• Question: How did you get into science?

    Asked by anon-256390 to Viktor, Tom, Tana on 8 Jun 2020.
    • Photo: Viktor Doychinov

      Viktor Doychinov answered on 8 Jun 2020:

      Please note, I got into engineering, which you could say is applied science. I have to thank two family members for getting into that.

      My uncle was a great influence on me. He lived with my parents and I when I was around 10 years old, and he was studying for his undergraduate degree at University. I was fascinated by the colourful and weird things he was doing on his computer, and he was good and patient enough to explain what they were. I decided I wanted to be like him and study engineering. Eventually I went into a different kind of engineering than him.

      The other person is my grandmother. She was a biology teacher at school, but she also helped raise me and look after me while my parents were at work. She is the one who taught me to value education, to be curious, and to enjoy learning new things.She was the main reason I was excited to go to University, and to get into research.

      After I finished my degree I applied to do a PhD, and I have been doing research at University since then.

      These days I regularly have amazing opportunities to do research that involves more than just engineering – it involves other kinds of science, as well as language and literature, law, ethics, and so on. It is thanks to my grandma and her teachings that I am

Comments

  • Photo: Susan

    Susan commented on :

    I think it is fair to say that I was born into it (my father was a scientist – an industrial chemist – and my mother was a lab technican before she married my father: in the 1950s it was usual for women to stop working when they married). I read science books when I was a child, I did science at school (this required an argument with my headteacher, who thought that girls should do arts subjects; I won), I did physics and astronomy at university, and I have worked in physics research ever since. Not very imaginative of me, I admit. (My brother is a power station technician in an oil refinery: not science, but closely related!)

  • Photo: Paola

    Paola commented on :

    I had great maths and science teachers growing up, and my dad – who worked as an architect – was very science-minded and always encouraged me in that direction. I was really interested in history and archaeology too, though – so had to think very carefully about what to study as I progressed through school and into University. Ultimately, I was very lucky as I found a way to combine my passions for science and history – and I ended up becoming a museum scientist.

  • Photo: Jessica

    Jessica commented on :

    I’m still asking myself that question! I originally wanted to be a professional ballerina! I didn’t grow any taller than 5ft, so unfortunately that career was out (most ballerinas are taller!). I then thought about doing languages and classics at university, but did enjoy maths at school. Eventually, my maths teacher convinced me to try physics, because I kept asking her what the point of everything she taught us was! I wanted to know how it was applied. I ended up writing two different personal statements (one for classics and one for physics) and decided last minute to go for physics. And I am still loving it! Looking back, I did enjoy problem solving and used to buy some science kits when I was a child. My parents always encouraged me to be curious and I remember my dad learning to use a computer and watching him, so I think that also influenced me!