• Question: do you enjoy your job and also what subjects did you do for GCSE?

    Asked by Phoebs to Bose, Steve, Alice, Christian, Emma on 10 Mar 2016. This question was also asked by ItzJesse123, 288grte22.
    • Photo: Steve Marsden

      Steve Marsden answered on 10 Mar 2016:

      I love it! I can’t imagine being anything other that a physicist.

      The important GCSEs to take are Maths and the three separate sciences. That said, I know a couple of people who did double award science (because their school didn’t offer separate sciences) and still went on to become scientists. Any remaining options are entirely up to you, and won’t have an effect on your chances of becoming a scientist.

      I did, Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English Language, English Literature, Design, Business Studies, Spanish, Religious Studies. I think that was it…

      The more important decisions come at A-level. At this point it is vital to study maths, and the science you want to go into. Further maths is an advantage, but not compulsory. I did, Maths, Physics and Business Studies. Not doing further maths didn’t hinder my application to university, but it did lead to a busy couple of months when I first started uni and quickly had to catch up.

    • Photo: Benjamin Bose

      Benjamin Bose answered on 11 Mar 2016:

      Same as Steve – can’t imagine doing anything else!

      To mention just a few things I love about it that most other jobs couldn’t match:

      I work in my own time
      I work for myself
      I work on something that is contributing to mankind’s knowledge
      It’s challenging and everyday has a different problem to solve
      I work on big ideas and on answering big questions
      I get to travel regularly
      Scientists tend to be the most eccentric and interesting people – and you get to work with them 🙂
      You get paid to do something that’s incredibly interesting!

      I could go on and on ….

      At GCSE I did Maths, Physics, English Lit, English Language, Computer Science, French, Religious Studies, Accounts, Economics and Maltese. The most important ones were Maths and Physics naturally 🙂

      At A-level I did Maths and Physics.

    • Photo: Emma Dean

      Emma Dean answered on 16 Mar 2016:

      Yes I love my job! It’s so interesting learning new things everyday. It’s great being surrounded by lots of clever people who also do really interesting work.

      For my GCSE’s I studied: English, English Literature, Maths, all 3 Sciences, Geography, Art, Drama, Graphic Design and French.

    • Photo: Alice Harpole

      Alice Harpole answered on 16 Mar 2016:

      I love my job! I find it really great that I can learn new things about the universe every day and it certainly doesn’t get boring!

      For GCSE I did Maths, English Language, English Literature, Separate Sciences, French, ICT, Business Studies, Engineering, Product Design, PE and RS.

      At A level I then did Physics, Chemistry, Maths and Further Maths (plus English Literature AS).

      If you want to do physics at university, then it’s a good idea to do as much physics and maths as you can at school.

    • Photo: Christian Killow

      Christian Killow answered on 16 Mar 2016:

      I enjoy my job so much I have two of them! One as a researcher and another as a graduate school co-ordinator (helping to make sure people who are currently doing their PhD have the best experience possible).

      GCSE: maths, double science, English, French, history, geography, economics… and some others that I can’t remember but I’m sure were useful!

      A levels: maths, phys, chem.

      If you want to be a scientist, do the sciences and maths – and do English! You will need good written skills.

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