• Question: who or what inspired you to be a scientist

    Asked by cooldude1604 to Rob, Martin, Elizabeth, Martin, James on 6 Mar 2015. This question was also asked by longshot 23657, Bells, Billy007, Soph, Bugzzi, ZaZooo, Chloe, Ozy12345 Toats Da Best, Snowy Bear, Terminator, Disco giraffe, Funky banana 007, Dragon girl, Favourite girl, Butterfly, Rosie Roo, Bubble pops, PHal lemons, toetoe5.
    • Photo: Robert Woolfson

      Robert Woolfson answered on 6 Mar 2015:

      I was a very curious kid, which drove my parents mad as I kept doing daft things to find out what would happen. When I was about 8 they gave me a chemistry set. I threw out the instructions and mixed some things together to see what would happen. It blew up and my parents were not very happy with me but I was hooked.

      As I got older, I became more interested in studying the world around me to understand how we make new things, and why it’s so hard. A couple of teachers at school really helped me find my passion for science and encouraged me to study chemistry at university. At uni, I was really bored in lectures but loved doing work in the labs and it took off from there.

    • Photo: Martin Wieczysty

      Martin Wieczysty answered on 6 Mar 2015:

      I was a massive geek as a child (still am – both a geek and a child), always reading encyclopedias. I loved reading about great engineers, scientists, and explores like Michael Faraday, Nikola Tesla, Marie Curie, Thomas Telford, James Watt, John Logie Baird, David Livingston etc…
      I had a chemistry set, and have great memories making crazy things with my Dad – in the kitchen!
      I was always taking things apart and putting them back together, and it was really curiosity that drove me to chemistry.
      Chemistry is the study of atoms, which are the building blocks of the universe. I am a massive Lego/Mechano fan, and chemistry is similar, except you are using the smallest building materials.
      Later I found that these chemicals are found in millions of things: anything from medicines to cars, and can be used to improve life on earth.

    • Photo: Elizabeth Cooper

      Elizabeth Cooper answered on 6 Mar 2015:

      I always found science easiest at school however when I reached 14 and starting my GCSE’s I was taught chemistry, biology and physics separately. That’s when I found out I really liked chemistry (and not so much biology!). Also my teacher of chemistry was really good and this made me decide that I wanted to have a job in chemistry.

    • Photo: James Coombs OBrien

      James Coombs OBrien answered on 9 Mar 2015:

      For me it was my A-level science teacher. As soon as I attended his class I knew I wanted to be a scientist. I loved understand the reasons behind chemical reactions and how this linked to the real world. Also whilst looking around Universities on open days the chemistry department was by far the coolest and most interesting place to be working, that confirmed what I wanted to be.

    • Photo: Martin Ward

      Martin Ward answered on 10 Mar 2015:

      I cant really pin-point one single person or things that inspired me. As I went through school, I kept doing the subjects that interested me and that I enjoyed. As it turned out those subjects were Maths, Chemistry and Physics. If you enjoy those subjects too then it is likely that a science or engineering type career path is going to be something you would enjoy too!

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