• Question: How did you get to where you are know?

    Asked by meggy to Betul, Bridget, Ceri-Wyn, Laurel, Maria on 17 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Ceri-Wyn Thomas

      Ceri-Wyn Thomas answered on 16 Jun 2010:

      Well right now I’m sitting at my desk answering “I’m a scientist questions”- but when I’m not doing that I’m writing my PhD thesis. It all started when I decided that Earth was a pretty cool place to learn about. That was in secondary school. I talked to my geography teacher and he advised me to take Geology at university if I wanted to learn more about the planet and how it evolved. I studied geology at the University of Cardiff and I loved every single minute of it. I was learning about volcanos, earthquakes, our climate, Earth history- but my real passion was the evolution of life on Earth. That’s how I got into palaeontology. I did an MSc at Bristol and started my PhD there looking at the earliest animal fossils and I’ve never looked back 🙂

    • Photo: Bridget Waller

      Bridget Waller answered on 16 Jun 2010:

      A combination of hard work, being in the right place at the right time, and luck!!

    • Photo: Maria Pawlowska

      Maria Pawlowska answered on 16 Jun 2010:

      Hi meggy, thanks for your question. I think the most important thing was persistence and curiosity. I knew I wanted to be a scientist and decided I will do everything (choose the right courses in school, go to uni, get work expierience) I can to achieve my goal. And I read tonnes on biology and evolution…

    • Photo: Laurel Fogarty

      Laurel Fogarty answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      This is quite a long story, I went to school in many different places, then I took my final exams in Ireland, went to University to study journalism, I left after a while and went to study science. I was quite confused about what I wanted to do!

      When I first went to study science I took theoretical physics, chemistry, biology and maths. I kept studying physics and biology. After I got my degree I applied for a PhD over here, went for an interview and lots of discussions with my supervisor (and the people who pay me!) That kind of thing is always a little nerve wracking but it worked out ok!

    • Photo: Betul Arslan

      Betul Arslan answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      This is my evolution! But I won’t say it’s pure luck 🙂 I was never the top student in class but I was almost the most ambitious and willing to learn. I guess that never changed. And I had good mentors around me that inspired me and believed in me when I had so little to show.

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