a scientist?

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