• Question: are you in collage

    Asked by 10msmay to Anna, Craig, Richard, Shane, Sue on 21 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Anna Williams

      Anna Williams answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      Hi 10msmay,
      Do you mean college? I finished being a student at university a while ago (5 years now), but I work in a university now, so you could say I have never left! I really enjoy the university environment – people working as a team (most of the time) to answer important science questions, and there’s a lot of flexibility and freedom to do what interests you. Also, there are lots of intellectual discussions in the tea room! I really enjoy lecturing and teaching university students as well – they’re bright and interested (most of the time) and soak up everything you tell them. I think college or university is a great experience, and allows you to learn about your subject, but also about yourself, and helps you mature. I think everyone should have the opportunity to go to university or college if they want to.

    • Photo: Shane Pennington-Cooper

      Shane Pennington-Cooper answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      Hello 10msmay,

      Unfortunately I am not in self education any more I graduated 2 years ago however I still teach at University, it is a fascinating job to help students with questions, laboratory work and essay writing. I enjoy the feeling that they know I am always there to help them. It is a great sense of achievement when you help someone who is struggling with work understand the processes and the reason why we do them.

    • Photo: Richard Case

      Richard Case answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      Hi 10smay,

      I never went to uni straight from school so I have recently started on the road to a degree.

      So I am attached to a uni, but I am taking the course based on my work experiences and distance learning… so I don’t get to go and attend any lectures, but attend regular courses run by the NPIA National Forensic Training Centre http://www.npia.police.uk/en/5235.htm

    • Photo: Craig McKenzie

      Craig McKenzie answered on 17 Jun 2011:

      Hi 10msmay,

      at the moment i am working in a university which is just like a college. I studied at University myself for four years then i went to work with a very famous marine science laboratory and did my doctorate (PhD) through my local University. I really love working at the university as i get to meet and teach so many different types of students. I also like working and talking with the people who work with me to come up with new experiments, new ways of teaching or just about life in general. Having intelligent conversations over a cup of tea is a good way to get your brain working!

      Like Anna and Sue have said – it is a really good environment to work. I would hope everyone who wants to go can go but it’s really important to know that it is not the only way of learning things – you can start by finding a job and learning as you go along or going to college and then moving to university later – sometimes like with Richard you work at your job very hard and become an expert then if you want to you can go to university later on. Everybodies lives are different and there is not just one way to do things.

    • Photo: Sue Carney

      Sue Carney answered on 21 Jun 2011:

      Hi 10msmay!

      I loved college and sometimes wish I was back there, but I finally finished college in about 1997 after having completed my masters degree. In some ways, life as a scientist is a bit like college because there are still plenty of opportunities to learn new things, and as scientists, it’s important that we keep on learning all the time.

      I agree with Anna when she says that college is not just about learning your subject but it also involves learning about yourself. I think college is a great opportunity to experiment with new ideas and find out about what’s important to you and who you really are. There’s no reason that we can’t continue developing in that way, even after college, although lots of people say that as people get older they become set in their ways.

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