• Question: Hello fellow scientist's what was the most interesting thing that has happened to you since you became a scientist ?

    Asked by zebraperson72 to Sive, Michael, Emma, Ciara, Cathal on 13 Nov 2013.
    • Photo: Emma Cahill

      Emma Cahill answered on 13 Nov 2013:

      Hi there, I’ve seen lots of interesting presentations by other scientists at international meetings. I had the chance to talk with two Nobel Prize winners, and I asked one of them (Roger Tsien) what advice would he give to a PhD student starting out… and he said “just find a simple solution to a difficult problem!” I wish that was easy! This scientist had developed a technology that allows us to make cells express flourescent markers or labels, so under specific microscopes we can see cells marked in different colours. A great application of this is called “Brain Bow”, check out the cool images with google.

    • Photo: Sive Finlay

      Sive Finlay answered on 13 Nov 2013:

      Hi,

      Like Emma I think definitely the most interesting part of being a scientist are the people you meet and also the places that you get to visit. I spent a summer working in Cambridge as part of a internship program for biology students. It was my first time working away from my home institution and I was with people from very different backgrounds studying lots of cool things. It was my first taste of being a “real scientist” doing my own research project and I loved exploring a new place and being exposed to lots of different ideas.
      Sive

    • Photo: Michael Nolan

      Michael Nolan answered on 15 Nov 2013:

      For me the most interesting thing that has happened is how I have changed as a scientist. When I was starting my PhD, I didnt have a clue, I didnt know what questions to ask or how to really explain my findings.
      Over the last 10 years I have managed to develop the ability to ask good questions, describe and explain what I get and get the flashes of insight and understanding that we all need to understand our problem. I am now in a position to propose and lead research, bringing in the money to do that, bring people together to tackle problems and tell the world what we are doing and why it is good.

      I am still amazed at how this has happened and how I have evolved as a scientist, but enjoying the fruits of it.

      M

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