• Question: Was it hard to become a scientist?

    Asked by R+J? to Peter, Carolyn, Richard, Sara, Siana on 13 Nov 2015. This question was also asked by Hyper, pops13.
    • Photo: Peter Francis

      Peter Francis answered on 13 Nov 2015:

      Yes this hard: I wanted to be an exercise scientist from age 16. I was running a high volume of miles at the time and was fascinated by changes in fitness and injury incidence. After completing a BSc Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Limerick in 2009 I applied for a physiology internship at the Australian Institute of Sport and for a PhD bursary. Unfortunately I could acquire either at the time. Subsequently, I travelled to the Middle East (Qatar) and taught English for a year. During this time I acquired the Roadbridge Medical Research Scholarship to support my PhD entitled ‘Age-related change in muscle quality’ at the University of Limerick. I completed my second BSc in Physical Therapy on a part-time basis (weekends) over a period of 4 years. In 2013, I took up a lecturing role in sport and health science at the University of St. Mark and John. In 2014, I was appointed senior lecturer in rehabilitation and health science at Leeds Beckett University where I am based at present.

    • Photo: Richard Unwin

      Richard Unwin answered on 16 Nov 2015:

      Yes and no. It’s a lot of work, very frustrating and it takes a lot of time, so it is hard. However I really enjoy it so the hard work is worth it and you get a reward in the end of seeing something you have done add to our knowledge of, in my case, how diseases develop. I’d find it much harder to do something I didn’t enjoy….

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