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Asked by anon-253925 on 11 May 2020.
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Joseph Hegarty answered on 11 May 2020:
My goal was to make an impact on the world. By doing science I felt that I could use what I learned to make a difference that could actually be felt, big or small. My work in science has let me make people’s work environment safer so I am definitely fulfilling my own goal, of course I am always excited to do more.
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Danica Pinto answered on 11 May 2020:
Hi Elsa,
I have always wanted to study and use science that will benefit mankind in some way or the other. Also in a way that I can inform and hopefully inspire young people about the wonders of science.
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Fred Mosselmans answered on 11 May 2020:
When I started out in a scientific career I had a goal to achieve using science. I had some narrow aims to understand certain types of catalyst better in my early career. I became a scientist as it was something I found I could do to an OK level and enjoyed. I enjoy the challenge of solving problems and understanding why things are the way they are. In particular I found a role where I could help people with their problems as well and teach people skills that i had learnt in my early career. I have a strong belief that as a mainly publicly funded scientist , I need to engage with the public to inform them about what I do (and my organisation does).
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Piers Townsend answered on 11 May 2020:
Hi Elsa,
Thanks for the great question. I had a couple of goals to be honest!
Firstly, if you study science, you can really make a difference to the world and many peoples lives… lots of science can effect the world in really great ways!
Secondly, and quite importantly, I guess you could say my second goal was to be happy. It is a subject that I enjoyed studying! Studying science made me happy, and it is really important that you also follow a career path that makes you happy.
I hope this helps!
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Hamish Cavaye answered on 11 May 2020:
Hey Elsa.
I think I had two goals really. The first was personal – I wanted to understand how the world works. Learning science teaches you so much about the world in ways you didn’t expect. The second goal was to try and help develop something, however small, that improves the world at least a little bit. -
Caragh Whitehead answered on 12 May 2020:
Hi Elsa, when I’m looking to join a new project, my goal is to choose one that is using science to help people and one that I find interesting. I tend to choose ones that involve looking at plants and seeing what chemicals they produce and how they make them. This knowledge then is used to make our world a better place whether through the manufacture of biofuel or new medicines.
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Sebastian Cosgrove answered on 13 May 2020:
Hi, thanks for a good question!
Like the other guys who have answered, I originally wanted to be a scientist because I thought there might be a way that I could help society in some way. The goals I want to achieve have become more specific as I have learnt more about chemistry throughout my career. Now, in my research my goals are to try and change the way experimental chemists make chemicals. This is a hard thing to do, as we have very set ways of doing things in chemistry.
Another goal is to try and make as many different people get involved in science as possible. Annoyingly, chemistry isn’t the most diverse science, so I try and spread the word to as many different people as possible that anyone can be a scientist, not just old white men!
Comments
Carin commented on :
My goal was rather more selfish; I wanted to learn more about how the world works in detail to quench my own thirst for knowledge and because I really enjoy to understand things in minute detail. Then there was always the positive side effect that the world may benefit from anything I would discover!
Paul commented on :
Hi Elsa, I have two goals in science. My first goal has always been to come up with new solutions to scientific problems – something which I’ve started to achieve in helping develop new methods for detecting illegal drugs in difficult samples. My second goal is in preparing all of my students as best as I can for them to go into the scientific world and make a difference. As I keep in touch with a number of my students, it has been a great pleasure to see where they end up.
Kaamila commented on :
Hi Elsa, for me it was being able to be part of a process, product, design or idea that has an impact to the end user or someone who will find it useful. Science is such a broad subject and everything we use or come across in our daily lives has science involved. With how rapidly our world is changing, I wanted to be part of this difference and encourage as many people about how important science really is.
Connor commented on :
Hi again, Elsa!
Another great question! I was really interested in green chemistry and environmental sciences! I chose my university because of their enormous green chemistry facility. However, as I progressed through my degree I got selfish and now love a different area of chemistry! I am a synthetic Organic chemist. Fortunately there are still rolls for organic chemists in green chemistry but I really enjoy functional organic materials and natural product chemistry at the moment!
Fiona commented on :
Hi Elsa, the goal of my PhD project was to use organic chemistry techniques to make some molecules that might interfere with a particular process in our bodies. I sent the molecules I made to a biologist to test how they worked and we were able to figure out that we could interfere with the process without causing too many side effects.
Kat commented on :
My goal was that I wanted to do something that helped make the world a better place.
Kati commented on :
We all want to make a contribution to the world, to mark our existence. Artists draw a fantastic painting; writers create a classic novel and scientists solve problems to enhance our quality of life e.g. health, environment, food, clothing, gadgets etc. I as everybody in this chat wanted to be a part of this challenge by exploiting my curiosity for the makings of the world and love for solving problems.
Tiffany commented on :
Hi Elsa – great question! I’m hoping that I can use chemistry to improve the way we currently treat diseases like cancer and discover something that could help people!
Heather commented on :
I decided to study science with the aim of learning more about chemistry and how the world works. Now I’d like to do work that contributes to chemical industry being more sustainable!