• Question: how did you get into science

    Asked by jrourke to Tommy on 7 Nov 2013.
    • Photo: Thomas Doherty-Bone

      Thomas Doherty-Bone answered on 7 Nov 2013:

      Hi jrourke,
      It isn’t clear how I got into it. Apparently, having an early desire as a 6-8 year old might have helped, with a fascination of snakes from the age of 3! I was obsessed with the natural world and animals, the more I learned, the broader my interests became. Knowing the many different aspects of the environment were under threat seemed to focus my sights on to solutions, the scientific method being the most logical tool to tackle these problems.

      So, science club at school, attending lectures at a local reptile club, A-Levels in sciences, work in a zoo or two, travel in South America, degree in Zoology, work in Africa, Masters degree, more work in Africa, all helping to refine my scientific skills.

Comments

  • Photo: Sofia

    Sofia commented on :

    I always liked science…loved the BBC shows about wildlife and the blue planet!…but I was very confused about what scientists actually did! I thought everyone was in the middle of the forest looking for wild animals of chasing lions in the savannah! Now I know it is way beyond this, and a lot of work comes into it, beside the Tarzan behaviour. Anyway, when the time came to choose I could have gone for everything as long as included the search for answers and some degree of adventure and travelling the world…i thought about archaeology, journalism, biology and it just clicked! Always loved animals and always loved to understand how things happen and why, so it was spot on! Did my bachelor in biology…in the middle decided that marine biology was the most intriguing for me and so I went through with it! And then things just happened, you start meeting people, finding projects you like and when you see there is something always happening and you just go with the flow! Could not be happier with my choice.

  • Photo: Cassie

    Cassie commented on :

    I did the same… I had no idea what a scientist did or why I would want to do that. But when I was studying Zoology I realised I loved learning and finding out all these new things.
    You can work in science in many different ways – and I knew I liked science so I worked as a lab technician (in America, and at London zoo)… which was great. But then I realised I loved the idea of making up my own research in the areas that I’m really interested in.