• Question: what are the disadvantages of your job?

    Asked by izzywizzy1996 to Chris, Emily, Martin, Natalie, Tamsin on 16 Mar 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Martin Coath

      Martin Coath answered on 16 Mar 2010:

      I guess the main thing I would change if I could would be the meetings.

      Sometimes there is just no choice but to sit down and talk, and talk, and talk for hours. It is necessary and often valuable but I cannot pretend I enjoy it.

      I would rather be working, or sitting on the beach thinking! 🙂

    • Photo: Chris Cooper

      Chris Cooper answered on 16 Mar 2010:

      Having to try and persuade the government to give me money to do my research and having to sack people who work for me if they don’t give me the money. The science itself has few disadvantages – the politics of funding it does!

    • Photo: Natalie Stanford

      Natalie Stanford answered on 17 Mar 2010:

      I’d say the main disadvantages are:

      1. It’s sometimes difficult to explain to people exactly what it is you do.
      2. It can be very frustrating trying to get new ideas to work.

    • Photo: Emily Cook

      Emily Cook answered on 17 Mar 2010:

      People often make assumptions about you that you are a bit odd and geeky. My partner is a journalist and when I go to journalist social things and tell people I’m a physicist they tilt their heads and look and me like they feel sorry for me – like I have a terminal illness or something. I guess there’s still away to go before people get over the preconception that all scientists are men with beards (no offence meant, Martin and Chris) who lack social skills!

Comments

  • Photo: Chris

    Chris commented on :

    Ok – as you brought up the beard thing Emily. It is actually pretty rare in scientists, apart from Islamic or Sikh scientists. However, now I do more public engagement work with the media and school, I am well aware that I could be contributing to this preconception.

    But actually the bottom line is my wife loves it and I know what matters in life………

    However, the other bit is true, I do definitely lack social skills.

    • Photo: Martin

      Martin commented on :

      I haven’t noticed a great excess of bearded men in science – although in my area women are clearly under represented.

      Like Chris, my beard stays because my partner likes it. In fact she probably can’t remember what I look like without it and the shock might be too much for her!

      And yes – I do lack social skills. I am working on it! 🙂