• Question: have you experienced any set backs in your career?

    Asked by miabethp to Aileen, Caroline, Christopher, Rehemat, Stephanie, Stephen on 7 Mar 2018.
    • Photo: Christopher Nankervis

      Christopher Nankervis answered on 7 Mar 2018:

      Yes, I have experienced a lot of set backs. During my time at university I wasn’t well for a while, and this made it more challenging to complete my studies. The important thing is to keep going. It’s not a race 🙂

    • Photo: Caroline Hickman

      Caroline Hickman answered on 7 Mar 2018:

      Loads and loads. Most weeks to be honest! But I often find that the set backs afterwards lead to me making changes that improve things much more afterwards. So I have learnt to see them not as negative, but as opportunities to struggle creatively and learn something that I need to learn – and then move forwards again. They are creative opportunities

    • Photo: Stephanie Mann

      Stephanie Mann answered on 8 Mar 2018:

      Yes sometimes it can be really hard when an experiment or simulation doesn’t go well. But with enough hard work you can learn from your mistakes and every mistake is important to science so we don’t make the same mistakes again!

    • Photo: Stephen Twomlow

      Stephen Twomlow answered on 8 Mar 2018:

      Every time I go and meet my boss to discuss budgets. set backs are part of daily life

    • Photo: Rehemat Bhatia

      Rehemat Bhatia answered on 8 Mar 2018:

      Yep many. When the lab machines break it sets me back 2-3 months 🙁
      I also didn’t do so well at school (for A Level), so I had to really work really hard at university to graduate with a good degree. It was tough, but it was definitely worth it in the end!

      Don’t think that if you don’t do well at school that sets what you’re capable of in the future. Remember that hard work always pays off, and there will always be people around to help you 🙂 . I genuinely don’t think at the age of 18 I would have seen myself doing a PhD after I finished my undergrad degree!!

    • Photo: Aileen Baird

      Aileen Baird answered on 9 Mar 2018:

      Yep, loads!! Science is basically testing experiments or theories that nobody else has tested before- so lots of times it doesn’t work! This can be very frustrating and make you feel a bit sad. I let myself feel sad for a bit, and then try again and hopefully get it to work next time!

      As you can see, all the scientists here have experienced set-backs. They can be hard, but everyone experiences them, so I hope we have all reassured you that its normal!

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