• Question: What's most useful in your research to do your job well?

    Asked by emmasaur to Ian, Jono, Daniela, Hannah, Mark on 20 Jun 2013. This question was also asked by cherry0x.
    • Photo: Mark Hodson

      Mark Hodson answered on 20 Jun 2013:

      Hi emmasaur,

      I reckon perseverance is the key. Sometimes things work well or are easy to understand but often things are harder to puzzle out and you just have to keep on going. Someone once told me that you have to keep banging your head on a brick wall until the wall collapses!

      cheers

      m

    • Photo: Ian Wilson

      Ian Wilson answered on 20 Jun 2013:

      Hi emmasaur and cherry0x,

      Well I couldn’t do most of my work without my computer so I guess I’d have to say that. I have a LOT of data to analyse – that takes up most of my days. Sometimes I have so much data I have to have it split across 2 computer screens just to be able to see it all and have any chance of working out what I’m looking at! So I need a pretty good computer otherwise I couldn’t do very much.

      I also keep a pretty big supply of tea and cookies nearby as well – I like baking so I keep myself stocked up on sugary treats. Essential equipment for getting through a PhD! 😉

      Thanks,

      Ian

    • Photo: Daniela Plana

      Daniela Plana answered on 20 Jun 2013:

      Hey emmasaur and cherry0x!

      I think the most important thing to be a good scientist is to be curious and work hard. You have to always ask yourself why, how things happen and then work hard to figure it out. It’s also always useful for me to work with other people and share ideas…

      I do agree with Ian, I’d get nowhere fast without coffee and chocolate! Those are always at hand in our office!!!

      Hope that helps!
      Daniela

    • Photo: Hannah Brotherton

      Hannah Brotherton answered on 21 Jun 2013:

      Hi emmasaur and cherry0x,

      Adults can get to serious and think too much sometimes, So I try and keep the curious mind that I had as a child. When I was a kid (I still do it now) I asked question after question, like why is a dog called a dog, why is the ocean so big…why why why? what what what? how how how? My curiosity made me passionate to know and ask things about everything.

      I am still like this to this day. People are scared to ask questions because they are worried they will look silly. But I am so curious about my subject I will ask any and every question there is 😀 No question is silly, because every question will have an answer. If it doesn’t then I can do an experiment to find out the answer 😀 Being curious and passionate are some of the most important traits to become the best in your job.

      Even if you are not as smart as the person next to you, if you are determined and passionate then you will keep going and going until you find the answer. But the ‘smarter’ person will have given up.
      You are now the best in your job, because you kept going until you found the answer 😀

    • Photo: Jono Bone

      Jono Bone answered on 23 Jun 2013:

      Hey Emmasaur,

      Persistence, Enthusiasm and a curious mind. I also find if I’m really such with something a walk around the local park can help me see things in a different way.

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