Recently, I was thinking about my relationship to my work. Is this really what I want(ed) to do? Do I feel any kind of satisfaction? Is this what I want to do during rest of my life? And answers? Yes, definetely! In all cases. So, if you are insterested, read more why do I like science.
The beauty of my work is that it can be easily divided into the four individual jobs. Each of the job can stand alone, however their mutual connection is what make them even nicer.
Research
Unlimited discovery. There are almost no limitations in the research itself. Sure, one has to always take into account laws of the Nature. But what can be nicer (from the work point of view) if you are able to push the boundaries somewhere else? To explore something what nobody did before you. A who knows, in the future, this finding can make livebeing better and easier.
I like to work in the lab, to meassure my columns and to hope, that there, in between all of them, there is The One, which will do excatly what I want.
Story telling
Once you have data you have to sell them. Put all results together, compare, explain and disscuss them and finally find possible explanation and (future) application. Writing the scientific papers is like telling the stories. And reading well written paper is like listening to the interesting and amazing story.
I have to admit, I am still working on this issue and there is a lot of (a lot of!) room for improvement. It is also one of my scientific aims for the future (and reason for this blog).
Teaching
Labs. Seminars. Lectures. So far, I have personal experience only with student labs. Eventhough we are working (and teaching) in analytical chemistry lab, I have to say that I don’t mind so much about absolute accuracy of students results. More I care about their personal attitude. Do they look bored? Are they bored? Are they trying to figure out the way how the solve the problem or do they prefere to ask labmates?
I am always trying to ask them three questions:
- What? What are you doing? What kind of experiment it is? What kind of techniques? What is the principle of the method? What do you mesure?
- How? How do you measure it? How do you deal with results? How do you know what to do?
- Why? Why are you using this protocol and not the other one? Why are the steps in this order? Why are you doing this? (One of the most important questions and Because I have to is not right answer).
Travel
It is always nice to have the possibility to travel, but what I consider as the most important on the scientific meetings are new ideas. Moreover, there is always opportunity to meet new people, explore cities and cultures and so on. But the ideas are (and should be) the most important part of the meetings. And you have to always present your best and newest data, of course.
I had never dreamed about the carier of the scientist. I thought I can be medicine doctor, teacher, lawyer. But it turned into the science. I am happy about that. Now you know why.