Directly taken from Chapter 14  in Who Wants to be a Scientist?

For other opinions see these links to articles about “Marine Dreams” and “soyouwannabeacomputationalbiologist”

Among scientists are collectors, classifiers and compulsive tidy uppers, many are detectives by temperament and many are explorers; some are artists and others are artisans. There are poet scientists and philosopher scientists and even a few mystics. 

Maybe it is hard to decide if you want to be a scientist because there are so many aspects to science, and scientists do so many different things. As Medawar noted (above) scientists come in every shape and form. The stereotypical scientist — the ‘man’ of logic, careful judgement and assessment who has a logical view of the world, sets up hypotheses and then test them — is far from reality. Successful science demands imagination, and insight, sensitivity and common sense, as well as a passion for discovery.

…

A training in science provides on of the best groundings for almost any carer — providing not only practical and intellectual skills, but also training in ways to think and act. Not everyone who believes they want to enter a carer in science will follow this path, but hopefully they will benefit from the experience. Those who do stay in science may end up doing many different things. Only a few will become rich, less will become famous, but most, hopefully, will enjoy their work and consider theme selves fortunate to have such enjoyable employment.

-Nancy Rothwell

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