• Question: what advice would you give to children who want to become a scienist?

    Asked by luv2dance123 to Alan, Deepak, Francesca, Lilly, Nick on 10 Mar 2014.
    • Photo: Deepak Kar

      Deepak Kar answered on 10 Mar 2014:

      Read popular science books, watch TV shows that talk about science. Try not memorise, but understand what you are taught in school, listen to your teachers, try to get good marks. Not to scare you at all, but unfortunately to do science, you will have to get into a university, and that requires good marks.

    • Photo: Francesca Day

      Francesca Day answered on 10 Mar 2014:

      Do lots of the kind of science you enjoy! You can do this by reading popular science books, watching documentaries and looking for extra science online. It’s also important to work hard in science and maths at school, but don’t worry too much if you can’t learn all the facts. It’s more important to understand things and ask interesting questions.

    • Photo: Alan Fitzsimmons

      Alan Fitzsimmons answered on 10 Mar 2014:

      If someone wants to become a scientist, it’s important to try and understand what’s going on, like Deepak says. Try learning about science outside school, by watching tv shows and reading books and magazines. The programmes and books you find most interesting will tell you what kind of science is for you.

      The other thing is that some people might try to put them off by saying that science is hard. That’s rubbish! It’s no harder than learning subjects like French, or history, or art. If they like science, and find it interesting, they should do well.

    • Photo: Nick Wright

      Nick Wright answered on 11 Mar 2014:

      Go read a book about science, something easy to read and enjoyable (want any recommendations for physics or astronomy books?), or watch a TV series like the new series Cosmos that’s just started on Sky (I think its on youTube and Hulu too). Then find something you’re interested in and learn about it. Science should be fine and should be sparked by your own curiosity, so go out there and enjoy yourself!

    • Photo: Lilian Hunt

      Lilian Hunt answered on 13 Mar 2014:

      Be inquisitive! Ask questions about things that interest you and really listen to understand the answers. If the person you ask doesn’t know, go find out! read books, watch science shows on the TV and explore the things you’re interested in. You have to be passionate about science to want to study something in so much detail for so long so get out there and find what you’re passionate about!

Comments

  • Photo: Rowena

    Rowena commented on :

    I don’t think I ever read any science books or watched science TV shows except using encycopaedias to look up things like bananas (tree is the largest herb in the world and the fruit are actually berries; bananas are actually radioactive).

    You do need good marks to be a scientist, but most of all you need to be enthusiastic, determined and passionate about what you want to do. I know people doing PhDs in science now who didn’t get very good marks in school, but they wanted to do science so they either went back and tried again or they did foundation courses to increase their knowedge and skills and move them up to degree level.