did you want to be a scientist when you were a child ?

Question: did you want to be a scientist when you were a child ?

Asked by emilyscott to Alastair, Emma, Hywel, Keith, Vicki on 18 Jun 2010 in Categories: General.
- Vicki Stevenson answered on 15 Jun 2010:
  
  I’ve always loved reading, so my first ambition was to be an author. Later on I wanted to be a vet because I love animals. I didn’t really know what I needed to do to become a vet, although I was told I’d have to get good grades at school! When I was 16 I went to an open day at an engineering company which made mining equipment – they had developed equipment where all the copper wire was replaced with fibre optic cables to reduce the chance of sparks setting off an explosion underground. When I realised that fibre optics could save lives I decided I wanted to study laser physics and optoelectronics.
- Keith Brain answered on 15 Jun 2010:
  
  As a child, I wanted to be an air traffic controller. As a teenager, I went through stages of wanting to be an actuary (a rather mathematical type of accountant), then a classical Physicist (not much of a call for them really, but I do like Physics), then a doctor, then a physiologist (someone who studies how the body works), then a doctor, then a physiologist, then a doctor, then … You can see the oscillating pattern! However, I seem to be converging on the physiologist (with an interest in drugs) who keeps a keen eye on medical applications. So, I’m converging to a solution!
- Alastair Sloan answered on 15 Jun 2010:
  
  Hi Emily
  
  No, not really. I enjoyed science and found all bits of science fascinating, but I actually wanted to be a musician. I studied piano, clarinet and saxophone and did music at school, along with science subjects and spent alot of my time playing music. It was only when I was in 6th form that decided that I could still play music at a professional level and do something else that I pursued my other passion and interest which was science.
  
  I still do both today and have alot of gigs with my bands while being a scientist during the week.
- Hywel Vaughan answered on 16 Jun 2010:
  
  Hi Emily,
  Actually no, like most people here I wasn’t sure about what I wanted to be when I was a child! I really had no idea! My ambitions would change from week to week, whether it be the army, a lawyer or the next James Dyson! All that I knew for certain is that I wanted to do something different – I wanted to do something that really made a difference and (I know this sounds really corny) change the world. Lucky for me science has allowed me to do just that – I am working on something that is different, that can make a difference and fingers crossed… will change the world. I didn’t know what it was I wanted to do, but I also didn’t know just how wide a subject science really is!
- Emma Carter answered on 18 Jun 2010:
  
  Hi Emily,
  
  I think I first wanted to be an engineer when I was about 14. I only got really interested in research when I was 28! So it’s never too late.

Question: did you want to be a scientist when you were a child ?

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