Question: I also want to be a scientist someday, but I don’t know how to be one. Can you tell me how to be a professional scientist like you?

Keith Brain answered on 17 Jun 2010:

There are many ways into science, or back into science, and so many different types of science to do! However, here’s a basic plan of approach:
– If you’re interested in science, then as you have choices in high school, choose those science subjects that interest you most.
– Read about science outside of school, and see whether this interests you: UK popular science authors include Richard Dawkins (although he is a bit too strongly/dogmatically anti-religion), Ben Goldacre (I like his “Bad Science”) and Stephen Hawking (Physics). A real eye-opening book for me was Richard Dawkin’s “The Ancestors Tale”, which works steadily back through our ancestors to the dawn of life – an amazing voyage.
– However, these books can be a bit heavy, so it might be better to read some science magazine, like “New Scientist” (I love to read it too), but your science teachers might have some even better suggestions. I prefer them because you get to learn more science, in small chunks, than from working through a bigger book.
– Most people interested in going into science will do a university degree – the might be something like a “Bachelor of Science”, which takes 3 years and in which you can choose which subjects you want to do. Other people might choose a degree that is more focused on a particular topic.
– After a bachelors degree, some people will go and work as scientist for companies, and continue their career there. Others will stay on to do a research degree called a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) where most your work is on a specific research project. Most people with a PhD then go to work in companies (where they may do research as part or all of their jobs), but some will continue in Universities (adding in teaching) or research institutions.