Do you work as part of a team

Kate Keogh answered on 8 Nov 2021:

Hi Toby, generally we would work as part of a team, but then would also have times or working independently on our own, so there is a good mix. generally we would always have the support of the larger team when working independently too.

Henry Darch answered on 8 Nov 2021:

Absolutely! As Kate has said, there are often times that you would go and work on your own on something, but usually its’ a part of a bigger project that other people are involved with too.

In the Biological Sciences, it is almost impossible to be purely an individual scientist in today’s world. It’s better to work (collaborate) with other scientists, as you can share work and get things finished faster. There’s also way too much information and possible skills out there for one person to be an expert in everything, so by sharing work, everyone can focus on getting very good at a smaller set of skills, and then come together to solve problems with much higher level of total skill.

Maria Giovanna Caruso answered on 8 Nov 2021:

Yes, totally. Science works thanks to cooperation, sharing ideas and tecniques. But you have of course to give to the team your personal contribution and to do this you have to study of your own and try to improve every day your skills.

It works like a volley match 🙂

Gaël Lymer answered on 8 Nov 2021: last edited 8 Nov 2021 8:17 pm

Bonjour Toby 🙂
That is the same for me than for my other scientists colleagues: I am part of a team but I can also do little individual jobs, and within the team I have my own thinking that I share and discuss with the other team members with whom I collaborate.

Generally the team is led by an experimented researcher (sometimes a professor) and can be made of researchers with different levels, including students or early-researchers like me 🙂 I have been member of different teams to work on different projects that have included between 3 and 15 people.

Pawel Rulikowski answered on 9 Nov 2021:

The short answer is yes. Very rarely science and engineering is done in isolation and by one individual. This is the most exciting and at the same time the most challenging part of a work. The best ideas are created around cup of coffee or a proverbial “water cooler”, meaning during non-structured discussions. Building a coherent team is very important.
On the other hand, the science is done incrementally, by building on the ideas from past and expanding them. In movies etc. you will see lone genius building something from nothing, it is largely not true. He/She gained understanding from previous generations of scientists and was “Standing on the shoulders of giants” as Newton once said.

Georgiana Ifrim answered on 9 Nov 2021:

I do, I have a research group where I work with students and other researchers, and I am also part of a few research centres, where the whole idea is to come together to work as teams, so you can work on bigger challenges than what you can solve on your own. It is also much more fun to work with other people, the process is faster and you learn and do a lot more than on your own.

Anita Pax answered on 9 Nov 2021:

Yes! Although I have my own kind of project, the work towards it is supported by a team of people. It’s pretty rare for scientists to work completely alone. There is a mix of working alone and as part of a team, how much of each can really depend on the type of science and also your own personal preferences.

Cyrille Thinnes answered on 10 Nov 2021:

Hi Toby, yes I do indeed. On a daily basis I work in a team of 16 talented scientists at NUI Galway. This team is composed of a diverse set of people, including different countries, different subject backgrounds, and different ages, from undergraduate students to professors. Depending on the project, our team will also work with other teams, both in Ireland, and internationally. So as a scientist, you may be working sometimes on your own, and then suddenly have a project meeting with >100 people attending!

Justine Mathoux answered on 12 Nov 2021:

Yes, you work as a part of a team.
Everyone have his own project which is a part of a big project.

Ciara Feely answered on 17 Nov 2021:

As I am doing a PhD programme I have a few professors who supervise me that I meet every week or two. I also collaborate on some projects with other students but the majority of the time I work by myself.

Question: Do you work as part of a team

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