Question: What is it like to be a scientist?

Anzy Miller answered on 12 Nov 2013:

Hi codeemiskin!

I’ll give you an idea by telling you my typical day. I live and work in Cambridge, and so I cycle into work – for about 9.30. I will have a look at my stem cells probably first thing, mainly because they are living things (like pets) and you need to check they are doing ok. Then I’ll be thinking about the experiments I have planned, or ones that I am half way through. Most things take weeks/months to finish and so each day I generally do different things. We keep a lab book with what we’ve done – with all our results in – but more importantly how we got the result so we can always do it again (and so other people can get the same results as us). Or with what we did when something didn’t work so we can try and problem solve until we get the thing to work….

Because each experiment takes a different amount of time, the day of a scientist isn’t structured. You do the things you have to do – sometimes it means long days, sometimes it means you don’t have much to do that day. And in those days you do some thinking, reading and talking to people about science and what you are doing, and what they are doing. One of the most important things is to discuss with other scientists your ideas, and then also you might get more ideas! And its very important to keep up to date with what other scientists are doing, so we read the papers people have published, and go to talks and conferences that other scientists are giving and talking at.

And then there’s days where I talk to pupils like you, trying to get more people interested in science, and also trying to stop people thinking all scientists are wierdos! I hope you don’t think we are 🙂

Sorry for the long answer!