• Question: on a scale of 1 to 10 how commited to your work are you (1 not very 10 extreemely)

    Asked by jamielintern to Steve, Julian, Jemma, Eoin, Charlie on 23 Mar 2011. This question was also asked by danrgw.
    • Photo: Julian Rayner

      Julian Rayner answered on 21 Mar 2011:

      Hi Jamielintern and darngw.

      Definitely a 10. I work on malaria, which is a disease that infects 300-500 million people each year, and kills more than a million of them, mostly children under the age of five. These are often some of the poorest kids in the world, and they don’t always have a lot of people fighting for them – big pharmaceutical companies do not have malaria as a high priority, because there isn’t a lot of money in it. Why work on a disease like that if you weren’t 100% committed to it?

    • Photo: Eoin Lettice

      Eoin Lettice answered on 21 Mar 2011:

      Hi Jamie,
      I’d have to say 9/10. You’ve got to be commited to the work to do a really good job – that’s the same whether you’re a scientist or a writer or a politician or whatever!
      On the other hand, you can’t be so committed to any job (even science) that other parts of your life suffers. You’ve got to have a good balance between doing great work, but also having time with your friends and family.
      I think scientists who take some time to have some fun end up being better and happier scientists and that produces better results.

      Eoin.

    • Photo: Stephen Moss

      Stephen Moss answered on 21 Mar 2011:

      Hi Jamie
      Definitely a 10!

    • Photo: Jemma Ransom

      Jemma Ransom answered on 21 Mar 2011:

      Generally I’m up there at the 10 mark. But everyone has off days, and sometimes when things just don’t seem to be working, I have been known to slip to a 6/7. You have to have a very high level of commitment to your work to be a scientist – but it is incredibly rewarding and repays everything you put in

    • Photo: Charlie Ryan

      Charlie Ryan answered on 23 Mar 2011:

      hi jamie and dan thanks for the question!
      I would go for an eight out of ten – comitted, but also you need to do other things in life to keep you sane!
      I work hard – normally i work from before nine am to six pm, although this varies a lot!! I don’t work at the weekends though – i think it’s very healthy to have time away from work. It allows you to come back feeling refreshed (well assuming the weekend has been quiet!) and ready for action again!

Comments