Question: If I want to become a scientist, what would be the steps I would have to take?

Ben Turnbull answered on 9 Jul 2025:

Fantastic question, for which I have two answers:

1) Logistically, you’ll need to do a first (undergraduate) degree in something similar to what you think you’ll end up wanting to do as a scientist. it doesn’t matter too much if it’s not exactly the same, not every university offers everything, plus you’ll no doubt find new things interesting. So, say you want to work on animals. Any Bio degree will do. Biology, Biological Sciences, Biochemisty etc. Afterwards, you go on to a PhD which is essentially a research training degree. You work on a single project under a supervisor and at the end write a thesis (essentially a massive lab report). Some people find it useful to do a small masters degree in between these steps too but it’s not essential. And from there you take positions working in other people’s labs until you have enough experience to be hired to lead your own. At which point, you’ll start teaching undergraduate students.

2) More broadly, just stay interested in the world. Being a scientist is as much as mindset as it is a job title. The whole vibe is enthusiasm for the world and a want to find out how/why it works the way it does. You’ll best keep this enthusiasm by studying stuff you most find interesting. So see what makes you excited and follow it. Remembering that there’s many interesting things that aren’t in your school syllabi, but there’re loads of popular science books which make stuff accessible to everyone 🙂