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Asked by peak520sudd on 18 Jul 2025.
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Martin McCoustra answered on 18 Jul 2025:
I think the honest answer is no… There have been times when the situation I’ve been in, such as not being allowed to go for promotion, have pushed me to work even harder and achieve that goal much quicker than if I just cruised along.
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Katherine Shirley answered on 18 Jul 2025:
Yes, I have felt that it is difficult to be a scientist. It can be very challenging to get a stable job in academia (at a university or research institute) even though you have spent a long time studying and doing science. Even now, I do not have a job for more than 2 years at a time, so it can be difficult to plan for the future. I think that I will still always enjoy doing science though, and even if I can’t work at a university, I can try to find other jobs that need my research skills.
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charlottemaughanjones commented on :
Yes! On multiple occasions! In fact i have “Given up” on a career in the past, as i trained to be a veterinary surgeon, spent 4 years as a horse vet, and then moved into Medical Physics/Biomedical Engineering/Academia. I suffer from (sometimes) crippling Imposter syndrome, which means i never feel good enough to exist in the field that i am in. I love it, but have my confidence knocked fairly regularly. This is a “me” problem though, as if you speak to my previous or current managers, then they would tell you that i am doing great! Honestly, i wouldn’t want to be in any other job because i love the freedom I have to follow my interests and work on projects that really mean something, but i do wish that i felt more of a sense of belonging, and had greater belief in myself.